Imagine wandering through a sun-drenched Dutch field, the air smelling faintly of honey and apples, with tiny white-and-yellow daisy-like flowers bobbing around your knees. That’s chamomile season in the Netherlands, roughly from May to September with a peak in June and July, and you can absolutely go and pick your own at several pick-your-own farms (pluktuinen). It’s easy, satisfying, and you come home smelling lovely.

The Great Chamomile Hand-Pick Adventure

Grab a basket and head out on a dry morning after the dew has lifted, before the midday heat. Chamomile is small, so this isn’t heavy labour—it’s a gentle, meditative shuffle. You’re looking for the flowers that are fully open, petals perky, with that bright yellow cone in the centre. To pick, just pinch the stem just below the flower head and pop it off; don’t pull, or you may uproot the plant. Leave the unopened buds on the plant. You can be a purist and take only the heads (best for tea), or you can clip the top inch of stem, too (fine for drying). The flowers bruise easily, so don’t pack your basket too tightly. Bring the kids; they’ll love the hunt.

Now, what to do with your golden haul?

Fresh flowers keep only 2–3 days in the fridge, so most people dry them. First, give them a quick, gentle rinse to evict any tiny hitchhikers (spiders love a good chamomile pillow) and pat them dry. Then spread them out in a single layer on a tea towel or a drying screen in a dark, airy spot for one to two weeks. Once they’re brittle to the touch, store them in an airtight jar away from light. Here’s where the fun begins.

For Tea – The Classic & A Fancy One

Option A (Soloist): The pure classic. Steep 1–2 teaspoons of dried flowers in a mug of water just off the boil (90–95°C) for 5 minutes. Strain (or just let them float like little surfers). Sweeten with honey if you like.

Option B (The Sleepy Garden Party): Add a teaspoon of dried lavender (some farms grow that too) and a slice of fresh ginger. Steep as above. The lavender adds a floral note, the ginger a gentle zing. A nice cup for winding down before bed or after a long day of wielding gardening scissors.

For Decoration – Because They’re Too Pretty to Just Drink

  • Floating Bowl Centrepiece: Pick a shallow glass bowl. Fill with water and float a generous handful of your fresh chamomile heads on the surface. Tease in a few floating candles.
  • The Summer Wreath: Take a simple grapevine wreath base and hot-glue (or wire) clusters of dried chamomile all over it. Hang it on your front door. It looks like a tiny, cheerful sun.
  • Bath Confetti: Tie a handful of dried flowers into a square of muslin or an old stocking. Hang it under your bath tap as it runs for a chamomile-scented bath.