Frank De Mol and Els Verlee’s nursery in Lochristi, Belgium, grows two million hederas and other exotic hanging plants every year, exporting to England, the Netherlands and France. And when it comes to the nursery’s succession, they won’t have to look far: daughter Nette De Mol has grown up in the business, and is more than ready to take the helm.
As a child, Nette De Mol was always at the nursery – first playing there, and then helping out with cultivation once she was old enough. Even so, it was not taken for granted that she would succeed her parents. ‘I did a Bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics first, but after that I noticed that the idea was starting to appeal to me,’ she says. ‘So I expressed my interest to my parents and they had me do a month’s proper work experience with them. After that I was certain that I wanted to succeed my parents in the business.’
Ambassador for the sector
De Mol is not only interested in working in the sector, she also wants to be an ambassador for it. ‘It’s vital for the agriculture and horticulture sector to receive some positive publicity at a national level right now. Many people do not fully understand what our profession involves. Speaking as the prospective successor, I think it’s a fantastic sector driven by passion, creativity and innovation. I hope to communicate my own enthusiasm far and wide, particularly through the Miss Belgium contest.’
By doing so, she hopes both to inform people about the positive impact of the sector, and to inspire young people to get involved in horticulture themselves. ‘You don’t necessarily have to start out working at a supermarket – horticulture is also a great sector to work in. And you’ll never experience a burnout with us, because you’re always surrounded by growth and greenery!’
As a Miss Belgium 2025 candidate, De Mol has the perfect platform from which to spread that message.
Cultivating quality, not quantity
Her parents’ nursery strives to communicate a similar message, for example through their MPS-ABC certificate. It goes without saying that sustainability is a high priority for the nursery. ‘We grow as much as we can organically, our pots are all recyclable, and we work with a circular system for our water usage.’
De Mol adds that the company focuses on quality rather than quantity. ‘This is going well for us because we serve a niche market. We’re completely on board when it comes to sustainability, and we also want to position ourselves in the market as a sustainable company. We do this by means of our “Breathe Nature” trademark, for example.’
And naturally also with the MPS-A certificate, which De Mol regards as an important label. ‘It distinguishes us from our colleagues and competitors, and communicates our sustainability commitment to consumers in florist shops and garden centres as well. Although it involves a lot of work, it’s very worthwhile – we believe this is an important way to contribute.’
You can vote for Nette De Mol in Miss Belgium 2025 until 15 February by means of the QR code (also from the Netherlands), or by texting MB26 to 6665 (in Belgium). 
