Dreams Do Come True

Dear readers,

It has been a while since I wrote something to you. It’s me again, Vlad, one of our newest team members here at Fluwel. You might remember some of the newsletters I have written months ago and I am honored to address you again.

Living in the Netherlands has been a dream since I can ever remember. I have always wanted to be amongst the flower bulbs, not only to admire them, but to work in this field and it is finally happening: I am here, doing what I always wanted to do. After many years working in tech and gardening at home as a hobbyist, I can finally combine the two into one and hopefully have some impact in the future. You see, the flower bulbs business is very niche, but its potential is endless and I am exactly here to do this: together with my team, to bring Fluwel to the next level. Lady Madonna, my favorite white daffodil from the cyclamineus group

Ah yeah, if you wonder about this lovely white daffodil, it so just happens that Narcissus is actually my second biggest love, right after Amaryllis (Hippeastrum). Please don’t get me wrong, I love all the flower bulbs, but you know, I have favorites and in this newsletter I share some of them with you.

Now back to the story: my husband, our pets and I moved to the Netherlands 4 months ago and we love every moment living here. Sure it ain’t easy to move to another country (the Netherlands being the 4th country I live in and hopefully the last one), but we did it anyway, because as one famous person said “Life is about chances”, a saying I go by everyday. And just like us, Pauliina, our newest and youngest team member (or “pimpula” in Finnish), moved to the Netherlands as well, together with her boyfriend, all the way from Finland! Isn’t this amazing? I think that it is and it means everything to us, the Fluwel Team. As our team grows, we plan so many different and amazing things for you all, our customers. Earlier this week: Pauliina putting the Scilla madeirensis bulbs into the boxes I was right next to her, taping all the boxes and sticking the shipping labels And together we have finished all the Scilla madeirensis orders, a couple of dozens of them. Later, we drove to the post office to get them on their way to you. Teamwork is so rewarding! This is ‘Sir Winston Churchil’, my favorite double daffodil from the tazetta group. I love tazettas so much because of their delicious scent and the multi-flowering stems

Pauliina and I challenge ourselves with learning Dutch too, because we want to understand our customers, our suppliers and ultimately, to fully integrate into Dutch society. When you speak both German and English, Dutch may seem easy at first, but trust me, it isn’t: it has its grammar rules, a wide vocabulary and its own and unique phrases. I, personally, think it sounds very melodic and cute, especially with all the diminutives ending in -je. A true Queen of all Queens: the daffodil ‘Queen of the North’ is one my favorites amongst the heirloom varieties. Registered back in 1908, glistening in the sun in perfectly lemon chiffon coronas on diamond white petals. A true wonder in the Narcissus world, part of the small cups group. It grows problem free in any garden, a very robust variety

Meanwhile, we are in high preparation mode for all your orders of spring flowering bulbs. They are being carefully packed and organized for the big shipping day, on October 4th:

I think I could go endless on stories from our week, here at Fluwel. When I wrote the title of this newsletter “Dreams Do Come True”, I really meant it: it is everything to me, everything I ever wanted and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to be part of Fluwel, in the world of the flower bulbs. This is ‘Little Alfred’, one of my favorite miniatures, growing only 15cm tall, lovely in the front garden patios or in pots, this little wonder will brighten your mood early in the year, starting from February. It is registered by Carlos, a lovely addition to the trumpet group

The next collection we open for sale is our Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) collection and this year, we will have the biggest one yet: over 115 different varieties, from small to big, double to simple, new and old varieties. Stay tuned, something very special is coming your way. Whenever I look at Narcissus recurvus, I always think of my grandmother. Together with the variety ’Actaea’, she had thousands each spring. Ah, the sweet childhood memories, with Narcissus scent all over my grandmother’s front yard, on the evenings around Easter time: N. recurvus’s scent is the strongest at dusk, especially on rainy days, part of the poeticus group

As always, our most important announcements are given over this Sunday newsletter, so make sure you stay subscribed and invite all your friends to subscribe, especially those who love gardening. Meanwhile, I will go back to my regular tasks and continue my day. While I do not make promises, I will come back to you with a story or two later this year. Thank you for your time and we’ll meet again soon.

Yours always,

Vlad Hempel