Seldomly have i been longing for spring as much as i do this year.
Then again: don't we all?!
Well, the season of bright green is around the corner, and although we have yet to round the bend on Covid, we can at least spot a brighter day on the horizon.

Since spring is the perfect time to sow wildflower seeds and create a haven for both your own eyes as well as your local pollinators, we're adding 'Seeds of Love' wildflower labels to each order of at least €15,- for the next month!

Each Seeds of Love labels has a seed pack containing about 2-3 grams of wildflower seeds, more than enough for 1 square meter of wildflowers.

We order our seeds in bulk at a bee-loving company in the Netherlands and created a personal mix with an assortment of local wildflowers.

When you place an order for at least €15,- in our webshop this coming month (until April 21st), you'll receive one Seeds of Love gift tag for absolutely free!* 

No need to click on anything or fill out a discount code, simply place your order and we'll make sure to add a wildflower label to the package when we ship it! 

It's our way of saying thank you for supporting our small sustainable business. <3 
​
Also, we love to spread colorful patches of nature across Europe to create a more bio-diverse environment and help our most important allies in nature: pollinating insects.
Because sadly, our flying friends need all the help they can get (click).

We designed the labels to double as a gift-tag, adding an extra bright floral touch to any present. 

Would like to receive more seed-pack labels?
We've just added the Seeds of Love labels to our webshop as well, so order away!

*​(Please note: EU only, due to regulations about shipping seeds)

I don't know about you, but i've seldomly been looking forward to the sunshine of spring more than this year.
Although we still have a few months to go before the bright green starts to pop, tulip season has in fact already started.
Time to bring a hint of freshness into the home!

Luckily, tulips are sold at both supermarkets and convenience stores as well as flower shops, so even in a partial lockdown, you should be able to get your hands on them.
That said, the taller stemmed French tulips you see on this photograph are usually found in more luxurious flower shops.

Being Dutch, it is about time to learn more about our national flower and how to properly care for them. Read on to find out what i learned.

though we very much hijacked the tulip as our Dutch national flower, the bulbs originate from Central Asia. 
The word 'Tulip' is said to be derived from the word 'Turban', (because of the similarities in shape), and it wasn't until the 16th Century that the Ottoman empire brought the flower to the attention of the West. 

The Europeans, with the rich Dutch in particular, were so smitten with the novelty flower, a Tulip Mania ensued, with prices for tulips in the Netherlands going through the roof (a bulb going for a house) before dramatically collapsing.
​
After a short crisis, the prizes stabalized again, and the Dutch have remained the leading producer of commercial tulip plants ever since, creating an abundance of colors and varieties and producing over 2 billion flowers and bulbs annually.

Since the mania in the Dutch 'golden age' (debate is on about whether we should still call it that, as the riches of the Dutch empire were won mostly from slavery, exploitation and claimed foreign land)....
Anyway, since the Dutch 'Golden Age' master painters often depicted tulips in their works and the tulip trade was here to stay, the tulip became our nation's symbol.​

Since 2019 we even have a stylised orange tulip in our official country logo (click).

Tulips were so valuable back in the day, enormous stacked tulip vases were designed specifically to showcase each individual expensive flower.  ​ ​​​

The tulip is a genus of the Lilly family and is taxonomically divided into 4 subgenera: Clusianae, Orithyia, Tulipa and Eriostemones (more here), with by far most cultivars in the Tulipa group.

However, modern day practicality kicked in, and a new division of 15 groups, based on flower type, size and blooming period was made (see them all here).

The red/white striped petals seen on the botanical drawing here, are the result of a virus 'breaking' the tulip.
​
These were the most sought after flowers during the Tulip Mania, and one bulb of the depicted 'Semper Augustus' could cost as much as a house.

​Sadly, the beautiful virus impacts the tulip negatively, and each next generation of bulbs becomes weaker and weaker, until eventually too weak to bloom. As a result, many of the old 'broken' breeds have gone extinct, as did the valuable Semper Augustus. 

