DSV Seeds Introduces Two Flower Mixes and a Custom Blend for Municipalities |
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Three Flower Mixes by DSV Seeds: "Putting It Together Can Be Quite a Puzzle"
The days are getting longer, there's still some night frost, but the sun is gaining strength and the first green tips of various flower bulbs are emerging from the soil. And then the itch begins. Good news for anyone ready to get started in the outdoors: DSV Seeds has developed two flower mixes—Zomerbloei Zelder and Bloeiparadijs Multi-Year. Additionally, DSV offers tailor-made mixes for specific requirements. Thijs Schoenmakers, sales manager for recreational grasses, passionately explains the carefully composed blends.
| Zomerbloei Zelder in an urban area as temporary beautification of construction land |
"The demand for flowering and herb mixes originally came from agriculture, where more space was being made along field edges and buffer zones for flower and herb blends. Soon after, municipalities followed, wanting to add more diversity to lawns and planting beds in public green spaces. And the demand keeps growing. That's why we developed Zomerbloei Zelder about five years ago together with our Danish colleagues. Both countries have a similar climate, and many of the available species overlap."
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"We want to offer continuity so that customers who are excited about a mix can get the same mix again the following year."
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Zomerbloei Zelder and Bloeiparadijs Multi-Year
Zomerbloei Zelder is a medium-height, colorful annual mix with sixteen blooming species. Schoenmakers explains that some species can bloom a second season under good maintenance. "Poppy and cornflower, for instance. They produce plenty of seeds that germinate the following season. One year is never the same as another, so you'll see different species dominate each year. That variability is part of the charm."
Bloeiparadijs Multi-Year is a balanced blend of flowers and herbs containing 27 annual and perennial species. The mix includes nectar-rich plants and umbellifers, which are beneficial not only for bees, bumblebees, and butterflies, but also for beneficial insects like parasitic wasps.
Flower Mixes Require Less Maintenance
The mixes require less maintenance than neatly trimmed lawns or flowerbeds, which must be mowed or weeded—sometimes weekly during fast growth periods. With proper care, flower mixes, especially the perennial one, can perform well for many years. It starts with creating a "false seedbed" to suppress weeds. "We support you with advice," says Schoenmakers. "Plus, you can download a cultivation guide from our website where we detail everything about installation and maintenance."
Different Mixes for Different Purposes
Flower and herb mixes are beneficial for biodiversity, effective against urban heat stress, and can enhance landscapes. Both Zomerbloei Zelder and Bloeiparadijs Multi-Year are suitable for various applications. "If you want to temporarily beautify a construction site, go with an annual mix. If you want to transform a lawn into a flower meadow, then a multi-year mix is better. Sometimes ready-made blends are perfect; other times we create something custom."
 | | Diversity of species in the Bloeiparadijs Multi-Year mix |
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Species Availability
There is often demand for native species. Schoenmakers always asks what the customer considers "native." "On paper and in theory, that sounds great—but it also needs to be practical and feasible. Some historically native species may disappear due to climate change, while new ones establish themselves. Certain species can be cultivated and machine-harvested in bulk. But others can only be harvested by hand and yield less seed per season, which affects their seasonal availability. Putting a mix together can really be a puzzle. At DSV, we aim to provide continuity so that customers who like a blend can count on getting the same one again next year."
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"You can download a cultivation guide from our website with complete details on both installation and maintenance."
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Case Study
For the past two years, DSV Seeds has been involved in the Zeeland Climate Adaptation project. This includes pilot tests with various flower mixes in neighborhoods in the municipalities of Vlissingen and Middelburg. DSV collaborates with project partners to determine which blends are most beneficial for each area. "Key project themes include citizen participation, climate, and health. We assess the local soil conditions and are conducting pilots with several mixes to see which ones are best suited for long-term application. One fun citizen participation activity involved children sowing flower 'seed bombs' on a vacant lot."
Mix Composition
Zomerbloei Zelder contains the following 16 summer-blooming species: mountain bindweed, Chinese forget-me-not, morning glory, yellow daisy, baby's breath, calendula, love-in-a-mist, cornflower, mallow, poppy, red flax, Iberis umbellata, California poppy, summer pheasant's eye, summer azalea, and heliopsis.
Bloeiparadijs Multi-Year contains the following 27 annual and perennial flowers and herbs: coriander, summer pheasant's eye, cornflower, Agrostemma githago, caraway, calendula, evening primrose, oxeye daisy, common mallow, yellow daisy, borage, chives, yarrow, coneflower, poppy, red flax, dragonhead, wild carrot, sage, chamomile, viper's bugloss, horned violet, Carpathian bellflower, St. John's wort, columbine, and daisy.
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 | | This project is made possible by the Zeeland Climate Adaptation initiative as part of the Stimulus OP-Zuid program |
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