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Dirk Cools

Arborist

 

C

Dirk Cools

Arborist

When Dirk Cools founded the tree nursery Solitair back in the 80’s, he didn’t know what to expect. To grow mature trees that would be ready for sale in 15 to 30 years hence, didn’t quite fit a solid business plan. As his trees grew and flourished, so did his family-run company, which now counts up to 100 acres and more than 20 employees.

When Dirk Cools founded the tree nursery Solitair back in the 80’s, he didn’t know what to expect. To grow mature trees that would be ready for sale in 15 to 30 years hence, didn’t quite fit a solid business plan. As his trees grew and flourished, so did his family-run company, which now counts up to 100 acres and more than 20 employees.


What is it about trees that fascinates you so much, you decided to build a business around it?

I like the diversity. Trees offer views from different angles and surprise me every time. Sometimes it might not look that spectacular, but the combination of other shrubs and greenery most definitively is. What we offer at the nursery is not based on my personal preference. After all, I have learned to appreciate many types of trees. From a forest to a small rooftop garden, every context demands a different solution. What I reckon is very important from a business point of view: is that all products on display are for sale. I don’t buy trees that have too many limitations. They all have to be transported for example.

Where did the idea for a nursery come from? Were you always interested in nature?

When I was 12 years old, my brother and I bought 50 small Conifers to plant a hedge. We found out they were easy to propagate. So after a while, we continued having 80 small trees. Green experiments all turned out successful, which made us very excited and curious about nature. At the age of 16, we were selling trees at the market. It was a great learning school. In the meantime, I was also working at a nursery in the Netherlands. In ’86 my wife (red. José Anthonissen) and I founded our own nursery, Solitair in Loenhout, Antwerp.

I look at trees, maybe in the way you look at a house. I see possibilities that go beyond imperfection and ugliness.

 

The tree industry is a very slow business that you managed to turn it into a success. Could you say that time fueled the company?

It was quite the journey, yes. We started with an empty meadow of 1 ha. Each year we have been able to double our company, which is extraordinary. We are very fortunate. For 10, 15 years we had a booming business in Christmas trees. Happy shop owners asked us for all-year products. After that, we focused on Buxus which turned out to be very profitable.

Buxus, the old-fashioned evergreen shrub is still quite popular in Belgium, isn’t it?

It is 100 years old. On Eastern and Ash Wednesday people took sacred Buxus leafs home from church and planted it outside. That’s the reason why you see so many gardens in Belgium decorated with it. When Jacques Wirtz (red. famous Belgian landscape designer) announced its comeback, we decided to take the leap. In the 90’s Buxus were a big hit. Its success made us experiment with other merchandise. The Netherlands became important for export. Soon other countries such as Italy and German followed. Now our trees are embraced everywhere in the world.

At Solitair we like trees with personality and distinct characteristics.

For a society obsessed with marketing, PR, and self-promotion, you do so little to put yourself in the market.

It’s not in our DNA to boast about the projects we do and the clients we have. We often go to specialized fairs to show our new merchandise. But at this type of event, we don’t display our name tags, nor do we use banners. Often they don’t go with the overall design of the booth. (Laughs.) This lack of self-promotion makes us stand out in the crowd. Our business keeps on growing every year, but that is no reason to relax our efforts. Our clientele is rejuvenating and my daughters Valérie (23 years) and Chloë (26 years) are in the tree business too. Their enthusiasm is contagious. They are likely to follow my footsteps, but I don’t want to pressure them. In the end, they have to do what feels right.

 

Most trees here, you have raised over decades. Do you also import from other gardens and countries?

I’ve always been interested in how, out of a big field of trees, a couple of them could grow differently. When I started Solitair I decided to keep the nicest ones and let them grow bigger. I get trees from nurseries worldwide and from private gardens. All have their own story and can stand on their own.

How do you decide which ones you’ll grow? Do you have a special approach in buying the right tree at the right time?

At Solitair we like trees with personality and distinct characteristics. We like growing one-of-a-kinds, real eye-catchers, often multi-stemmed with quirky shapes. I look at trees, maybe in the way you look at a house. I see possibilities that go beyond imperfection and ugliness. I know exactly which one will be beautiful in 20 years from now. Some trees were wounded when I bought them. I gave them decades to recover and they turned out great.

Are trees subjected to trends or are they timeless?

It’s remarkable to see that fruit trees are back in fashion. The last 10 years we have learned to pay attention to its blossoms, which can be magical. It looks beautiful in spring and even in winter. When it comes to trimming, though, we see different styles and trends. Some people like a natural look, some like it more artificial. With the proper trimming trees can be shaped into blocks, cones, pyramids, cylinders and topiaries, having an architectural impact on a garden or a landscape. Sometimes we create a mold together with the architect and let them grow for another couple of years. The possibilities with trees are endless.

A tree is a living creature, so treat it with the utmost love and care.

And how does tree shopping work exactly? It’s not like you can order it and take it home immediately.

Usually, garden and landscape architects and architects know exactly what they want. They often know our offer better than we do. Together with the client, they book a visit to see the trees in real life. We walk or drive around the premise and we’ll show all of our trees. There’s an app with GPS coordinates which helps us to identify each product and gives us the specifics, the price and photos of the tree in Summer and Winter season.

And what happens when a customer has picked a particular tree?

Then it is lifted from its space, carefully wrapped and transported. This process requires extensive preparation. Last week six people from Switzerland visited the nursery to see their tree in real life. They picked out a beautiful standalone of 24.000 euros for a project that will be finished in 2020.

That is a lot of money for one tree. Purchasing trees is really for the happy few, although we all take their presence for granted. It makes one think before cutting it down.

It takes a long time for one single tree to grow. Every few years, every tree in the nursery gets scooped out of the soil and gets replaced. We do this to prevent the roots from sprouting and to ensure it would adapt to its new surroundings. With the money I earn, I grow trees that are ready for sale, not 5 or 10, but 30 years hence. They are expensive now so that your kids will be able to buy these expensive trees in the future. Luckily, my clientele understands. Not all trees are expensive, though. We also have smaller ones for city gardens, terraces, and balconies.

Since every tree is respected like living artworks, I guess there’s no need to ask you which one is your favorite. I wonder, though, what does your own garden look like?

I do have a favorite tree. It’s the diverse and evergreen Osmanthus heterophyllus with its brown to blackish bark. 17 years ago, my wife and I bought a forest. Because I am constantly surrounded by odd shapes here at the nursery, I prefer the natural look. The trickiest part in nature is to plant trees and give the impression it has always looked this way. The past decade I have changed the slope of the landscape here and shaped the many views from the house onto the roads. I really love it down here. It’s soothing, although there’s always tons of work to do. The maintenance of the domain is a never-ending story. Gardening is a constant challenge. And that’s why you do it.

What’s the biggest challenge in growing trees?

Growing trees is easy! (Laughs.) You simply have to respect nature. Bugs and diseases aren’t that bad you know. Sometimes they even prevent a tree from growing too fast. There’s a solution to every problem. People tend to panic too soon. Drought is the biggest issue. But then again, if a tree is uncomfortable, it will easily expose it by losing leaves and its color. The advice I give is to be alert. A tree is a living creature, so treat it with the utmost love and care.

www.solitair.be
Text: Magali Elali Photography: Bart Kiggen
Dirk Cools