Power
Head in the trees
A beautiful, fully grown exotic tree in the garden is like the proverbial icing on the cake. Wim Takkebos and Duuk Muilwijk from The Green Contractors, independent experts in exclusive garden projects, know better than anyone where you can find such special trees. MASTERS accompanied the gentlemen to a nursery in a southern country. “We are a kind of tree matchmaker: the customer has a wish, we ensure that that wish is fulfilled.”
A piece of land around your villa, but no idea what you want to do with it? The Green Contractors know what to do with that. They take complete control, find the right parties - landscape architect, contractor, gardener -, draw up a suitable plan in consultation to realize your dream garden and monitor quality and budget. They also see it as 'construction supervision for the outdoor area', with all the aspects that go with it. They are at home in all markets, you can go in any direction with them: modern, Mediterranean or classic, with a lounge terrace, swimming pool or natural pond. Say it! And the great thing is: The Green Contractors use mature plants. So you don't have to wait years until a tree or hedge finally provides shade or shelter, the garden is delivered 'finished'. The impact! Suddenly there is a whopper of a tree in your garden... It immediately catches the eye and sets the mood.
Wim Takkebos and Duuk Muilwijk specialize in high-quality and exclusive plants and have invested over the years in setting up an extensive network of tree and commercial nurseries in Europe. Looking for unique trees or shrubs? They know where to turn and buy directly from the source, so that they can offer the best value for money. They often take the customer to the nursery. “You have to experience it yourself. And how nice is it to choose your own tree, which will continue to be enjoyed by many generations after you?” Moreover, it is absolutely no punishment to go on an adventure with these men - they are full of humor and stories and know how to order wine in Spanish. We experienced this firsthand when we went with them to a nursery in the Mediterranean coastal area last June. On safari among the trees: plane trees, punicas, magnolias, holm oaks, cork oaks, poplars, palms... And also olive trees that are 2.500 years old: “They lived through the Crusades!”
How do you become specialized in high-quality and exclusive plants?
Wim: “I am simply crazy about trees and plants. That is my passion and you want to know everything about it. I especially like the older ones that already have their own character. In some projects I already 'see' an exclusive tree in that garden. That's what the garden deserves, it's for the future. I know from experience which types qualify. We have specialized in the absolute top and only look for the most beautiful plants. The customer experiences the result immediately and does not have to wait until a tree has matured or a hedge has grown closed. People buy time with us: you don't have to let the trees grow anymore. The garden looks 'finished' from the moment it is completed and immediately offers plenty of privacy.”
Duuk: “A 'green wall' will be erected in one or two days and the neighbors will immediately be out of sight.”
Wim: “That cannot be expressed in value.”
Which trees do well in the Netherlands?
Duuk: “Of course, the native species, such as oaks, beeches, chestnuts, lime trees... We use a lot of them in our projects. But to create a different atmosphere, we also import exotic species. The entire experience of the garden has changed over time. For example, there is a terrible one tree in swimming pools, wellness, outdoor kitchens... That has taken off enormously. People also want a bit of a holiday atmosphere for those projects. Species such as olive trees and holm oaks contribute to that feeling. On holiday in your own garden! One client wants the Tuscan feeling – then you quickly think of cypresses – while another uses the words 'Ibiza' and 'lounge' in the description.”
Wim: “But it also happens that we show atmospheres that appeal to the customer. Because people often don't know what they want yet. That is also difficult. Based on the style and wishes of the customer, we look for a matching designer. He makes a blueprint of the garden. We then work with the customer to determine which trees can best be placed where in that design. It's just like when you bought a new house: the floor and kitchen are in it and then you still have to decorate it with art. Trees can be compared to beautiful paintings. You are, as it were, purchasing a work of art. We often visit various nurseries in Europe with the customer to select these exclusive pieces together, as the ultimate icing on the cake.”
Outline what the process will be like if a customer agrees to your proposal to include a certain type of tree in his or her garden.
Wim: “Once the tree has been selected, a bow is literally tied around it. The logistics process then starts: a truck is rented to transport the tree to the Netherlands. After arrival, it is lifted off the truck with a large crane and placed in place. We measured in advance how big the root ball is, the hole has already been dug, soil improvement has been added. When the tree finally stands there, with the bow still around it: that is quite a moment. In one go there is a mature tree, the garden immediately comes to life. Customers generally respond very enthusiastically.”
Trees have been linked to magic and rituals since time immemorial, as they can live up to a thousand years and tower far above our mortal heads. What meaning does the tree have for you?
Duuk: “A tree represents growth, the future. He becomes bigger and more beautiful and lasts longer than humans. We also do garden renovations at old villas in the area of Bloemendaal and Aerdenhout. There are often old trees around it, beech and oak that are up to two hundred years old. Sometimes trees are lost because renovations are taking place. It would be nice to put something back there that you know the next three or four generations will enjoy. That there is something that has the majestic quality of today's trees. They are not forever. It is nice to make a plan that includes successors for the next generations. Trees that then determine the image of the garden.”
Thanks to your extensive network of nurseries, you know exactly which plants to go to and where. Are your growers located all over the world?
Wim: “We only trade with nurseries in Europe, because trees from other continents can only be imported without soil and completely in the poison - a no go for us. I am working on expanding our network every day. Our aim is to get as close to the source as possible, because then you have the best quality and the best price - the longer the chain, the more people earn from it. It is also our sport to get the best deal on the market for our clients. As a garden owner, you usually have to rely on a garden center or wholesaler. For example, if you buy an olive tree there, it will be cheaper, but you will not know its origin.
If the tree comes from southern Spain, it will be dead after the first winter. And then you don't have to go back to the store with the receipt, because the seller will say that you didn't take good care of it. The big difference with us is that we have a very personal approach. We go together to the place of origin, to the nursery, and pick out that one tree that makes the customer say 'wow, I want that'. And that is a feeling, an emotion. Just that one specimen with that curvature in the trunk or those wide branches. That tree with character, in which you can still see that storm from a few years ago. A tree with life!”
MASTERS MAGAZINE
Curious about the rest of the interview? In the autumn edition of MASTERS an interview with LVMH boss Bernard Arnault (“being the richest man in the world meant nothing to me”), a driving impression of the electric Audi RS e-tron GT, a report with the 'tree matchmakers' of The Green Contractors , an interview with star chef Dick Middelweerd and a visit to Barcelona with Ronald Koeman. The war, the climate crisis, the energy problem... Leadership and entrepreneurship are being called upon more than ever. With MASTERS EXPO | The Colorful Edition (8 to 12 December, RAI Amsterdam) we want to contribute in our own way and give the world a push in the right direction. In this edition of MASTERS a colorful preview of the most exclusive business fair. Time to think ahead, innovate, connect!
