Autumn grey and dull? Not with a Skimmia from Nursery Snepvangers in the garden. More than forty years ago, the family business embraced this versatile ornamental shrub. A love that continues to bloom. You notice it in everything. By their ongoing quest for quality plants, by their customer service and by their care for each other and the world around.
Scoring with Skimmia
Co-owner Mark Boemaars chipped in at the nursery as a 13-year-old rookie. In fact, he never left. After some side hustles here and there, he has been Stephan Snepvangers’ right-hand man since 2015. With passion, he talks about the company and how it once began. “In 1983, Jan and Corrie Snepvangers, Stephan’s parents, founded the nursery. Jan soon had a knack of growing uniform batches in pots. A method that was not very well known, but it paid off. Because today, some 1.2 million plants leave the nursery every year. Fifty per cent of these are Skimmia japonica. We also grow other ornamental shrubs such as Pieris, Camellia, Leucothoe and Viburnum tinus. 70 per cent of our sales are concentrated in autumn, supplemented by some spring flowering shrubs like Forsythia, Prunus Pieris, Nandina and Camelia .”
One-stop shop for autumn
A very wide range for autumn. And that is also Snepvangers’ USP. Whereas many suppliers serve spring, Snepvangers gives colour to autumn. “We are known as a one-stop shop for our customers. At one address, they can buy a wide autumn assortment and that in almost all pot sizes. Customers also know they can expect the best quality from us. Thus, we propagate a large part of our products ourselves, the rest we get from suppliers with whom we have worked for years.”
Winter chameleon in the garden
Back for a moment to their flagship Skimmia. What makes this plant so special? “Its versatility. The male Skimmias have deep green leaves that colour beautifully in various warm hues in autumn, and the flower buds also surprise every time. Female Skimmias develop red berries in late autumn, making them very popular at Christmas time. And bees are also happy with the nectar from the berries in early spring. Moreover, they are strong plants that don’t require much care.”
Making the world a greener place together
Skimmia is a cold crop. Only in extremely cold weather, additional heating is needed. Less heating means less impact on the environment. Because that too is an important driving force at the nursery. “We have been working on sustainability for years. For instance, we collect rainwater and reuse it in cultivation. We extend that circular thinking to our flower pots, which are made of recycled material and at the same time are allowed in plastic waste. We only use biological methods for pest control. Because we still do a lot manually, we are close to our crops and can make proactive adjustments. We use bees to pollinate our Skimmias. We are also proud of our certification, which includes MPS-A, MPS-GAP and MPS-SQ.
The most important thing in our company, are our employees. Just last week, we celebrated the 35th anniversary of an employee. And that says a lot. People are proud to work for us. We also show our face outside the walls of our company. For instance, we support local initiatives like the youth of the local football team and various other clubs for young and old in our neighbourhood.”
Lasting relationship with Floréac
Snepvangers therefore does not live on an island. Sustainable relationships with other suppliers and customers are a priority for them. And the same goes for the cooperation with Floréac. “It is partly thanks to Floréac that we are able to grow. The power of cooperation: everyone knows clearly what we can expect from each other. Agreements are always kept. From both sides. For example, we will never trade directly with customers of our partners. Conversely, Floréac is closely involved in our operation. Our communication is open and straightforward. And I like that.”
Continue to grow
And then a look to the future. How does Mark see the nursery evolving? “The nursery is literally bursting at the seams and so there are plans for bigger and more innovative new buildings. Also to take that sustainability step even further. In line with this, we continue to refine our range with a focus on plants that are resistant to water and drought. It’s now that we have to do it: think about the next generation.”
What about that next generation, anyway. Is there one ready to take over the family business? “I have three young children, two daughters and a son, Stephan has two older sons. Stephan’s sons sometimes already work in the nursery, mine prefer to play among the plants or in the greenhouse for now and really like the chocolate milk in the canteen.” (laughs)
Meanwhile, we carry on with the fine team of people working here now. That’s what I do it for. Working among greenery and with people. You don’t find better, do you?”