Although a few breeds survived, like 'Zomerschoon' (Summer's Beauty') and the golden/brown Absalom, 'broken' flowers are considered a threat to gardens and industry nowadays, and the Dutch government has banned the sale of infected bulbs. 

Instead, breeders have succeeded in creating extravagant striped, flamed, variegated (multi-colored) and even fringed tulips, like a.o. Rembrandt Tulips (a nod to Tulip Mania), the large Parrot tulips and the Creme Upstar Tulip in beautiful powdery pink and creme. (see more varieties here).

Tulips are a great addition to any garden, and super easy to plant.
That is: if you remember to plant the bulbs at the appropriate time...
Most bulbs should be planted from September to December, and will start to bloom in early spring to give your garden that pop of color.
Here's a guide about do's and don'ts when planting tulip bulbs.

If you don't have a garden, or -like me- forgot to plant your bulbs (again), you can still enjoy the tulip as a cut flower.
​
In the Netherlands, tulip season is festively launched around the middle of January each year.
Since tulips are grown locally and on open ground, they are considered one of the most sustainable cut flowers in the Netherlands and are available from October to May. (more about that on Milieucentraal)

A while ago, we created the 'Rookie's guide to Flower Care' as an easy tutorial to keep cut flowers fresh for longer (read the full guide here).

Tulips can have a vase-life of up to 10 days when cared for properly, and although tulip care is quite similar to most flowers, there are a few things specific to tulips that you should take into account to keep your flowers fresh for longer.

3. Remove any leaves lower on the tulip stems (leave no foliage under water) and diagonally cut about a centimeter off the bottom of the stem with a sharp knife before placing in the water. (read more about the why and the how of the angular cut here)

4. Arrange your tulips spaciously in the vase, making sure the stems are not squashed together. 
If you like, you can use a Flower Constellation to arrange your tulips in a playful and spacious way, like i do on the photograph. Make sure to choose the right hole for each stem, and be careful not to damage them.

Finally: I like to keep my tulips in the vase as long as i can: until they start losing their large petals. However, take note: similar to lilly's, tulip pistils can hold quite a lot of pollen, and these can leave stains on a surface!

Like many flowers, tulips are actually edible.
I wouldn't advice taking a bite out of your store-bought bouquet, as they might be treated with something to keep them looking fresh (you never know). Tulips from your own garden however, can successfully be used in a salad, with dip, or as a stylish edible amuse-holder.

Best thing to eat are the petals, which apparently come in all kinds of flavours depending on the color. Generally they supposed to taste a little like sweet lettuce (source), and you should pick them fresh, as they grow bitter over time.
The Guardian wrote an article about which flowers to grow for your dishes, <read it here>.

As the Dutch found out in WWII, tulip bulbs can be eaten too.
But beware: you have to take out the bitter core, as it is poisonous. 
Also, it's notoriously nasty-tasting, and many people forced to eat them during the hunger-winter of 44/45, vowed to never eat them again.

Ever since tulips were introduced to the Dutch, the flower has played a part in our history: from the high and subsequent low of tulip mania, to the desperation of surviving by eating tulip bulbs during WWII, the colorful flower was there through the good, the bad ánd the ugly.
Dutch floriculture export is thriving, and we mainly have the tulip to thank for that.

After researching the flower, i would have loved to be able to recognize at least a few different tulip breeds by eye.
Alas, there are just too many cultivars, and new breeds pop up every season.

It was fun to find out about Semper Augustus, the viral infection causing the beautiful coloration on its petals, and the absurd value of a mere bulb.

I'm looking forward to gardens everywhere waking up to spring, and tulips slowly reveiling their splendour and bright color.
But before they do, i'm reviving my own sunny feeling indoors with a bouquet of color.
Going out to get a bouquet for yourself? Don't forget about your neighbourhood florist! 

Happy spring-feeling everyone!

The Bee Happy Flower cards are now available in both postcard (A6) as well as notecard (A7) size!
Because sometimes, smaller is better.

