A timeless flower in the spotlight
It has been years since Chris (82) and his son Peter (52) grew dried flowers. Dryflowers are now back in fashion, and for Greenflor they are once again growing the beautiful Helipterum. Buyer Peter Freke visited their greenhouse and discovered how these flowers came back to life.
Flower offerings in the greenhouse
Upon entering the greenhouse in Noordwijkerhout, I am welcomed by a wonderful fragrance. The white-pink sea of flowers of Helipterum, also called Acroclinium, fills the room. These daisy-like flowers have a yellow heart and papery petals. They are ideal for dried flower wholesale and perfectly grown by Peter for Greenflor.
View our dried flower assortment
The return of dried flowers
"A long time ago, these flowers were in our greenhouse," Peter says with a laugh. I met him three years ago during a conversation about Cortederia. His craftsmanship stood out immediately. "Dry flowers were out of fashion but are now popular again. As a child, I worked with them in my father's nursery. Now I had to figure out again how to grow them. In the end, it worked out!"
Generations of craftsmanship
Chris, the nursery's founder, proudly oversees as the first bunches of Helipterum are harvested. "My adventure began 62 years ago with vegetables," Chris explains. "My son Peter helped me when he was 15, with great pleasure. That pleasure has always remained, and now he has taken over the nursery from me. Together we have grown many flowers, from delphiniums to sunflowers. Now we also focus on exclusive flowers."
Innovative breeding methods
Previously, Helipterum flowers were grown outdoors, but Peter adopted an innovative approach. "We sowed the flowers outdoors," he explains. "The wind made the plants strong and sturdy, so we didn't need netting to keep them upright. Later, we rolled the greenhouse over the flowers. This rolling greenhouse protects the flowers from bad weather and provides good growing conditions."
"In nice weather, we roll the greenhouse off to let the flowers dry in the sun," he says. "During storms, the greenhouse provides protection. We fertilise with extreme caution because the flowers cannot tolerate much. Keeping the field clean prevents weeds and makes harvesting much easier."
Manual care
Peter gets down on his knees and grabs a sickle to harvest the flowers. With a careful motion, he cuts the bunches low to the ground. "We always check that the bunches contain enough flowers before someone puts a rubber band around them," he says. "Everything is done by hand to ensure the best quality. If you hang these dried flowers in a place with dimmed light, you can enjoy the beautiful colours for up to 20 years!"
Satisfied, I walk out of the greenhouse again that afternoon. How grateful I am for my work and for partners like Peter. Thanks to his expertise, we can make a lot of customers happy again.
about Greenflor
Greenflor is the trendsetter and importer of unique flowers and natural decoration. Our passionate team selects the most extraordinary products for florists, wholesalers and garden centers. Every season, from winter to summer, we offer exclusive and perfect flowers. With our wide range of fresh and dried flowers, Greenflor ensures that you can enjoy beautiful seasonal flowers all year round.