Naktuinbouw motherplant garden: the reference garden for perennial plants

The association of growers of perennials of the Netherlands (VvV) started the initiative for a motherplant garden four years ago. They attach great importance for the sector as a whole to guaranteed trueness to varieties of offered plant material. In the Netherlands there were no existing independent structures present for judging the identity of perennials. In order to achieve a possibility for comparison of plant materials with an irrespective reference collection, a motherplant garden is established with Naktuinbouw in Roelofarendsveen (The Netherlands). The object of the project is fourfold. The first goal is to bring together a reference collection, existing of 3,000 cultivars and botanical species at one location and with correct names. The list is based on perennials traded at a regular base in The Netherlands. The second object is to use the motherplant garden for questions about the identity of perennials. The third object is to use the garden as a basis for the propagation of cultivars of which the identity is determined. The fourth object concerns a long-term idea of a hallmark for correct named plant material in perennials. The initial lifespan of the project is five years. In this period 3,000 cultivars will be planted and accessed for their identity. After five years the core of the assortment of perennials will be investigated and reviewed. Naktuinbouw would like to continue the motherplant garden as a reference collection for perennials after the initial period. All cultivars will be described and published in the PLANTSCOPE(R) internet database for horticultural plants and fruits traded in or via the Netherlands. The list of determined cultivars is shown in and updated regularly at the website of Naktuinbouw.