Nic Mak, Holland's Leading Lily Grower

Dutch lily grower Nic Mak

For Nic Mak, growing lilies is like panning for gold. Each year, this leading Dutch breeder and grower plants about two million new lily seedlings. After three years of coddling, the young lilies will finally mature and begin to bloom. That's when Mak heads out to the fields to begin his daily rounds, hoping to discover a "nugget"—a lovely new lily with the potential of becoming a top prize winner.

Once Mak selects a lily seedling as promising, it takes another seven years before he is able to determine if the variety is viable for commercial production -- and many years more to produce sufficient bulbs for distribution. It's a business that requires patience and persistence. But it's paid off for Mak, who has introduced many outstanding new varieties that are sold all over the world.

Mak began growing lilies on his family's farm, but he ventured off on his own in 1967 with just four acres of land. Today he grows 40,000,000 lilies annually on more than 200 acres. This includes the full range of lilies: trumpets, Asiatics, Orientals, Orienpets and others. Mak's wife and three of his five sons are actively involved in the business, which now employs 25 people.

Many of Mak's lily introductions have been patented, and it is a full-time job just managing this aspect of the business. He regularly gives Dutch Gardens the exclusive opportunity to introduce some of his newest varieties, such as the Shocking Oriental Trumpet Lily.