Inspiration from the Frontlines of Green Design
In every field, there are visionaries who raise the bar, people with a keen eye for plants, an unconventional approach, and an endless passion for greenery. In this series, we spotlight the Perennial Pioneers: growers, designers, and green professionals who use perennials and ornamental grasses in their own original way.
What are their favorites? Why do they choose these plants, and how do they incorporate them into their designs? From surprising combinations to smart maintenance tips. Discover the inspiration and craftsmanship of these green trailblazers.
Perennial Pioneer Coen Jansen
Nurseryman Coen Jansen from Dalfsen was already fascinated by plants as a child: start young, and it will stay with you for life! After graduating from the Higher Horticultural School in Boskoop, he turned his passion into his profession and started a nursery. He now belongs to the undisputed group of experienced gentlemen of a certain age, with an impressive knowledge of plant ranges.
At his nursery in Dalfsen, in the province of Overijssel, he has in rec
ent years specialised in drought-tolerant perennials. As we are increasingly faced with dry springs and hot summers, he wants to put the emphasis on plants that can really take a beating. To this end, he has even created a sand bed at his nursery, where he can trial plants extensively. He is well known for his selection work in plant groups such as Phlox, Baptisia and Sanguisorba. Even after 40 years of experience, he is still a passionate grower, always searching for improvements to the range.
Coen: “The assortment is my great love: I am always looking for improvements, for the very best our profession has to offer. Hunting for novelties never gets boring!” Year after year, this means rigorous selection, discarding what does not make the grade and ultimately keeping only those plants that are truly more beautiful or healthier than anything that already exists. Coen has a preference for the kind of plants that look as if they could have come straight from the wild, plants with a natural, informal appearance. In this way, with his range he continues to bring fresh ideas to the ‘Dutch Wave’, even in 2025.
Coen Jansen grows for the consumer market. His many contacts with plant enthusiasts and the transfer of knowledge are still a great source of energy for him. Meanwhile, this amiable man is 75 years young, but he is not thinking about stopping yet. “As long as my health allows, I will carry on for a good while yet. If it ever becomes too heavy, I will gradually scale down and only do some sales from home by appointment. But sitting quietly behind the geraniums? I would really rather not!”
TOP 10 perennials and cultivars from Coen Jansen
Allium ‘Millenium’ and ‘Lavender Bubbles’
“Right,” says Coen, “I will start with the letter A.” The summer-flowering alliums are still far too little known and deserve to be used more often! Both Allium ‘Millenium’ and Allium ‘Lavender Bubbles’ offer purple‑pink summer blooms and attract many bees. Drought‑tolerant and perfect for sunny borders or raised beds.
Agastache ‘Black Adder’
One of Coen’s proudest selections, noticeably darker in bloom than ‘Blue Fortune’, with strong contrast between flower and calyx. A short‑lived perennial but ideal for filling gaps and performing well in containers. Loved by insects and excellent for autumn structure.
Baptisias are all beautiful
Long‑lived indigo lupins, slow to start but thriving for decades when positioned well. Coen’s favourites include ‘Lemon Meringue’, B. ‘Caramel’, ‘Burgundy Blast’ and ‘Blue Towers’. Attractive foliage, distinctive seed pods and loved by bumblebees.
Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’
A pastel‑peach, soft‑orange avens with an exceptionally long flowering period. Strong, easy and excellent at the front of the border. Combines beautifully with warm colours, purples and blues, and looks perfect beside Geranium magnificum ‘Ernst Pagels’.
Heliopsis ‘Bonfire Sunset’
A brown‑leaved summer‑flowering gem that blooms endlessly. With ochre‑yellow flowers and orange‑red hearts, it brings vibrancy to hot borders. Can self‑seed lightly but seedlings are often inferior, so best removed.
Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’
A striking ornamental grass with dark purplish‑brown foliage, upright habit and excellent autumn colour. Highly drought‑tolerant and a true showstopper, outperforming ‘Red October’ in Coen’s view.
Verbena ‘Purple Haze’
A tall, airy Verbena with dark‑tinted stems and foliage. Flowers from June until frost and maintains a strong silhouette into autumn. Hardy in reasonably dry soils and beloved by butterflies and pollinators.
Phlox paniculata ‘Utopia’
Coen’s favourite flame flower, reaching 150–160 cm with soft pink blooms that combine beautifully with purples, blues and bright pinks. He also recommends the newly discovered Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Dora’ for future planting schemes.
Silphium mohrii
A lemon‑yellow ‘sun crown’ thriving in dry, sandy soils. Long‑flowering, strongly branching and excellent for mid‑border structure. Combines strikingly with blue perennials such as Aster ‘Little Carlow’.
Sanguisorba ‘Raspberry Coulis’
A medium‑tall, bright red burnet flowering through summer and late summer. Prefers well‑drained soil and pairs beautifully with Asters or, in contrast, with yellow Solidago ‘Loysder Crown’.
TIP from Coen
“Working in the garden should above all be fun! Do not worry too much about whether you are doing everything exactly right, you learn by doing. Any plant combination is fine as long as it makes YOU happy. Be wonderfully headstrong and enjoy your garden to the fullest!”
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