When TV gardener Elmar Mai wants to talk about hydrangeas in the popular ZDF programme ‘Volle Kanne’, he always likes to ask us for the right plants. Volle Kanne is now celebrating its 25th anniversary and we were once again able to decorate the successful programme with hydrangeas. Our ‘minis’ even adorned the celebrity table where presenter Nina Krüger spoke to singer Thomas Anders and his wife Claudia Weidung-Anders.

Elmar Mai usually contacts us around one to two weeks before the show and asks whether we can provide suitable hydrangeas. We talk about which theme Mr Mai would like to focus on and which species or varieties of hydrangea are required for this. We then scour our assortment for suitable hydrangeas and put the best plants aside. If necessary, we also ask fellow gardeners for additional varieties, which are then delivered to us. On the day before the consignment, Elmar Mai and usually two colleagues visit us in person to view and collect the plants. Incidentally, he also brings them back the day after the consignment. This is particularly nice, because it gives us a direct insight into how the programme went from a ‘backstage’ perspective.

‘I think it was a very successful programme,’ Elmar Mai told us this time. ‘And my expectations of the quality and variety of hydrangeas that you were able to provide us with at this late stage of the year were exceeded many times over.’ Thomas Anders and Claudia Weidung-Anders and the whole team were also very impressed by the many beautiful hydrangeas. Thank you very much, Mr Mai, for this praise, which we of course immediately passed on to our colleagues who were also involved (greetings at this point to the Engels, Heinje and Kötterheinrich teams). Here is a look at the 8-minute programme with Elmar Mai:

But above all, we would also like to congratulate you, Mr Mai. Because you have been THE TV gardener of Volle Kanne from day one of the programme. 25 years of Elmar Mai – wow! We have already had the pleasure of supporting you in your work a few times and were delighted to find our hydrangeas in the retrospective compiled for you in the programme. Here are some excerpts from the really worthwhile review of Elmar Mai’s work – and we wish you, us and all viewers that you will present many more such successful, colourful, informative contributions in the Volle Kanne – also with hydrangeas.