From this week, the whole of the Netherlands can again vote for the Boom of the Year. Twelve provinces each skilled one special tree, but in Drenthe all the attention is paid to an impressive trumpet tree in Frederiksoord.
In the heart of the English garden of the former horticultural school she is: Oma Catalpa Speciosa. This large -flowered trumpet tree is the Drenthe entry for the national election.
She has had tough times, but thanks to loving care she shines again. “Her leaves shine like an emerald, her branches dance in the sunlight,” says the story with which the tree was registered.
The election is not about the thickest or oldest tree, but about the story behind it. This year, for example, there is a ‘coolest tree’ in Dronten, an ancient oak in Den Hout and an mammoth tree in Enschede. Every province delivers its own candidate, but only one can win the national title.
The Oma Catalpa in Drenthe has seen a lot in her long life. Pupils from the horticultural school shared their dreams and first in love, others learned the basis of plant knowledge. When the school closed in 2004, the tree also seemed to perish slowly. But volunteers blew her new life. Today she symbolizes the connectedness between past and future.
The election shows how trees bring people together. “It’s not about appearance, but about the stories they wear,” the organization said. Anyone who walks through the English garden in Frederiksoord immediately understands why this tree is the Drenthe entry. Grandma Catalpa lives on and perhaps even as a Boom of the year 2025.
If you want to support Grandma Catalpa or one of the other trees, you can vote up to and including 7 October 12:00. The winner will be announced on October 14. This is followed by a European round for the national champion, in which all national winners compete against each other.