August 13, 2024
Fleuroselect Annual Convention for the first time in Austria
Over 100 participants travelled to Salzburg, Austria, to attend the 53rd Fleuroselect Annual Convention from 2nd to 4th July. The Convention is the key annual event for Fleuroselect members to catch up with industry peers, visit member facilities, and explore plant trials and local horticultural highlights. This year's event, held for the first time in Austria, was organised in collaboration with Gastager Gartenbau and Renner Jungpflanzen, the Austrian partners of Fleuroselect members Selecta one and Florensis.
Exploring the Austrian Ornamental Market at Gastager Gartenbau
The programme kicked off with a visit to Gartenbau Gastager, Selecta one's agent in Austria. Klaus Gaumann, Marketing Director at Selecta one, and Stefan Gastager, CEO of Gastager Gartenbau, welcomed the delegates with an engaging company presentation. Founded in 1929, Gastager Gartenbau has evolved into a modern and innovative Austrian young plant producer with extensive production facilities, a modern loading hall and beautiful show garden. Thanks to its central location and own vehicle fleet, Gastager Gartenbau aims at combining a high-quality product with flexible service.
Gregor Theißl from the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture then provided an insightful overview of the Austrian ornamental market highlighting both the challenges and opportunities in Austria. As in most European countries, climate change, energy costs, a shortage of skilled staff and succession issues are all challenges for the Austrian grower. Opportunities meanwhile can be found in developing green cities, the upcoming importance attached to biodiversity, the increase of plant-based nutrition and the growing interest in self-grown vegetables and fruits.
The visit was concluded with a tour of the Gastager nursery and container trial field where a significant part of the product range is exposed to natural weather conditions, allowing for optimal assessment of seasonal performance.
Renner: plant craftmanship meets marketing
A visit to Renner Jungpflanzen in Neumarkt am Wallersee provided deeper insights into the Austrian partner of Florensis. Founder and co-owner Hans Renner shared the history of the company highlighting how the relation with Florensis has grown over the years until today, Renner Jungpflanzen being the main supplier of the Florensis product range in Austria whilst also offering varieties of other suppliers including Perry van der Haak, Grünewald etc..
The highlight of the visit was the impressive show garden where hundreds of colourful, eye-catching containers displayed the latest pot and bedding varieties in all their splendour truly showing the craftmanship of Hans Renner and his team. A full Fleuroselect trial was planted especially for this event.
In addition to Renner Jungpflanzen, the group also had the opportunity to visit Renner Print Media, a full-service printing house dedicated to plant marketing and advertising which designs and produces labels, flyers, catalogues, displays etc. The delegation received a company presentation by director Kurt Hauser followed by a guided tour of the design department and printing facilities.
Cerny Seeds, Floritec, Graines Lecouf-Mailliet and P. van der Haak join the Fleuroselect organisation
During the Annual General Meeting, four companies were accepted by the current membership as new members:
- Cerny Seeds - a specialised seed business producing seeds of own varieties of Petunia, Begonia, Cyclamen, lily-of-the-valley and Pelargonium. The company sells seeds in bulk and pictorial packets to seed companies, growers and retailers.
- Floritec - a breeder of distinctive varieties of spray, pot and garden mums, pot Celosia and pot Aster working in close consultation with customers and partners all over the world.
- Lecouf Mailliet Seeds - a supplier providing vegetable and flower seeds in bulk or pictorial packets to both professional and amateur gardeners.
- P. van der Haak Handelskwekerij - a specialist in the breeding and production of young and finished Pelargonium plants for professional growers in Europe. With Pelargonium Toscana, the company has developed a series from own genetics which is firmly established in the international market.
2025 Gold Medals handed over
While the new Gold Medal winners have been announced at the beginning of the year, the Medals and Certificates are traditionally handed over during the Closing Dinner of the Convention. Rob van der Voort of Van Hemert & Co. collected the medal for Coreopsis tinctoria Corusco Cream-Red; Klaudia Benary-Redlefsen and Matthias Redlefsen of Benary accepted the prize for Lobelia erinus F1 Masterpiece Blue with Eye from Fleuroselect president Marc Driessen and Secretary-General Ann Jennen.
Laureat extended to Anne Leventry
Anne Leventry was honoured by the organisation with a Laureat for her outstanding contribution to the ornamental industry. She has been instrumental in the development of the European seed business and made PanAmerican Seed in Europe what it is today. Anne strongly supported research and stood at the cradle of many innovations including the Petunia Wave series and Impatiens Beacon. Under her leadership, PanAmerican Seed has won many Awards for new plant varieties, including 19 Gold Medals. Last but not least, Anne has always been a great Fleuroselect supporter and has been a role model for many women in the ornamental industry.
54th Annual Convention 2025 in Krakow
Next year’s Annual Convention will take place in Krakow, Poland during the first week of July and will be hosted by Fleuroselect member Vitroflora and their partner Plantpol.
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