Heilien Tonckens

After completing the Horticultural Secondary School and the GLR in Frederiksoord, Heilien Tonckens ran the nursery De Heliant for 26 years, specializing in wild plants and stinzen plants (historic ornamental spring flora). Through this work, she became involved in various projects, including the inventory of stinzen plants for the Friesland Landscape Management Foundation (2005–2008) and co-authoring the book Stinzenplanten in Fryslân, including its two revised reprints. She also contributed to a related mobile app and co-authored the Basic Guide to Stinzen Plants (KNNV publishing).
From 2008 to 2012, she worked at the Groningen Landscape Management Foundation, and since 2005, she has been co-founder, lecturer, and driving force behind the Ecological Gardener training program, a collaboration between TerraNext and the Oase Foundation.
Since 2012, she has worked as an independent green consultant, specializing in nature play areas, historic green spaces, ecological landscaping, stinzen plants, farmyard designs, and community green initiatives. From January 2025 onwards, she will be Speaker for the Living at the Arnica nursery in Dwingeloo.
She is co-founder and first chair of Wilde Weelde (a professional association for natural gardening), board member of the Oase Foundation (nature-friendly gardens and parks), co-founder and first chair of the Springzaad Foundation (natural play environments for children), and garden manager of the historic school garden at De Proef in Frederiksoord.