The Dutch Lily Days have greatly stirred up international interest in lily cultivation. The companies participating in the event particularly notice an increase in their range and name recognition that continues to grow. Visitors to the previous editions state in follow-up surveys that they take more baggage back home than they expected. The ninth edition of the event is programmed from Tuesday to Friday, 4 - 7 June 2019.
With the Dutch Lily Days the Netherlands has put itself on the map as a lily-growing country. The second bulb flower of our country – after the tulip – has been struggling for years with a rather old-fashioned image. Under the influence of the many breeders active in the Netherlands, the flower has now been embraced by other groups of consumers. By breeding new varieties, even more interest has been generated. In particular, varieties like the double-bloomed Oriental find new target groups. But even in the largest product group, the Orientals with the OT hybrids, innovation still continues.
Lilies without scent or pollen
The innovations go further than just developing other colors. Breeders have also been focusing on creating unscented and pollen-free varieties, explained export manager Arie Alders from De Jong Lelies. ‘Scent is a matter of taste. You either like how a lily smells or you don’t. But pollen is another story. Consumers consider it a big disadvantage.’ So far, breeders have only gained a bit of ground. ‘The problem with a sterile plant is that it automatically produces weak plants. Pollen-free varieties are just not yet good enough.’
Novelties
There is no lack of novelties during the ninth Dutch Lily Days. This year fourteen participating companies are opening their doors again. By combining it with the Flower Trials – a week later – it has become easy for foreign guests to tour the Netherlands. The Dutch Lily Days are being held from Tuesday to Friday, June 4 - 7.
Participating companies
The Dutch Lily Days are exclusively accessible to fellow specialists. They are welcome from Tuesday to Friday, 4 - 7 June 2019, to visit P. Aker, Van den Bos Flowerbulbs, Bot Flowerbulbs, De Jong Lelies, Lily Company, Mak Breeding, Onings Holland, C. Steenvoorden, GAV’s Lilies, Gebr. Vletter & Den Haan, VWS Flowerbulbs, World Breeding, Zabo Plant and Royal van Zanten. More information is available at www.dutchlilydays.com