'The Wilgenbroek' in Oostkamp is in full bloom 

A plant center with a strong story

Plant Center 'Het Wilgenbroek' is owned by the Van Paemel family and is part of a larger entity, which also includes their specialized and eponymous Helleborus nursery in Hertsberge. The nursery is internationally renowned for its breeding and own cultivars of Helleborus. The plant center focuses on private customers and green specialists.

Extensive range of agapanthus.

A (h)real family saga

Thierry and Anneke Van Paemel took over "Het Wilgenbroek" in Oostkamp in 1999. This was a rather small nursery, focused exclusively on private sales. Immediately after the takeover, the new owners focused on the cultivation of Helleborus, both in young plants for further cultivation and in flowering specimens for direct sale. The original plant center was also continuously expanded and modernized.

Since 2015, the arrival of the second generation has provided an additional drive within the company. Son Tom, daughter Tineke and son-in-law Simon continue the success story with enthusiasm, both in the nursery and in the plant center.

Plenty of inspiration.

Professional recognition

Plant Center 'Het Wilgenbroek' has been around for more than twenty years and offers a wide selection of flowers, plants, hedges, ferns, boxwood, balcony and terrace plants, (fruit) trees, ornamental grasses, and ground covers. Of course, flower boxes and pots, barks and garden trimmings are not missing from the range.

'Het Wilgenbroek' positions itself as the plant center with love for the trade. This contagious passion has led them to receive a 4-star award from the Belgian Garden Centers Association. This professional recognition was awarded at the end of last year at the gala evening of the Garden Center Awards. It is a title they are proud to wear in 2020-2021.

Judges from this trade association visit garden centers throughout the country incognito, scoring them on aspects such as supply, layout and customer friendliness. Het Wilgenbroek' also received a second award from the Belgian Garden Centers Association, that of 'most promising young entrepreneur in the plant centers'.

Exceptional framework

The plant center is exceptional in its kind due to its unique location and framing within a purely natural environment. Borders of perennials, shrubs and trees offer a captivating display every season, providing an inexhaustible source of inspiration for visitors. The plant center is situated in a natural wetland landscape, where 100-year-old pollard willows set the tone.

A purely natural outdoor frame.

Specialists in Helleborus

In the 20,000 square meter nursery greenhouses in Hertsberge, they focus on growing Helleborus, both small plants for further cultivation and flowering specimens for direct sale. They gained international fame for their innovative approach.

They have been working on variety breeding for fifteen years. Pollination is done by hand and through selection and research they manage to develop new varieties with clock-like regularity. This is often done in collaboration with other specialized companies, government agencies and research centers, which also breed plants in vitro.

In this context, an earlier collaboration with Microflor from Lochristi, for example, led to the creation of the ViV collection. The result of this breeding is a Helleborus plant that excels through new colors, larger flowers, longer shelf life and longer flowering times.

Catalog to say hello to

The catalog of "Het Wilgenbroek" offers every flower or plant lover choice to their heart's content. In balcony and terrace plants alone, the selection is particularly extensive: Agapanthus in nine varieties, Blue and Cape Malva, Brassica, boxwood, various heather varieties, Geranium, Hebe, Oleander, ivy, succulents, viburnum, pansies... In addition, there is an equally wide choice of roses, trees and fruit trees, perennials, hedges, peonies, ferns, grasses and shade plants.