Don’t settle for good when great is an option. That’s Jeffrey Boots, who single-handedly grows wildly beautiful peonies in the West-Frisian village of Hem.
Jeffrey runs the nursery on his own. A lot of work, but because all the varieties are harvested at a different time, it’s manageable. During the busiest times he can count on his experienced team. He offers them housing, a healthy working environment and invests in their job satisfaction. That way he makes sure the team can deliver quality work, and his end product is of top notch quality.
Seven years ago Jeffrey started growing tulips. In 2015 he planted his first 1.5 hectares of peonies. Now, Flowers by JB has over 17 hectares of peonies. A lot has been invested in professional equipment, such as automatic harvesters, automatic bunching lines and various machines to keep the plots free from weeds.
Jeffrey grows early to late season peonies, with varieties including Flame, Many Happy Returns, Alertie, Festiva Maxima, Shirley Temple, Alexander Fleming, Sarah Bernhardt and Jacorma.
Jeffrey is a familiar face at My Peony Society since 2018. And we’re glad of it. We know that this soloist doesn’t do good, when great is an option. His flowers are grown and harvested with care and craftsmanship, and a keen eye for detail. It comes through in everything he does. As Jeffrey puts it: “Everything has to be in tip-top condition. For example, I put up signs everywhere with the names of the peonies. Some people think that’s overdoing it, but I don’t think so. People who visit my growery like to know what they’re looking at.” We agree, whole-heartedly.