The notecards are perfect for a few sweet lines to a loved one, either to accompany a present or to send via snail-mail.
Their smaller size make the notecards stand out, and the matching kraftpaper C7 envelopes are the sweetest thing ever.

similar to the larger sized postcards, the notecards are printed on recycled paper containing wildflower seeds.
We went for a new paper variety that has a mix with silene, chamomille, gillyflower, clover and clarkia (EU seeds only).

How 's that for a green and special Holiday card?
The cards cost €2,-, (or €2,50 with the envelope) and are available in the webshop now!

Truth be told, i used to consider the Chrysanthemum somewhat of an old fashioned flower. I don't know what that notion was based on, but the flower never really appealed to me.
That started to change when i accidentally mistook one for a Dahlia when i was at the florist a few weeks ago (not that uncommon, apparently).
Another large bright yellow flower head ended up going home with me. 
And lo and behold: three weeks later, it's still standing!
Add that to it being the official fall flower, and i decided to dive a little deeper into the Chrysanthemums origins, meaning and care advice.

The Chrysanthemum is a herb, and cultivation has been recorded in ancient China as far back as the 15th century BC.
The Chrysanthemum, or 'Pinyin' (菊花) was grown for the healing qualities of all parts of the plant, from the roots to the young sprouts, the petals and the leaves (more about the healing qualities of Chrysanthemum <here>).
It became part of the 'four gentlemen', representing the four seasons: blossoming plum for winter, orchid for spring, bamboo for summer, and the chrysanthemum for autumn.
​Hundreds of poems are written about the flower and on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month each year, the Chrysanthemum plays a big part in the Chinese double ninth festival.

In some European countries (France and Belgium for example)  chrysanthemum have been used as funeral flowers for years, symbolizing a respect for the death. 
At the same time the colorful flowers are considered positive and cheerful in the US (except in New Orleans).
In Victorian floriography (the language of flowers) the red chrysanthemum stood for love, whereas the yellow chrysanthemum symbolized a love taken-for-granted and the white variety is used to communicate truth, loyalty and honesty.

Looking into the many available cultivars made me realize why i wasn't really into Chrysanthemum. The multi-headed small-bloomed variety that is often used as a bouquet filler is not a love of mine.

I am however a fan of the larger single-headed cultivars. And there are plenty to choose from! Focusing on the cultivars with one flower-head only, there are 6 main categories: Pompon, Double, Incurve, Mop Head, Single and Spider. 
I prefer the types where the full inner floret is hidden by petals, and especially the ones that are made of two colors.
For some online inspiration, i found this list of gorgeous cultivars at Love 'n fresh flowers.​

We often used to see Chrysanthemums packed close together into an air-less bouquet, which i think is just a shame of the beautiful heads.
Botanical science agrees with me here: As with many cut flowers, the Chrysanthemum will stay fresh much longer when their stems get room to breathe.
With flowers this large and expressive there's really no need to cram a lot of them together anyway. A few will do just nicely. 

So... once you found yourself some nice blooms, here's what you do:

Chrysanthemum can be bought year-round, but are in season in September, October and November, so best get them then.

In the Netherlands, the flowers are usually grown in glass houses, and more and more sustainable practices are surrounding the cultivation.
Many growers have turned to using insects instead of pesticides, and ever more businesses use LED lighting in combination with self-generated green energy.   

It is also quite possible to grow Chrysanthemum in your own garden.
They come in both perennial as well as annual varieties and, as mentioned above, a galore of shapes, colors and sizes.
That said: the varieties that are most sold in garden centres are usually that of the smaller bushy multi-headed kinds.
The longer stemmed one-headed chrysanthemum sold as cut-flowers at florists can be slightly more tricky to grow.

It being such a tough flower means a bouquet can be enjoyed for up to three weeks, making chrysanthemum both a great sustainable and economical choice.

Added bonus: if you were to use the petals in some kind of tea, it would be an even more low-waste deal.

While working on the preparations for ShowUP Today, I stumbled upon a few old photographs and a blog-post from two years ago.
Turns out we officially launched the Flower Constellations on August 27th 2018. That's two years ago to the day!
Happy Birthday Flower Constellations!

