Similarities between dog and owner are a widely acknowledged thing, so the energetic yet friendly greeting of Marco van Noort’s Jack Russell terrier might make you wonder what you have let yourself in for when you visit him at his nursery in Warmond, Holland.

And it’s a fair enough assessment. With typical Jack Russell energy, Marco enthusiastically pursues a number of diverse hobbies, while the dog is surprisingly mellow for its breed, having been given sufficient space and freedom to indulge its own interests – namely running around on the nursery, as Jack Russells like to do. 

Marco’s range of interests - and hats, along with his conviction in decision-making has earned him a bit of a reputation as the crazy guy of plant breeding, and being Marco, it’s a label he wears with pride. With hobbies ranging from bee keeping to competitive rowing to drinking fine wines and listening to Marilyn Manson, Marco van Noort likes to do things his own way. And planned or otherwise, there is often a beneficial payback.

A call from the stockbroker? Or somebody with a new plant discovery in Tazmania? Or is it news about Marilyn Manson's next gig in Amsterdam?

His decision to switch from growing cut-flowers to garden perennials was seen as bizarre at the time, but has since paid dividends. The bees living on the nursery perform a great job pollinating the plants while producing some rather wonderful honey which Marco swears by for preventing colds and ‘flu. And rowing – well there’s even a hybridizing story there, as it was during rowing practice that fellow plant grower Jan van Winsen told Marco of his decision to destroy an unsaleable cut flower crop of a certain double Echinacea…

The belt buckle was collected by Marco as a souvenir on a trip to one of his favourite countries, Australia.