Clematis grower J. van Zoest
This time, a peek behind the scenes at the most exclusive Clematis grower, J. van Zoest. This nursery produces more than 450 varieties on two hectares of land: from large-flowered to small-flowered, double-flowered and even compact, non-climbing varieties with an upright habit. Ever seen a clematis with green, double-petaled flowers? Or varieties with flowers as big as your hand?
With an assortment this extensive, the quantities available per variety are limited, but the customer has a huge choice of species, varieties and colours. That means you can always find just the one for you!
Jan and his colleagues spend a lot of their time crossing and selecting new varieties. Out of around 300 experimental varieties produced each year, only two or three will be selected to become new cultivars.
These new breeds will then be presented at the annual Plantarium Fair in Boskoop, The Netherlands, where Jan and his team have often received the award for the best introduction. As for himself, Jan is most proud of one of his own varieties: Clematis Princess Kate.