Only a few days before Christmas, a time when most of us celebrate with the people close to us in our familiar surroundings, we would like to bring a local product from Aalsmeer to your attention; the lilac. The lilac cultivation is typical for Aalsmeer and has a long history.
There are local growers all over the world who grow lilacs. They harvest the branches of the bushes when they naturally bloom there in the spring. These branches are only available for a very short period and are then traded via the local market.
Flowering the lilacs is only done in the Netherlands and specifically in Aalsmeer. Lilacs are linked to the Aalsmeer uplands, the peat fields in the Westeinderplas. This soil is so rich in minerals and organic matter that the lilacs can grow optimally there. The soil, which is supplemented every few years with fresh dredge from the Westeinderplas, is essential to obtain a good, fine-meshed root structure. These roots form the basis of a successfully flowering a lilac bush.
Most of the fields in Aalsmeer are enclosed with water and the growers who have their lilac bushes here transport their bushes by boat to and from the nursery. The cultivation of lilacs is still very traditional and it takes a lot of effort and manual labor before you can harvest the flowers.
It is still early in the season, most growers are now putting their first shrubs in the greenhouse. Nevertheless, we can already introduce a few passionate lilac growers and show their beautiful products!
FloraPodium ,17 December 2020
Fa D Weening en Zn Trekheesters
Frank Weening is the 4th generation in the family business Fa D. Weening en Zn Trekheesters. Together with his parents he passionately grows different types of lilacs and the beautiful Prunus glandulosa; a deliciously fragrant almond blossom. Frank is a perfectionist, quality is of paramount importance. His products are therefore selected with care.
Kramer Seringen
Meet Kees, Helmi, Menno and Erik Kramer from Kramer Lilacs (Fa. C. Kramer), who supply various types of white, purple and pink lilacs throughout the season.
The lilac is a traditional Aalsmeer product that is only grown by a few growers. At Kramer Lilacs they aim for a continuous supply from the beginning of October to mid-May. It is a two-year labor-intensive cultivation with the aim of supplying an attractive, high-quality and durable product after two years. If you are curious, you are most welcome to visit the company!
Fa. K. Heeren &Jzn
The Fa. K. Heeren & Jzn started around 1675 under the name Heeren Bloodshoofd. Flowers have been grown at the current location for many generations. The company is currently managed by Edwin, René and Marc Heeren. They are specialized in the cultivation of forcing shrubs, lilacs and viburnum (Snowballs), outside the usual season. In this way they can supply lilacs from October to December and viburnum from January to mid-September.
Het Witte Hek
Nursery Het Witte Hek (The White Fence) has been around for 5 generations and is run by cousins Marco Alderden and Ronald Ceelen. Since 1897, nursery 'Het Witte Hek' has been growing floristry crops on the upland in Aalsmeer-East. Together with the 3rd and 4th generation, who still work in the company every day, they strive for beautiful and heavy quality flowers.
Different varieties of lilacs and viburnums are cultivated in the most natural way possible on the peat fields between the Oosteinderweg and the Ringvaart. In recent years, the dark purple cultivar Syringa "Dark Koster" has been their specialty.
De Seringen Specialist
The Lilac Specialist; the name says everything about the feeling that grower Jan ten Hoeve wants to convey and how he sees himself in "Lilac land". As an entrepreneur, Jan has been working for more than 20 years to make lilac cultivation visible to all people in the flower world. Lilacs do not come from large-scale flower factories, but from very small specialist companies. In order to convey that craft to the general public, he loves to tell his story on social media, in magazines and TV programs. Jan is specialized in growing different types of lilacs; “I am aware that we, as lilac growers, have a 'pearl' in our hands in the global overproduction. I just want to give the "pearl" even more shine by propagating the craft and the emotional experience. "
Firma Kazemier
Firma Kazemier is a lilac nursery that has been located at its current location for a number of generations. The company is currently run by the brothers Harm & Willem Outshoorn.
They focused on the white lilac, named: Mme "Florent Stepman", in short "Stepman".
Their season starts the first week of January and lasts until the second/third week of April and they try to guarantee quality and continuity. They have a fixed supply pattern for the auction; on three days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Direct deliveries are also possible, although it is difficult to order far in advance.
“When the time is right and the branches are ready, we produce a very exclusive product; "Stepman"! We select the most beautiful and heaviest heads that we leave to grow on the bush until they are almost completely white. We call these "Ripe"". However, quantities are limited and they are only delivered to a few exclusive customers and buyers.
