The Verlaan family

The Second World War was devastating in Europe, particularly Holland – the Netherlands – which was a next-door neighbour to Germany. The country was invaded in 1949 and for the Verlaan family – well-known farmers and the owners of the lands they farmed close to Amsterdam – the future was more than iffy. Born in 1920 and ’21 respectively, Theodore Verlaan and his wife Petronella made the difficult decision to leave their country and build a better future elsewhere.

In 1949, they already had two sons –Arthur, 18 months, and Kees, aged six months – when they boarded the ship Volendam for Canada. They landed in the port of Quebec City.

Everything was new to them in this adoptive country, and they restarted their lives from zero. Theodore had to find a dwelling and work. After a short stay in Quebec City, Theodore and Petronella decided to settle in Montréal, where Mr. Verlaan was hired by the McKenna florists. But the work was not satisfying to him. He needed to be connected to the land to be happy. He spotted a small ad announcing that the owner of an estate in the Laurentians was looking for a gardener. Mr. Verlaan went to meet James Franceschini and the two men, both Europeans by birth, hit it off.

Theodore became responsible for the gardens of Dufferin Haven in MontTremblant. The family travelled to Lac Mercier aboard the P’tit Train du Nord and, much to their surprise, discovered a village without flowers! At the time, landscaping was anything but a priority for the residents. They were amazed to be hired to develop an estate rich with flowers…here. A member of Mr. Franceschini’s staff met them at the station and drove them to Dufferin Haven, a stupefying estate on the shores of Lac Tremblant with a splendid view of the mountain. It was a magnificent spot, and the family was housed on-site. The gardens, already extensive, were to be the canvas on which to create a floral masterpiece thanks to Theodore’s skill and expertise.

Mr. Franceschini was an extravagant man and owned many palomino horses. Over the years, the Dufferin Haven’s floral landscaping and the remarkable horses became a real attraction. People came from as far away as Montréal to admire them.

Mr. Verlaan also used the greenhouses to create beautiful cultivars.

There was a subtle competition among the large landowners of Mont-Tremblant and each wanted to offer their customers the most beautiful gardens. Mr. Libotte was the Tremblant Resort gardener and Mr. Schoots, the Gray Rocks gardener. But Mr. Franceschini’s gardens remained the model to follow.

During this time, the family grew: four more children were born in MontTremblant, Clara, Katy, Pierrette and Dick. They all attended the Mont-Tremblant school and I remember that my mother picked up Clara and other local children when she drove me to school.

I completed my primary education and Clara began hers. The friendly school transportation arrangement ended when my father realized that it wasn’t “by the rules” in case of an accident. This was the genesis of the village school bus driven by Paul Letendre.

When James Franceschini died in 1960, his successors took over Dufferin Haven and Mr. Verlaan stayed on to manage the estate. Little by little, the heirs sold the horses and various parts of the property. On the other hand, grateful for Theodore and Petronella’s work, they offered the couple a home on the estate for as long as they wished.

In the early 1970s, the estate was sold, and Mr. Verlaan (“Dick”) and his son Kees (“Casey”), purchased the greenhouses and opened the company Les Serres Verlaan.

The Verlaan family are a perfect example of integration. Petronella (“Nell”) and her husband always showed great respect for their neighbours by adoption and, in return, were well respected themselves.

The couple decided to settle in SaintJovite for their final years. Theodore (Dick) Verlaan died at the age of 85 in 2006 and Petronella (Nell), at the age of 95 in 2016.

Their children were all successful, each in their respective field. While destiny led them elsewhere for a time, they all returned to Mont-Tremblant, because it was “home”.