Every peony grower has his own unique story, but you can always point out the moment when that love for peonies started to bloom. The brothers Brooijmans started out early, as a hobby, something they enjoyed doing after school. The twins cultivated a few peonies for some small-scale harvest to earn a bit of extra cash. They never expected to be where they are now!
Today, the brothers have been running a professional peony nursery for 25 years. During that time, they have experienced the ups and downs of peony cultivation and have earned their spurs. Peonies will always stay a hobby for them, they say, but their nursery is much more than that.
The brothers Booijmans own one and a half hectares of land where they cultivate their peonies, of which about a quarter is grown in plastic greenhouses. Their nursery is located in Steenbergen, in the south-west of the province of Brabant. Peonies that are cultivated over here are a bit earlier ready for harvest. They carry seven varieties in their assortment: Sarah Bernhardt, Festiva Maxima, Mother’s Choice, Duchesse de Nemours, Gardenia, Henry Bockstoce and Monsieur Jules Elie. The brothers strive to ship a good number of peonies on Mother’s Day!
The brothers go all-in on quality: every peony has to open. That’s why all peonies are checked one by one on ripeness and quality; only the best stems are selected for bunching. The dedication and enthusiasm of the brothers is unrivalled. Striving for quality is in the company DNA: all employees (and family members) develop that same infectious love for peonies. You reap what you sow is the company credo, so the brothers cultivate in an environmentally friendly way, in harmony with nature.
Nobody could have predicted that their after-school hobby would get so out of hand. But My Peony Society couldn’t be happier with the brothers Booijmans: we are proud to be in business with such a fantastic nursery.
