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!

Did you know the people behing Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie also started a branch of gardening stores a while ago?

Terrain has garden centers across the US with a curated assortment of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden.
Situated in luxurious indoor-outdoor environments, the on-site nurseries are each flanked by a cafe and garden terrace, providing the ideal environment to host events and workshops.
Aside from their larger centres, Terrain also has in-store locations at several Anthropologie shops.

We're quite proud that Terrain recently added Waterworks to their collection.
A new batch is about to be shipped overseas, so all US-based readers: order your Waterworks-set now!

<Click to order Waterworks on Terrain> / <Find Terrain locations here>

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.

Stylist Annelijne from Gojungle.nl loves plants and can help you surround yourself with as much lush greenery as you like in either your home or your business. 
Not such a great plant carer yourself? She even offers maintenance contracts and will make sure the right plants are at the right spot.

Always on the look-out for green inspired products, Annelijne came across our Waterworks-set and really wanted to try it out.
So we sent Annelijne a set and she made a purrfect unboxing video of it. Check out the video on her Instagram and make sure to follow het account @gojungle.nl for a regular dose of green inspiration.

Thank you for making and sharing this lovely video Annelijne!

Waterworks is the first official House of Thol product, and pretty much what got us started. 
After a successful Crowdfunding campaign on Dutch Design Starter, we launched the product back in 2014, and ever since, the design kept spreading, up to the point where it's sold in shops all over the world.

And now we're about to take the next step: we made two changes to the design in order to re-launch it ready for true world domination.
An added bonus: the system will be easier to hack, and the set costs less than it did!
Read on to learn about the changes we made.

Probably the most eye-catching difference: no more cork.
We added it back in the first design to make it easier to clean the glass bulb, but we noticed two things:
1. the reservoir is easy to clean with a bottle cleaning brush with or without the hole.
2. it was difficult to explain the hole was not designed to fill the reservoir. In fact it needs to be shut air tight at all times to keep the vacuum in place and avoid the reservoir draining too fast.

We thought long and hard about it, but decided to skip the hole and the cork, which is better for the function of the system all together.
Added bonus: since we're using fewer materials, we can lower the price of a Waterworks set to €27,50 incl VAT.

Waterworks is a stylish solution to keep your plants happy and watered all the time. But when you have a lot of plants to care for, it can take quite a budget to buy full Waterworks-sets for all of them.
That's why we slightly altered the diameter of the terra-cotta cones. The cones now fit most smaller bottles, meaning you can use any bottle on top of your cone to keep your plants happy.
And if, after a while, you want to add the stylish reservoir, that's possible too: the reservoir is now also available in the webshop separately. 

The new Waterworks-sets are now available in our webshop.
Please note: the official new Waterworks-boxes are scheduled to arrive in mid-March, but we still have the old Waterworks boxes that we don't want to go to waste.

That's why the first series of new Waterworks-sets will be packaged in the -slightly altered- original boxes, and only be available directly via us.
Meaning: by ordering online in our webshop, or buying a set at Object Rotterdam (click) 

Super happy and proud to have our new Helios Constellation featured in the Holiday gift guide of Volkskrant Magazine last Weekend.

It's only a tiny mention, but judging by the extra webshop orders, people are definitely noticing :-)
Also, we're joined by a pretty decent collection of other great-to-gift goodies, so if you can use some inspiration, make sure to check out the full gift guide in November 23rd Volkskrant Magazine!

Find more about the Helios Constellation here
or
Order Helios in our webshop

May we have your attention please!
....drumroll...
Here it is, the new official packaging of our Helios Constellation: Ready to gift!

Because our growth Constellation Helios is a special in the Flower Constellations family, we went in a different direction with the packaging.
The Helios might be smaller than its Flower Constellations cousins, the brass calls for packaging that does the semi-precious metal justice.

The Helios comes in a deluxe eco-cardboard giftbox, which makes for a nice chique gift, while still being flat enough to fit in an envelope and to be sent your way via regular mail. 

Each Helios box has a black foam inlay keeping the brass in great condition, and a minimalist manual that shows you step-by-step how to best use your Helios and how to prepare (avocado-)pits to grow into a water-rooted plant.

Ready to start gifting the Helios to you friends and loved ones? We have news coming up about special wrapping paper soon!

First of all, eating an avocado is really good for you! They're packed with vitamines and healthy fats and contain even more potassium than bananas.
​
In our household we're a big fan of a salmon & avocado poké-bowl, and there are many more great recipes to be found online.  
Can't be bothered to go recipe-hunting: simply go for the avocado-on-toast for an easy snack.

Please note: avocado are imported and use a lot of water, so they come with a footprint. Bought from Kenya, Peru, Mexico and Spain, they're labeled an alright choice by Milieucentraal (environmental label B).
​
Whatever you do, eat your avocado when it's ripe: check the stem to be certain (here's how this works). 
Here's a little help to store your avocado in the best possible way.

Gently remove the pit from the avocado without damaging it and clean off all residue. 
Leave the pit in a jar of clean water for 24-48 hours.
​
If you want to, you can carefully peel off the outer layer of the pit, exposing the pale wood-like seed. 
Some say this can speed up the germination process, or do it because they simply prefer the look.

Wrap your clean pit in a moist paper towel and put in a plastic bag. Store the bag somewhere dark at room temperature  (in a cabinet is perfect)​
​Check the bag every three days to see if the towel is still moist and/or if the first sprouts are showing yet (can take up to two months). 
​Once the first roots have grown about 2 centimeters we're ready for the next step. 

Get out your Helios constellation and customize the size of the star-shaped opening by folding the perforated lines.

Find a glass vessel (D5,5-8cm) and fill with water. Either go for a used jar or a nice vase: ideally something that's easy to clean and you'll want to look at for a while.

