Dick van Kleinwee

He grew up in a rural environment and played in the polder among the greenery, where his love for nature was born. In his work as a plant breeder he creates new plant varieties and in his spare time he dedicates himself as chairman of the Hoorn chapter for garden association Groei & Bloei.

"Groei & Bloei is an association in which garden lovers find each other in their love for plants and greenery. We are a discussion partner for municipalities and other green organizations in the city. We like to share our knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to stimulate green. For example, we organize the action Tile out, plant in, where when you turn in a tile you get a plant as a gift. And during the Open Garden Day, enthusiasts can get inspiration for their garden from others. By sharing ideas and enthusiasm, we hope to motivate more people to go green."

Water-friendly garden

Then, of course, the question is what Dick's own garden looks like. " When designing our garden, I took as my starting point a green garden, where ornamental plants are interspersed with fruit trees and vegetables and where the water that falls is used as usefully as possible. The runoff from outbuildings such as the gazebo and shed does not drain into the sewer, but flows directly into the garden. And a tree like a birch is grateful for that. We also have three rain barrels that we empty quite a few times a year for watering the greenery and plants. In this way, a rain barrel is a sustainable addition to your garden."

Façade green

"Because our house is close to the sidewalk, the front yard was an added challenge. We have now created a small strip of frontage garden there. Before, it was completely paved and weeds easily shot up between the tiles and the house. With that, you trigger use of pesticides. And don't think that vinegar can be used without a problem; it turns out to be surprisingly environmentally unfriendly! Nice how such a relatively simple facade garden yields so many benefits: beautiful, little work and sustainable!"

Green cools

Thanks to the green surroundings, Dick's garden is also comfortable on hot days. "Cooling was not the goal of our green garden when it was built, but it is now becoming increasingly clear that dealing with the increasing heat is becoming a greater challenge. Creating more shade and changing the color or paving helps; wood instead of stone."