Bernardus “Benno” Adrianus Petrus Dobbe, the visionary owner of Holland America Flowers in Arroyo Grande, California, and a fixture at the Society of American Florists’ annual conventions, died Feb. 5. He was 75.
Dobbe’s deep roots as a grower span several decades and two continents. As a third-generation farmer in the Netherlands, he decided in 1980 that it was time to spread his wings and bring his expertise to the United States. With ten suitcases and $2,000 in his pocket, Dobbe and his wife, Klazina, came to the United States with their three young children — Nicolette, Ben, and Stefan — in tow.
From the minute he arrived in the country, Dobbe was ready to work hard and grow, those who knew him say.
“My dad went to the bank, and when they asked for collateral, he lifted up his two hands and said, ‘These two hands,’” Ben says. “That’s how he started in America. My father lived the American dream that everybody longs for. He actually made it happen.”
What Benno may have lacked in funds, he made up for in knowledge — and passion. He used both to begin his first business in the United States, Holland America Bulb Farms in Woodland, Washington, where he put his years of floriculture knowledge to work growing tulips, irises, daffodils and lilies.
“He just loved the industry,” says Ben, who served on the SAF Board of Directors. “He never shied away from hard work. He worked continuously and he just loved being in bulbs and flowers. That was his passion.”
In 1986, Benno expanded his business by opening All Seasons Flowers in Arroyo Grande, California. In 2006, he merged both of his operations to become Holland America Flowers.
Sharing the Love
Along the way, Benno generously shared the growing techniques that made him so successful.
“He helped a lot of flower growers on the West Coast by giving them advice on what varieties to grow and how to grow things during what time of year,” says Martin Meskers, AAF, president of Oregon Flowers in Aurora, Oregon, and a past president of SAF. “He shared his knowledge, and what he found out from one grower, he shared with others.”
For example, Benno advised farms on improving efficiency in lily production, helping growers increase output, Ben says. Benno visited several major operations multiple times a year and had such expertise that he could quickly identify whether lilies needed more water or light — and diagnose other production challenges on the spot.
“He had the secret to growing them year-round where they were just mainly grown from Valentine’s Day to Mother’s Day,” Ben says. “He was just very keen to the details.”
He also gave generously of his time. A long-time advocate of American-grown flowers, Benno served on the boards of the California Cut Flower Commission as well as Certified American Grown.
He also treated people well. One of Ben’s fondest memories is the way his father nurtured his marriage with his mother. As teen sweethearts who weathered relationship storms for over 50 years, Ben says his parents’ marriage was an inspiration for all of their children.
“His love for my mom was such a good example to all of us kids of what it’s like to be in a good, solid marriage and fighting for each other,” Ben says. “He respected no person on the planet more than he respected my mom — and that’s just a tribute to his character.”
Whether at home or in business, Benno’s character was evident to everyone he encountered, says Lane DeVries, AAF, executive director of CalFlowers, who knew Benno for decades through his now closed farm, Sun Valley Floral Farms, in Arcata, California.
“He was a solid guy and I dearly miss him,” DeVries says. “He left our world way too soon.”
Read Benno’s obituary here.
Kenya McCullum is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