On one hand the launch seems like Yesterday, while on the other i can hardly remember when we didn't have the Flower Constellations in our collection!
(Kind of like with kids, but without the actual humans growing)
(Come to think of it: hopefully without the terrible two's)

Over the last two years, the Flower Constellations brought us so much: not only a product to share with people all over the world, it also contributed to us winning the MKB Export Award last year and more recently to Thomas being able to quit his 1,5 day side-hussle as a teacher at the Willem de Kooning Academy and having both of us working (more than) full-time for House of Thol.⁣

Therefore we'd like to thank each and everyone of you who helped sharing the story of our Flower Constellations. ⁣
Together we can spread the love for easy green living.⁣
Thank you guys! On to the next crazy times!

To celebrate the Flower Constellations' birthday with you and help you spread the love, we've created a special discount code making it possible to order two Flower Constellations for €35,-: Keep one and gift one!

To get the discount, order your two Flower Constellations at shophouseofthol.nl and make sure to enter code '2for35' in the box on the bottom left at check-out.
Happy giving! 

Not being able to visit your mum or grandmother this Mothers' Day is something you're very much allowed to be sad about.
Although an actual real-life hug might not be a possibility right now, you can make your love tangible with a sweet gift via mail.

And of course we're happy to help!
Surprise your mother with a green gift by House of Thol and we'll send it to you (or her) with an extra dose of love.

We're adding a 'Seeds of Love' label to every online order this week. 
The label contains a seed packet with enough seeds for about a square meter of wildflowers, and has a little room on the back for a sweet personal message.

With the spring in full swing and may showers every other day, now is a perfect time to sow wildflower seeds!

-Mix with an equal part light sand, sow widely
-Lightly cover to make sure all seeds are in direct contact with the soil
-Keep seeds and sprouts moist: water daily. 
Time to bloom: 40-60 days
*Suitable for different soil types

Anthurium are lovely flowering plants with an exotic origin that are grown in all types and varieties in greenhouses across the Netherlands.
The plant is a great air purifier, with long lasting flowers coming in a large variety of shapes and colors.

Anthurium.info was created to showcase the many beautiful Anthurium species cultivated by Dutch breeders.
The website doesn't only offer information about all kinds of Anthurium in 4 (FOUR) languages, it also aims to inspire with original content about anything that has to do with caring for and styling with Anthurium.
Read about the sustainability of Anthuriums, how to best care for the plants or learn how to create an Anthurium Kokedama. 
​A visit to Anthurium.info is definitely worth your time!

We're super happy floral designer Bob wrote a lovely piece about our Flower Constellations and how to use them.
Check it out here in <English> / <Dutch> / <German> / <French>

Postcards are always a fun gift, and cards that can grow into flowers even more so. 
That's why we created the 'Don't worry Bee happy' gift set containing 6 Flower Cards and three envelopes in a nice box with growing paper wrapper.

Compose the set exactly as you like it: choose the 6 cards you like best, or go for one of the mixes we thought up.
You can even choose to add more envelopes or buy the set without envelopes and save a euro.

The set goes for €15,- including 3 envelopes.
NB If you were to buy the 6 cards and envelopes separately that would add to €19,50, so this might just be a great gift for yourself as well :-).

<Get the Bee Happy gift set here>

In the Netherlands we're as a nation postponing the Christmas cheer until after December 5th, when our own Saint Nicholas heads back to his palace in Spain.
But boy, then it does start in earnest. The Weekend following Sinterklaas' departure, it's absolute mayhem in every garden centre selling Christmas trees. 

Personally i love the Holidays not so much because of the religious significance, but rather because people all over the world go through lenghts to spend time with the people they love.
No matter what (if any) religious meaning you attach to this time of year, the way this season helps get people together is a reason to celebrate on its own.

And it's not just about seeing everyone you love in person, this season is also about sending your best wishes to friends and family.
​How about sending them some flowers as well? Not actual flowers of course, they'd wilt in the mail, but wildflower seeds caught in a Holiday card.
​
​Especially for these festive times we designed 4 new Holiday Growing Cards.
​The cards have been printed on Growing paper: 240gr recycled paper that contains wildflower seeds.

