In 1990, half-Italian Antonello Tagliabue started exporting from the Italian region of Pistoia and supplying Dutch garden centers. He now lives in Italy again from where he helps customers with finding the right plants for their gardens. He loves going into the nurseries to look for new varieties, and special shapes, or to visit Italian nurseries with customers.
"We take care of everything," says Jantine van der Kwaak (Jac. Niekerk's account manager for Europe) "Together with the customer, we look for the right plants by visiting one or more growers." Antonello adds: "You can also call us plant brokers."
From small cactus to large palm trees, it's all in the range of Jac. Niekerk. They also show their assortment at the various fairs they attend. At Plantarium|Groen-Direkt, for example, they showed their range of Italian cacti. "This is interesting for garden centers because it was displayed as in a garden center. At trade fairs like GrootGroenPlus, we show our trees and large plants. Currently, we see a lot of demand for trees with a roof shape."
The Rhaphiolepis baby pink and mini cactus mix in pots
Antonello, who likes to look for new species and varieties, showed the Rhaphiolepis baby pink at GrootGroenPlus, a new species on the market. It is - how could it be otherwise - a Mediterranean shrub that keeps its leaves even in winter.
For more information:
Jantine van der Kwaak
Jac. Niekerk
Tel: +31 (0)6 38982221
[email protected]
www.jacniekerk.com