Lay the Helios disk centered on top of the jar/vase and push the inner brass circle downward to fit.

Carefully place your sprouted pit in the disk, making sure the roots are under water and the leaves leaves have room to grow up towards the sun.

Change the water every few days to keep the growing plant happy and the developing root system visible.

When the stem reaches 20 cm, cut back to about half to force the creation of more roots.

​If you want to, you can occasionally add nutrients to the water for stronger growth.

We've had avocado plants on water thrive for years, with an ever growing root system to enjoy under water.
​
If you're serious about growing an avocado tree make sure to move the plant to soil and keep in a warm and light environment.
(if you can use a little help watering your potted avocado plant, we've got you covered).

Enjoy your homegrown greenery!

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.

This Helios Constellation might be the latest addition to the Flower Constellation family, its idea is actually what started it all.

Years ago we designed a pit-frame that would fit a variaty of jars and glassware, and would make it easy to sprout pits and bulbs.
​Out of our hands, the idea got shelved by the large Dutch Gardencentre company that took to it at first. 

Helios lets you stylishly grow your cuttings and pits into a water-rooted leafy plant and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the plant in full: both the sprouting leaves leaning towards the sun as well as roots branching out to soak up water and nutrients.  

Read all about Helios here.

Don't forget: order one for that special dad this week and get a free Growing Card with our Fathers' Day special - read all about it here.

Just a quick reminder that we'll be in Den Bosch these coming days.

We're not only bringing our Flower Constellations and Waterworks-sets, we'll also be trying out our very own line of plantable postcards and giftlabels as well as new seed-package labels.
I've had a lot of fun designing these, so i hope they'll be well-received. Fingers' crossed!

And that's not even all of it: Visitors to the fair will get a very first sneak peak pf the new Flower Constellations Helios (for pits and bulbs) and Ophiuchus (for larger vases and bigger stems)

After moving to our rural home in Overasselt two years ago, we (or i) immediately started fantasizing about our garden. 

I actually bought a permaculture book (bible) months before moving and started with big plans to turn our land into a lush and fertile eating forest.  
​With no prior gardening experience to speak of, you can guess how that went down the first year...

You guessed correctly: although we did have a decent strawberry and pumpkin harvest, our garden is not so much a fruit and veggie heaven yet.

However i have hopes that with a lot of time, practice and soily hands, we will get there eventually.
We made great strides last fall planting 16 fruit trees in the meadow. It will take them a couple of years to bear fruit, and i guess so do my gardening skills.  

However, gardening did become a new love of mine. 
And i'm definitely planning on freeing up more time this season to tend to my greenery. 

The TuinIdee ('garden Idea') fair in Den Bosch in late February is a brilliant place to start the season. 
And we'll actually be at the TuinIdee with our designs!

​Participating in the fair is kind of an experiment, and we have no idea how this will turn out. 

But even if our designs aren't a match with the visitors and we don't sell a thing, at least i'll be getting my fair share of gardening inspiration.

We'd love to see you there!

21-24 February
10:00-18:00 daily
Brabanthallen Den Bosch
free shuttle-service from the train station

<Get your tickets online with a discount>

Fleur Magazine is the Belgian professional florists journal and is packed with great advice for anyone running a florist shop as well as pages filled with inspiration, new designs and background information about plants and flowers.

Personally i was pretty impressed with the overall look of the magazine and the articles, that are fun and interesting to read, even for non-florist me.
​
I love how the magazine provides the floral entrepreneurs with hooks and stories that can help sell more flowers and plants.

We are over the moon to be featured in this lovely publication with not only one, but two products. Check it out!
When clicked, the images should enlarge in a lightbox so you can read the actual (Dutch) text. 

In Dutch we have the saying: 'that's a one-cent whistle', or, more accurately 'that's a wistle of a cent', for something that's really easy.

In English you'd say something is a 'piece of cake', which if literally translated to Dutch doesn't really mean something.

Anyway, we're happy with this Kekmama publication of our Waterworks-set, which states keeping your plants alive with Waterworks is a whistle of a cent.

Thank you for sharing Kekmama!

These last months have been all about getting the Flower Constellations ready in time for them to be shipped to our backers by the end of August. 

Well, the Flower Constellations are packed and will be sent to all early adapters this week.
Time for the next step: spreading the word.

Best place to start and nationally debut the Flower Constellations to stores, press, bloggers and other design loving professionals is undoubtedly ShowUP: trade show for home and gift.

So we're packing up our goodies and will be at the Expo Haarlemmermeer this coming Sunday and Monday (2+3 September).
​
Will we see you there?  

ShowUP
Trade fair for home and gift

Expo Haarlemmermeer
Stelling 1
2141 SB Vijfhuizen

Sunday September 2 2018, 10:00 - 18:00
Monday September 3 2018, 10:00 - 18:00

Only accessible for professionals
​Free entrance after registration

<Click here for more information about the fair>

The World Packaging Design Society runs an influential packaging design blog featuring contemporary packaging designs from around the world.

We're very happy we made it onto their feed with our Waterworks box! 
​
Definitely worth checking out on Instagram.

We're very happy to be featured in one of the Netherlands' biggest magazines: Libelle.

The Libelle Tuinspecial is definitely worth a read, and i'm not just saying that because Waterworks is in there: i'm in love with the relaxed gardening style and lush green gardens the magazine showcases.

​Anyway, here's a close-up of the publication: 

A -rough- translation of the text:
​
"Forgot to water your house plants again? This funny Water reservoir solves the problem (and your feeling of guilt). It's called Waterworks and does what it's made for: gradually distributing water and preventing the soil from drying out." 

​Click here for a pdf of the publication