 To germinate the seeds, lay the paper in moist soil, place in a sunny spot, cover with a thin layer of earth and keep moist. 
Depending on the kind of seed in the paper, you'll see the first tiny green leaves pop out of the earth after about ten days.
​
Order now and we'll send along a matching Bee Happy envelope for free!

<See all growing cards>

The 'Grote Nederlandse Kunstkalender' or 'Big Dutch Art Calender' is a beast of a calendar: weighing more than three (3!) Kilograms, the calender features a new piece of Dutch Art every day of the year.

A mix of fine arts, photography, illustration, product design, architecture and graphic design, the selection consists of work by upcoming talents as well as from big names in the Dutch world of art and design.

Or go ahead and get the calender for your significant other so you can enjoy a full year of Dutch Art together. 

The Grote Nederlandse Kunstkalender can be bought for €34,95 (ex. shipping) via Trichis.

//Read more about the calender here//

Last weekend we spent 4 days in sunny The Hague at chique art/design festival 'Masterly The Hague' - Not only was the festival taking place in a beautiful setting, we were blessed with great weather and many enthusiastic and lovely visitors!

We were super happy with the great presentation of our work: the bathtub being flanked by this gorgeous 1930ties silk Kimono that was on loan from the Gemeentemuseum The Hague, and the over all high quality athmosphere at Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder.
Also not too bad to share a room with skillfull glass artist Geir Nustad and be a temporary direct neighbor of Orange or Red, Bibi Smit and Thed Konings.

And, lest i forget: we worked together with Ceramist Henriette Meijer to create a stylish floral setting at the entrance of Museum Bredius.

Since we were pretty much talking all the time, we didn't get to take that many photographs. 
Luckily plenty of others did!
Here's a few of the pictures we found online. All images link back to the photographer or account we found them.

Thank you Nicole Uniquole and the Masterly The Hague organisation for a lovely festival!  

Whenever we need photographs of our designs, we turn to one very talented lady: Masha Bakker Matijevic of Masha Bakker Photography.

I've known Masha since high school, yet that's not the main reason why we love working with her: with her keen eye for lighting and composition, she always delivers gorgeous and timeless pictures that are ready to share.

Our last photoshoot was last spring and i wanted to take a moment to share the lovely series she shot of our Flower Constellations as well as the Ophiuchus & Helios constellation.

Interested in using these photographs in a publication? Everything and more can be found in high resolution in our image bank. Get in touch for a log-in!

Please note: We're happy for you to share our work and photographs, however, please mention the source and photographer.

We're super excited that only one year after we launched them, the Flower Constellations are now available in the United States of America!!! Yeah!!

Uncommon Goods, webshop for unique gifts, home decor and more, picked up on our design a while ago, and after we sent over a few samples, the sales team gave their go and we shipped the first batch to the US right before our summer break.

So for all of you lovely people living in the US who can use a stylish tool for stellar flower arrangements or are looking for a flowery gift for a loved one , head over to UncommonGoods.com and order Flower Constellations now!

Not living in the US?
Our products are now being sold in 13 different countries around the world, so with a bit of luck there might be a store near you!
Check out our Store Locator for more information.

Although our summer break was cut short because of the opportunity of a sudden assignment that we didn't want to miss (more about that later, i promise!), we still had two long weeks to unwind and relax.

Our last-minute planning brought us to the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) in Germany, a mere 5,5 hour drive from the headquarters.

We landed on a wonderful campground right next to a stream and a little waterfall. and together with the boys spent hours on well-made playgrounds and adventure trails such as the Black Forest Treetop walk (with a large slide going down) and a Barefoot path where we got to got to walk over pieces of broken glass (still pretty sharp).
We clambered accross Germanies' largest waterfall and walked a 60 meters high suspension bridge that slightly swayed in the wind.

Of course we had to play a round of adventure golf (guess who struck a hole-in-one) and we somehow visited two places where people were extremely serious about model-trains as well as to a museum of clocks, vintage cars and vintage vending machines (because what else in Germany on a rainy day).

