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Bromelia Contactgroep (BCG) P/a Botanische Tuinen Budapestlaan 17 3584 CD Utrecht ABN-AMRO IBAN: NL66 ABNA0421855185 tel.030-253 9281 |
Newsletter 67 - June 2013
Visit to Nursery IBES in Huissen
On May 25th, 12 members of our society visited the Handelskwekerij IBES nursery in Huissen. We all arrived sharp at "coffee time", about ten-thirty. Mrs. Ibes received us very warmly and we could treat ourselves to delicious coffee and cake. In the meantime she described to us how the now very extensive Tillandsia collection started. Handelskwekerij IBES specializes in growing decorative (leafy) plants. At that time imports from South America contained a lot of Tillandsia plants among the primary material, plants that more and more fascinated Mrs. Ibes. About 1970 she started to concentrate on cultivating them and through her contacts with other Tillandsia growers, for example in Germany, the collection became more extensive and her knowledge of how to grow them deepened.
After coffee she took us along and we gathered round her work table in the greenhouse, where she told us in detail about the mode of growth of the plants, about their vegetative propagation and the like. Requests for assortments of plants come particularly from Italy and also from various garden centres in the Netherlands.
We could then wander past all the growing benches where many hundreds of Tillandsia varieties twinkled at us from their netting. The netting that the plants grow on is stretched approximately 10cm (4in) above the tables. They are sprayed about once a week, depending on the local weather conditions. The rule of thumb for this is that the plants must dry out in a short time (say, within 3 to 4 days) and must definitely not stay wet. Ventilators in the greenhouse help since airflow is anyhow important for this type of cultivation.
Armed with cardboard boxes, we shopped to our hearts' content and Mrs. Ibes never tired of answering our many questions: What is this called? And that? What is this one? How can I best look after this? Should I tie this one up? Can this be glued to stone? etc. etc. A small botanical variety of Euphorbia in plant saucers was also very popular.
Finally, we lunched together enjoyably in view of the extensive plant collection. During lunch each person paid Mrs. Ibes for the plants he or she had bought. We then gave her a very nice bottle of French wine and all of us thanked her for her warm hospitality and for all the trouble she had taken for us.
A very enjoyable morning!
On behalf of the Board,
Story and photos: Roel Tomassen
Layout: Eric Gouda
Translation: MaryRose Hoare