Born in 1973, I took an early interest in plants. I grew up with horticulture near the ‘City of Glass’ Westland, west of Delft, where my parents ran a greenhouse nursery with tropical vegetables. I developed a broad passion for plants, their variation, growth & development, practical use etc. In my spare time you could always find me in the greenhouse, growing plants and doing experiments. Though my father grew veggies, personally I always favoured ornamental plants, particularly tropical orchids, bulbs, gingers and anything peculiar.