Piet Groot, A Lifetime of Lilies

Piet Groot

Piet Groot has been growing lilies since he was 13 years old. Like many Dutch bulb growers, he grew up on a bulb farm and began his career by growing out bulbs that he collected in the fields after the harvest was over.

After a stint in the army, Piet began growing lilies commercially. At the time there were only 60 acres of lilies in production in the area surrounding his home town of Andijk in northern Holland. All types of lilies are grown in the area, including Oriental, Trumpet, Oriental Trumpet, Asiatic hybrids, Longiflorum and patio lilies.

On his own 80-acre farm, Piet produces a phenomenal 12 million lilies each year. He specializes in growing the Regal and Candidum lily varieties, though he grows many other types as well. He has been growing the Citronella Lily since he was 18 years old, and is now the only Dutch grower producing this beautiful lily. Citronella is a type of tiger lily or turk's cap lily, with recurved golden petals and dark brown freckles.

Among the fine lilies that Piet produces for Dutch Gardens are the Lady Alice and Citronella tiger lilies, the Fata Morgana Double Asiatic Lily, the Pumilum Lily and the Oriental Lily Mixture.