Recently, I visited the van Elderen family in Lijnden. After relocating to Lijnden, the family began focusing on growing summer flowers. Son Reinier proved to be a true pioneer and saw cultivating new, unknown varieties as a challenge. However, it was when he encountered the Sandersonia that Reinier was captivated by the beauty of this unique flower.

An ode to the beauty of Sandersonia

The Sandersonia is truly breathtaking! Its long, slender stems carry flowers like flickering lights. With its orange petals, it radiates warmth. Its green leaves are so soothing to look at.

Recently, the Van Elderen family achieved a breakthrough in their breeding programme: a brand new variety of Sandersonia. What makes this variety so special is that the flowers are upright, as opposed to the Sandersonia’s traditional drooping flowers. This addition enriches the range.

The challenge of tubers

Despite expert advice, Reinier decided to grow the Sandersonia as a cut flower after all. The tubers of this plant need special overwintering conditions. After much experimentation, Reinier improved the quality of the flowers. In the beginning, they were only 60 cm long. But by finding the right fertilisation and climate, they now grow up to 100 cm. Reinier’s motto became, ‘This plant follows no rules except irregularity.’

A family business in bloom

Reinier van Elderen saw growing unfamiliar varieties as a challenge. Together with his wife Irma, he was the first to introduce blue lathyrus at the auction. When Reinier discovered the Sandersonia, he became enchanted by the beauty of this flower. Dirk, their son, works hard in the family business. He developed a special planting machine that keeps the soil airy and ensures perfect planting conditions. Despite the innovative machine, planting the fragile tubers remains manual work. The family manages the entire cycle themselves. Every year, they sow Sandersonia and harvest tiny tubers that produce cuttable flowers only after two years.