Garden center Thiels from Heist-op-den-Berg awarded best in the country

During a well-attended gala evening on Jan. 31 at the Waerboomhof in Dilbeek, the country's most deserving garden centers were awarded for the fifth time. From the 42 participants, the jury chose Garden Center Thiels from Heist-op-den-Berg with five stars as 'Garden Center of the Year'. On the Walloon side, 'Oh'Green from Tournai won the title of 'Jardinerie de l'année'. Inter-Arbo in Vlezenbeek became 'Plant Center of the Year'.

Three to five stars

For this fifth edition, the Belgian Garden Centers Association used a new judging system. Previously, only a bronze, silver and gold trophy were awarded, with the disadvantage that many other deserving garden centers remained in the shade. This year, for the first time, a "star system" of 3 to 5 stars was used, allowing for more nuanced judging. For weeks on end, teams of judges set out to visit and rate the participating garden centers anonymously. Only at the end of their visit did they make themselves known during an interview with the manager. They were judged on various criteria, including experience, layout, cleanliness, range and customer friendliness.

Countering industry blurring

The jury was already very enthusiastic about the dynamics, commitment and involvement of all participants. Yet they also placed a critical note. It cannot be denied that a certain blurring is taking place in the sector, which raises the question of what should actually be the core business of a garden center. According to the jury, it is clear that the emphasis should be on greenery and the entire experience around it.

Still, it is understandable that many garden centers want to secure their sales by expanding the offer with furniture, decoration and small animals - some adding a cafeteria. According to jury member Charlotte Beckers, research associate at Retail Design Lab at UHasselt, this is possible, as long as the emphasis remains on green experiences. It would be a mistake to set up a dazzling Christmas market in the store while neglecting greenery. It is often thought that fall and winter are "dead" months for greenery. Figures contradict this. It has been shown that the October-November 2019 period saw the largest ever sales in plants. The future should show how the ratio of plant sales to additional supply can reach a meaningful balance.

Change of guard

At the gala evening, secretary Luk Nuytten of the ABJ-BTV announced that, after 23 years of faithful service, he wishes to step down and pass the torch to Dirk Ballekens. Luk Nuytten received a standing ovation for his efforts and achievements within the association. In his own words, he will remain active behind the scenes for some time, to make this change smoothly.

BTV 2.0

Effective April 1, Dirk Ballekens will put his shoulders to the BTV trade association as its new secretary and part-time president. He intends to  provide the necessary innovation, with an increase in membership in mind. And this both on the side of garden and plant centers and suppliers.

In preparation for this switch, a thorough brainstorming session was held beforehand, together with external expert Rudy Lefèvre, and the lines of force for the future were mapped out. The key question here was: how can BTV bring strong added value to the rapidly evolving garden center industry?

Cut for the job

Dirk Ballekens, 54, is a licentiate in latest history by training. His professional trajectory seems predestined for the new job. He was marketing director and later general marketing and PR coordinator at BSI in Vichte since 2008. Previously, he worked as a commercial representative at Bucomat-Vilmorin. Meanwhile, he obtained a P3 phyto license, around which he regularly provides training. In his spare time he grows decorative pumpkins, gives lectures on wine and markets his own regional beers, from the Vranckaertshoeve in Wortegem-Petegem where he lives with his family. His bilingualism and organizational skills, plus his social and commercial skills are also a great asset to ABJ-BTV. His predecessor Luk Nuytten continues to serve on the board of directors.