Meet Our Team: Passion for Bonsai

Get to know the dedicated experts behind our success.

Just a few years ago, Maarten was the sole representative of Bonsai Plaza, but that has changed. We have a fantastic team of enthusiastic individuals, each contributing their own expertise. Meet our dedicated team of bonsai experts, where each individual embodies authenticity, friendliness, craftsmanship, and an unrivaled passion for bonsai. With boundless ambition, we strive for quality in all our endeavors, while humbly seeking to inspire and support bonsai enthusiasts. You are welcome to meet our dedicated team and join us in our shared bonsai adventure!

Maarten van der Hoeven - Owner Maarten first encountered bonsai as a young teenager. It quickly became his hobby and passion. During his studies in Japan, he learned the secrets of bonsai from various Japanese bonsai masters, but most of his time he spent with his Oyakata Mr. Nobuichi Urushibata at the Taishoen Bonsai garden. Upon returning to the Netherlands, he wanted to share all of this with the many bonsai enthusiasts in Europe. In 1998, he founded Bonsai Plaza. From initially purchasing bonsai on customer orders in Japan, Bonsai Plaza has steadily grown to become one of the major suppliers in Europe of unique Japanese and Korean bonsai and bonsai pots for both individuals and trade professionals.
	Bob van Ruitenbeek - Bonsai All-rounder About 20 years ago, Bob started his bonsai hobby. Like Maarten, he studied under the renowned Japanese bonsai master Nobuichi Urushibata during his time in Japan. Back in the Netherlands, his passion for the Japanese bonsai tradition continued to grow, and he quickly became the chairman of the Bonsai Association Midden Nederland and later the Dutch Bonsai Association. In 2017, he took the leap, leaving his position as the manager of "his" garden center to join Maarten. Since then, he has been passionately taking care of all bonsai and garden trees, assisting customers with their inquiries.
Carin Fonk - Photography and Logistics Carin studied Chinese language and literature for 5 years and was looking for a diverse job with an Asian touch after graduating. After comprehending all facets of Bonsai Plaza as an all-round assistant, she now lovingly and joyfully packages all parcels twice a week and excels in photographing all the trees you can find in our webshop.
	Ron Hermeling - Bonsai Care Years ago, Ron sold his fish store to do only the things he truly loves, among which bonsai! As a team, we are incredibly grateful that he regularly helps us as a self-employed person in maintaining and improving the trees in the nursery.
Gerwin van der Stap - Tree Care and Webshop Support Gerwin grew up surrounded by bonsai and koi, had a taste of e-commerce during his studies, and dreams of having his own business. At Bonsai Plaza, he helps take care of the trees every week and has become the fastest team member in getting new trees and bonsai pots online.
	Marcel - Garden Tree Care Modest, passionate, skilled and persevering. Besides a full-time job elsewhere, Marcel volunteers at Bonsai Plaza to maintain all the garden trees. Although he prefers to stay in the background, he is an indispensable part of our team.
Mark - Bonsai Care Support Meet Mark, our newest team member and a passionate bonsai enthusiast, just like us! Although he has only been active in the bonsai world for a few years, he has a keen eye for style and the potential in trees. With his passionate, eager-to-learn, and dedicated character, Mark takes care of our trees with great care and is a valuable addition to our team. We look forward to exploring and sharing the beauty of bonsai together with him.
	Dan - Bonsai Styling Talent For decades, Dan has been captivated by the art of bonsai. With his calm and humble nature, he has won awards over the years for his masterful bonsai styling. As a volunteer, he assists us in our nursery in shaping the most beautiful bonsai. His serene approach and profound knowledge make him an invaluable addition to our team.
Jacqueline de Putter - Webshop After admiring Bonsai Plaza from a distance for 18 years, Jacqueline left her consulting job in 2019 to embrace a life in bonsai and dedicate herself to making the vast collection of trees and bonsai pots accessible to a broader audience through the webshop, through which we now serve customers from all around the world, both private customers and wholesale.