Dialogue as a design principle: this is how Dabro works
02/02/2020 - 00:00
At TerraCottem, we believe every successful project starts with people. Behind every flourishing landscape or thriving green space, there’s a passionate landscaper, horticultural officer or visionary designer bringing ideas to life. Each of them has their own story, their own vision, and their own unique approach - and we’re proud to share and celebrate these journeys.
Meet Daan Broeckx, the driving force behind Dabro.
Daan’s passion for gardens started at an early age and only grew stronger with every square metre he worked on. What began as a love for green spaces soon evolved into an entrepreneurial journey, culminating in Dabro, a company offering a wide range of gardening services—from landscaping and design to paving.
We sat down with Daan to talk about his approach to projects, his favourite plants, and how he first came across TerraCottem.
Hi Daan, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. It's always great to talk to satisfied TerraCottem users 😉.
My pleasure.
We first connected after seeing one of your Instagram posts. What caught our eye was your mention that it was your very first experience working with our soil conditioner.
Yes, indeed. A first and pleasant introduction. Since then, I have been using TerraCottem regularly (laughs).
What was your first introduction to TerraCottem?
Luc Pauwels had your sample jars on display at his shop. Being the curious person that I am, I wanted to know what they were (laughs).
"I took a sample home and tried it out on two pennisetums: one with TerraCottem and one without.
They are here in my garden: you can really see the difference!"
Not long after, I worked on a larger garden where I applied TerraCottem beneath every plant. The results were remarkable: the garden stayed lush for much longer and proved far more resistant to drought - even without irrigation.
Good to hear. But let's first go back to the beginning: what is Dabro?
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Dabro is an abbreviation of my name, Daan Broeckx. I started working independently in 2021. My passion for gardening runs in the family - I inherited it from my grandfather and father, who ran a garden machinery business. I copied the name from that company. My grandfather's name was Fernand Broeckx. His shop was called Febro. The step to Dabro was an easy one (laughs). |
You’ve mentioned that you caught the gardening bug at home. But in school, you actually chose quite a different path, didn’t you?
Yes, indeed. I studied sports science (laughs). After secondary school, I continued studying for another six months, but it soon became clear that it wasn't really for me.
You see, I grew up surrounded by gardening equipment. My grandfather had a large greenhouse, which I loved spending time in. I also enjoyed helping him in the garden and learned the trade from him.
Over time, I acquired several “regular customers” whose gardens I maintained during the weekends and the holidays. And then one day, I just took the plunge and became self-employed.
You didn't consider working for your grandfather and father?
No, because that shop no longer existed. When my grandfather retired 10 years ago, my father continued the business for a few more years but then stopped for personal reasons.
I read on your website that Dabro does more than just landscaping. A very nice website, by the way, a tip for our readers 😊.
Thank you. Yes, that's right. In addition to landscaping, we also do paving, fencing, etc. Basically, we do everything outside the four walls of your house (laughs).
Do you design gardens yourself?
For sure!
"That is what I prefer the most: to sit down with the client to hear what he or she wants. And then give my opinion and/or discuss what is and isn't possible."
Naturally, the budget plays an important role, but so does the choice of plants and other details. These discussions usually go back and forth a few times, as small adjustments are often needed along the way.
It’s always rewarding to see those ideas come to life in the end.
But I also have built gardens that were designed by a landscape architect.
You just said “we”: you don't work alone?
No. Dabro now consists of a team of three people. Myself, Tim and Lars.
Landscaping, hardscaping, design... That's quite something: where do you get all your knowledge from?
It comes mainly from experience, of course.
But I also like to visit nurseries to learn about plants.
And you can find lots of great ideas for gardens on Instagram.
I've also done a number of online courses.
And I've obtained my Professional Operator Certification.
Would you say your suppliers are also an important source of knowledge for you?
Yes, absolutely. I buy my materials, including TerraCottem, mainly from Luc Pauwels NV. In addition to the warehouse staff, who are all great people, I am also in direct contact with Xavier Puvrez. He used to be a landscaper who also did his own designs. I can always call him if I have any problems or questions.
Is it difficult to convince your customers of the added value of, for example, a soil improver? Because every extra product comes with an additional cost.
No, not really. During my conversations with customers, I always try to be very clear. Ultimately, people trust me when I say that something is necessary.
When talking with clients, you adapt to their needs and ideas. Would you say you have a particular style or approach?
Hmm. It's difficult to say whether I really have my own style or not. Perhaps a rustic style. Nothing too fussy. Robust things, made from natural materials.
A bit like the landscape architecture of Carterre in Heist-op-den-Berg, my style is somewhat like that.
Are there certain plants that you often use or like to use?
I'm a fan of evergreens. But that's a very broad category, of course: all types of laurel, yew, holm oak, ilex, osmanthus, etc. I like to work with anything that stays green in winter.
I also like to use ornamental grasses such as pennisetum. And I think hydrangeas and rhododendrons are very beautiful.
What I find most important in a garden is its ability to change with time and the seasons. One plant blooms now, another later; ornamental grasses send up their plumes; and the garden continues to evolve, offering something new at every stage.”
Is the selection of plants something you decide together with the customer?
Yes, usually. Some clients already have an idea of what they want.
"But I like to walk with them in the garden and then we discuss what should go where, which plant would look good in a certain place or not. Or would thrive or not."
But there are also clients who know little about plants (laughs). Then I show them some photos and make some sketches. We always manage to find a solution.
Every client is different: some have existing gardens, others are starting from scratch with a new-build home. Some already have a clear vision, while others aren’t sure yet. What I really enjoy is engaging in dialogue with each of them to work towards the perfect end result.
Do you have any particular projects you'd like to highlight?
Yes, definitely!
We recently completed a large project at Texture Painting in Turnhout, in Belgium. It's a special garden with lots of beige and dark green colours. We used a lot of ilex species there.
To shield the plants from drought and help them establish strong roots quickly, we applied TerraCottem throughout the garden.
I also completed a smaller project in Sint-Job, near Antwerp, where I again used TerraCottem throughout. That was just last summer, and already the plants have fully matured - they grew incredibly fast. The client is so happy that they often send me photos of how the garden is doing now (laughs).
I’m particularly proud of this lawn in a private garden in Beerse. We mixed TerraCottem into the soil to ensure the turf established quickly and successfully.
To complete the circle, let's return to social media: is it important to you in terms of brand awareness?
Well… to be honest, all my advertising comes through word of mouth. I don’t really advertise. I do have an Instagram account with around 400 followers, where I like to share nice photos - but I can’t really say it ‘pays off’ in terms of new clients.
It certainly helps. And you can always increase the reach of a post by tagging others. Like TerraCottem (laughs).
Daan, thank you very much for this pleasant conversation. Good luck with your future projects.
It was my pleasure.
Would you like more information about Dabro?
DABRO BV – Daan Broeckx
Parklaan 89
2300 Turnhout, Belgium
T: 0473 / 74 31 93
E: info@dabro.be
W: www.dabrobv.be
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You can!
Send a quick email to marketing@terracottem.be and we will schedule an online meeting together.