GIVEAWAY: Dutch Grown x Material Girl
Win $100 worth the bulbs imported straight from the Netherlands
I am so, so excited about today’s special edition of Material Girl because it is our first ever giveaway — I’m partnering with Dutch Grown, one of the oldest and most respected bulb exporters from the Netherlands. We’re giving away $100 worth of their beautiful bulbs imported directly from Holland to make your garden absolutely enviable all summer long. They can be planted both in backyard gardens, and in pots so even if you don’t have a ton of outdoor space, you can enjoy some fresh blooms.
To be eligible to win, you have to be following Dutch Grown on Instagram, and comment on the Instagram post that accompanies this newsletter. Entry closes on Friday, April 26th and I’ll pick a winner at random to be announced by Monday the 29th.
I had a chance to talk with the Dutch Grown team about their family business, what makes Holland’s bulbs so special, and glean some tips and tricks for getting the most out of your garden.
If you could kindly introduce yourselves to our readers!
We are based in the Netherlands in the famous flower bulb district. In the USA we ship our order from Hartford MI.
I know that Dutch Grown is a family business – can you talk a little bit about the history of the business in your family? What was it like growing up around it? And what does it mean to carry on that legacy?
I was more or less born and bred into it! My family has been growing and exporting flowering bulbs for four generations and I grew up helping out on the family farm. I still remember working in the tulip fields as a child, cutting off the bloom heads so that the bulbs energy goes back into the bulb, not the flower head, so a larger bulb can be harvested later. Even though I learned about the flowering bulb industry from my studies at school, a great deal of knowledge came through hands on experience. My families company was founded 1882 and we are one of the oldest most respected, wholesale flower bulb exporters in the Netherlands, supplying to independent gardeners worldwide, greenhouse growers, landscapers, botanical gardens and garden centers.
Here in the US, we know the Netherlands are known for their tulips – what makes the bulbs etc., you provide so special? What makes flowers from the Netherlands unique from the ones someone might buy here in the US?
The best tulip bulbs come from the Netherlands but to get the best flowers, you need to buy local grown flowers. We ship our flower bulbs and plants to many specialty cut flower growers in the USA.
I'm relatively new to growing my own flowers and it can feel so intimidating; what advice would you give to all your customers who feel nervous about making the jump from buying cut flowers or arrangements to growing their own?
Growing our flower bulbs and plants is very easy. The most important thing is that the soil or the pots or containers you plant them in have very good drainage. When bulbs or plants are sitting in water they won't grow.
What are some of your favorite varieties? Are there any flowers you always have in your own garden at home?
My favorite flowers are tulips, daffodils, dahlias and coneflowers.
Finally, it's so clear that DutchGrown has expanded throughout the generations – what is your hope for it moving forward?
My brother and I have both two sons, we are hoping they will continue our legacy.