Dutch Lily Days is back from Tuesday, June 2 to Friday, June 5, 2026! Once again, it offers visitors a direct way into the heart of the Dutch lily sector. During these four days, thirteen Dutch flower bulb exporters will open their doors to professionals from across the market, creating space for meetings, greenhouse visits, variety viewing, and conversations about where lilies are heading next. The official opening takes place at Van den Bos Flowerbulbs, where the sector will gather to kick off the fourteenth edition of an event that has become a fixed moment on the calendar for everyone working with lilies.
Besides meeting and greeting the breeders, this annual event is always a perfect occasion to spot the next top varieties first. Dutch Lily Days is a big candy store, and here are already some of the sweetest novelties.
A Strong Moment for New Varieties
As always, Dutch Lily Days will put a clear spotlight on new varieties, offering guests a closer look at what breeders and exporters are introducing right now. For professionals who want to stay current, this is one of the best moments of the season to see what is new before those introductions make their way more broadly into the market. It is also a chance to understand how new breeding work connects with broader developments in demand, cultivation, and presentation.
A few of the novelties already give a good hint of what visitors can expect. Together, these five names suggest a collection that moves between bold contrast and familiar usability, exactly the kind of balance that makes greenhouse visits worthwhile.
Lily Black Ship
Lily Black Ship is a so-called 'Asiatic Trumpet'. This novelty brings a black tone that immediately stands out in the assortment and adds a darker direction to the lineup.
Lily Downtown
Downtown is also an Asiatic Trumpet, shining your way in a strong yellow color, offering a bright counterpoint with a fresh, commercial look.
Lily Liber Rosso and Lily Liber Song
Pollen-free lilies are gaining popularity, so no wonder you can see several varieties during Dutch Lily Days. Two of these are the Oriental varieties, dark pink Lily Liber Rosso, and the clean white Lily Liber Song.
Lily Van Gogh
And then there is Lily Van Gogh, a yellow LA variety, indicating it's a Longiflorum Asiatic-style.
The Continued Rise of Double-Bloomed and Pollen-Free Lilies
As already marked, there is clear movement in lily breeding: the continued strength of single-bloomed pollen-free lilies and also double-bloomed lilies, aka Roselilies. That trend is not slowing down. Consumers appreciate the modern look, the absence of pollen, and the more delicate scent, and breeders continue to respond with stronger double-bloomed Oriental and Asiatic varieties.
So when visitors walk into the trial greenhouses this June, they will not just see individual novelties. They will also see a wider breeding direction taking shape across the crop.
That broader context matters because Dutch Lily Days is not only about introductions. It is also about reading the sector. The event remains a place for encounters, knowledge exchange, and discussion of the developments shaping the lily market. Sustainability remains one of the major themes. Companies are investing in solar panels, reviewing energy use more closely, and working toward cultivation with reduced reliance on plant protection products. At the same time, the sector is facing the reality that resistant varieties take time to develop and that European legislation can slow certain innovations. Those conversations are part of the event too, and they add depth to the variety of presentations.
Visitors will also notice that the discussion is not limited to production. Market change is part of the story as well. Traditions are shifting, and the lily sector is looking to younger target groups and exploring different ways to reach them, including through social media and changing consumer interests. That makes a visit useful not only for growers and breeders, but also for traders, exporters, buyers, and retail-oriented professionals who want a better feel for what may connect in the market ahead. Seeing novelties in bloom while hearing how companies talk about demand gives a much fuller picture than a catalog ever can.
The Plasbokaal – An Extra Detail on Opening Day
Another detail that adds an extra touch to opening day is the presentation of the Plasbokaal 2026. Growers in the competition all received a box of lily bulbs from the same batch in February, and the grower who makes the finest bouquet from them will receive the award. The prize was created by Joop van Veen of Kwekerij De Plas some time ago, but this is the first time it will be presented during Dutch Lily Days. That gives the opening an added layer and ties the event not only to breeding and trade, but also to craftsmanship with the finished product. So, who will be the successor of last year's winner Nico Vork?
Why This Is a Good Year to Visit
The steady position on the calendar says a lot. Dutch Lily Days has built its value over time by staying practical. As a visitor, you are not coming for a distant overview. You come to see the crop up close, walk through flowering trials, compare breeding work, and talk directly with the companies behind the varieties. It is an event built around access and exchange, and that still matters. In a market that keeps shifting, there is real value in seeing the flowers in person and hearing from the people who work on them every day.
The participating companies this year are:
- Zabo Plant
- Address: Korte Belkmerweg 1A, 1756 CB ’t Zand, Netherlands
- De Jong Lelies Holland
- Address: Kerkepad 28m 1619 AE Andijk, Netherlands
- Lily Company
- Address: Cornelis Kuinweg 15, 1619 PE Andijk, Netherlands
- Bot Flowerbulbs
- Address: Cornelis Kuinweg 15, 1619 PE Andijk, Netherlands
- Jan de Wit en Zonen
- Address: Westeinde 176, 1601 BN Enkhuizen, Netherlands
- P. Aker Flowerbulbs
- Address: Meeweg 6A, 1607 HM Hem, Netherlands
- Boots Flowerbulbs
- Address: Middenweg 8, 1607 MS Hem, Netherlands
- VWS Flowerbulbs
- Address: Westelijke Randweg 3, 1721 CH Broek op Langedijk, Netherlands
- Hobaho Breeding
- Address: 1e Loosterweg 1A, 2182 BL Hillegom, Netherlands
- Note: For this company, already active for over 100 years in the brokerage and auctioning of flower bulbs, tubers, and perennials, it's the first participation in Dutch Lily Days.
- C. Steenvoorden
- Address: Veenenburgerlaan 63, 2182 DB Hillegom, Netherlands
- Gebr. Vletter & Den Haan
- Address: Oegstgeesterweg 202A, 2231 BD Rijnsburg, Netherlands
- Onings Holland Flowerbulbs
- Address: Nieuwe Tuinen 1, 2675 SE Honselersdijk, Netherlands
- Van den Bos Flowerbulbs
Together, they offer visitors a broad look at what is happening across the Dutch lily world right now.
So, for anyone considering a visit, this is a good year to go. Dutch Lily Days 2026 brings together the familiar strength of the event with a fresh lineup of new varieties and a market conversation that feels very current. Come to see Lily Black Ship, Lily Downtown, Lily Rosso, Lily Song, and Lily Van Gogh. Come to follow the rise of double-bloomed and pollen-free types. And come to talk with the people shaping the next chapter of Lily. That is where Dutch Lily Days retains its value: in showing what is new while providing the sector with a place to meet around it.
All photos by Rolf van Koppen Fotografie, courtesy of Dutch Lily Days.
