Belgium shows off products at Glee

This year, Belgium is taking part in Glee for the first time, with a group stand under the flag of VLAM, Flanders' Agricultural Marketing Board. Seven companies will be presenting their products in Hall 20, at stand number 20H30. Together they offer a wide range of products for the British market. Two of Belgium’s main highlights, the azalea and the globe chrysanthemum, will certainly make an appearance. They will be accompanied by various tree nursery products, hellebores, bamboo and young plants.

Seven companies are joining forces on VLAM’s group stand where, in addition to a display of products, clients will be welcomed at a bar and conversation table. Each company has its own speciality, and together they offer a wide range of products that respond to the requirements of British customers.

Dataflor – www.dataflor.be, globe chrysanthemums and innovative strawberry plants for sale through garden centres
Decock Plants: www.decockplants.be, producer of young plants
Deforche Export: www.deforche.com, broad range of indoor and outdoor plants
De Waele-Wilwoodii: www.dewaele-wilwoodii.be, specialised in Chamaecyparis, Cupressus, Azalea indica, Azalea japonica, Rhododendron, Camellia and Pieris
Het Wilgenbroek: www.hetwilgenbroek.be, Hellebore specialist. At Glee, Het Wilgenbroek will be competing for a New Product Award with its VIV 'VICTORIA' hellebore. This novelty already flowers from September and remains in bloom until the spring, and is striking for its mass of purple flowers.
Oprins Plants: www.oprins.com, focuses on bamboo and holly, plus other plants including Hydrangea and unusual ornamental grasses.
Van Poecke & Zn: www.vanpoecke-zn.be, conifers, rose bushes and other ornamental bushes, grown both in containers and in the ground.

In the entrance hall, each Belgian supplier will present their speciality on a display table, so that visitors can immediately get a foretaste of the Belgian products.

Imports from Belgium in figures
British consumers have always been plant-lovers. Nowadays they are also increasingly allowing themselves to be tempted into impulse purchases. At any rate, Belgian suppliers have a suitable range not only for garden centres, but also for retail outlets.

It is above all Belgian bedding and balcony plants that are favoured in the United Kingdom. In 2016 they accounted for 31% of Belgian exports to the UK, amounting to a turnover of about 14 million pounds. In addition, they are becoming increasingly popular there. Imports into the UK have quadrupled since 2007.

Belgian indoor plants are also extremely welcome in the UK. They remain in a stable second place in the total imports of ornamental plant products from Belgium, amounting to 9.5 million pounds.

Imports of the typically Belgian azaleas and rhododendrons, rose bushes and strawberry plants has recently also increased.