This September will mark the second edition of Masterly Den Haag.
Masterly started out as a festival celebrating Dutch high craft in Amsterdam, and over the past years became a Dutch staple of the Fuori Salone programme during the furniture fair in Milan in April.

Nicole Uniquole, the initiator and driving force behind Masterly, has a love for things that are well made: both now and in history.
Situating contemporary Dutch Design in a classical environment creates an interesting tension between the 'now' and the 'then'.  The beautiful locations she uses as a backdrop are always worth your visit.

We're super happy to be part of the Masterly Festival this year, and proud to be coupled with the painting Jan van Ravesteyn made of Amalia van Somst.
​
Amalia came to Den Haag as a refugee at 17 and went on to marry Stadtholder Frederik Hendrik, thus becoming the original matriarch of our Dutch Royal family of Orange.
​In her married life, lady van Solms worked towards elevating the position of her husband and family.
​She showcased her collection of paintings and porcelain in refurbished or newly built grand houses and palaces with lush gardens.

In 1641, Amalia married her son Willem II to young Mary Henrietta Stuart, Princess Royal, making grandson Willem (William) III a true prince of Orange who would become monarch of England, Scotland and Wales in later life (but not without a battle).  

As lovers of Flowers, we're drawn to the beautifull embroidery lady van Solms is depicted wearing: showcasing the long love the Dutch Royal family has for flowers. 
A perfect match with our Flower Constellations!
Did you know descendant and namesake Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, has a tulip named after her?

Sisters Astrid and Linda, both creative minds, have put their love for all things beautiful and special to digital paper with their blog 'No Ordinary Tales'. 
On it, they share DIY's, recipes and all creative things they come up with. Once every while, they share the work of a fellow creative entrepreneur or creative hotspots to visit.

We're super excited Linda and Astrid wrote a lovely piece about our Flower Constellations last week. Thank you so much for sharing!
You can read the full post here.
It's in Dutch, but even if you don't speak the language, their photographs are worth your click!

Father's Day is around the corner! 
And although it might seem all fathers need new Americana accessories for their BBQ, we know for a fact many dads love to let things grow.

That's why we busted our behinds to get the Helios out there in time: the new durable tool to help you grow your pits, bulbs and cuttings on water.
Read all about our Helios Constellation here.

Is your dad more of a houseplant fan?
Why not gift him a Waterworks-set to help keep his indoor greenery happy and healthy.

But that's not actually what this post is about: As a little something extra, we added a few new Father/Family-themed Growing Cards to our collection.

With these cards, you're not only sending your dad a sweet message, you'll also give him something to grow.

The cards have been printed on Growing paper that contains wildflower seeds.
To germinate the seeds, lay the paper in moist soil, place in a sunny spot, cover with a thin layer of earth and keep moist. 
Depending on the kind of seed in the paper, you'll see the first tiny green leaves pop out of the earth after about ten days.

​Ophiuchus or 'Snakebearer' is called the thirteenth star sign, because, just as the 12 signs of the Zodiac, it crosses the sun's path (Ecliptica).
The official period of Ophiuchus would be between November 30th and December 18th.

We went ahead and ordered a small stock of brass Ophiuchus Constellations. This means that when you order an Ophiuchus, there's no waiting involved: We'll ship immediately and you can start arranging flowers right away. 

The only difference to the final product is the package it comes in.

Mothersday is around the corner! 
​Does your mother like flowers?
​Gift her a Flower Constellation this weekend so she can create stunning floral masterpieces every time while saving on flowers.

Because we are huge fans of mothers in general, (and ours in particular), we designed special Mother-celebrating Bee Happy Growing cards for Mothersday.

With these cards, you're not only sending your mom a sweet message, you're also giving her a delayed bouquet of flowers. ​

Want to dave time and have your present sent directly to your mothers' address?
We can do that! Simply fill out the correct address at check out.

We can even write your mothersday-card for you. Let us know what should be on the card (max 5 lines) and we'll make sure to write down your message as neatly as we can.