coneflower

For a truly delightful day out in the Dutch countryside, grab a basket and your sunniest mood—because we’re going coneflower picking! Also known as Echinacea, these cheerful, daisy-like blooms with their spiky, golden-brown centers are a joy to harvest. Coneflowers bloom from July to September, with a peak in August. Their stems are stiff but can snap if bent, so don’t tug: cut the stem 10–15 cm below the flower head with scissors or pruners. The best time to pick is mid-morning, after the dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in.

It’s a wonderfully relaxed activity: you and your friends or family can wander through rows of purple, pink, or white petals, debating which ones are ‘just right’. The stems are long and strong, so you won’t leave with a sad little bunch—expect armfuls of happy, rustic blooms. Pick flowers whose petals are fully open and whose cone is still firm and spiky, and leave some on the plant for the bees and butterflies. In a vase they keep for 3–5 days.

Now, what to do with your bounty back home?

For Decoration (since coneflowers are flowers, not veggies or fruit)

First, give your stems a fresh diagonal cut and pop them in a clean vase with lukewarm water and a pinch of sugar. They look stunning as a wild, informal bouquet—mix them with grasses or lavender for a meadow feel. For a more modern touch, strip the lower leaves and arrange just the coneheads in a low, wide bowl. They also dry beautifully: hang them upside down in a dark, airy spot for two weeks, then use the dried heads in wreaths, table centerpieces, or even as natural curtain tie-backs. The dried petals can be scattered on a dining table for a rustic party vibe.

Herb Recipe – A Soothing Tea

Coneflower is most often used for a simple, earthy tea.

Ingredients:

2–3 tablespoons fresh coneflower petals and leaves (or 1–2 teaspoons dried)
1 cup water just off the boil (90–95°C)
Honey or lemon to taste

Instructions:

Place the fresh or dried coneflower parts in a mug.
Pour the hot water over them and let steep for 5–10 minutes.
Strain out the plant material (or leave the petals floating for a pretty cup).
Stir in honey and a squeeze of lemon for brightness. Sip slowly—it’s mild, slightly floral and earthy.

Pluktuin ut ouw goed

fruit, vegetables, flowers, berries, nuts

noord-brabant

Pluktuin Ut Ouw Goed in De Moer is a pick-your-own flower and fruit farm set on the site of a former tree nursery. The farm grows a wide variety of flowers, including peonies, lavender, anemones, marguerites, lupins and sunflowers, as well as field and dried flowers. You can pick your own bouquet for €5 or more. The flower fields are tended by Fien van Laarhoven, one of the owners. The farm also has a food forest with apples, pears, apricots, nectarines, peaches, persimmons, cherries, raspberries, redcurrants, blueberries, grapes and blackberries, along with nut trees. The fruit season runs from early summer to autumn, depending on the crop.

Pluktuin de Grens

flowers

noord-brabant

Pluktuin de Grens is a pick-your-own flower farm in Baarle-Nassau, on the border between the Netherlands and Belgium. The farm grows a variety of seasonal flowers, including cornflowers, cosmos, dahlias, coneflowers, zinnias, sea lavender, and strawflowers. Some flowers return each year in permanent borders, while new varieties are added annually. The selection is based on colour, customer demand, and ecological balance. The farm is open from mid-July until the end of the season, typically on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10.00 to 16.00. It is closed from Monday to Thursday, with occasional exceptions for groups of ten or more or special occasions, which can be arranged by request. On 5 September 2026, the farm will be closed.

de Warmoes

fruit, vegetables, flowers, berries

gelderland

Warmoes in Lent is a historical market garden that grows over a hundred varieties of vegetables, fruit and flowers using traditional methods. The farm follows the warmoezenier way of growing, a local form of market gardening that supplied Nijmegen with fresh produce until the early 20th century. From late April to October, visitors can pick their own seasonal produce. The farm marks what is ready with red flags: vegetables such as beetroot, kohlrabi and various leafy greens, soft fruit including raspberries, blackberries and currants, and flowers from the two cutting gardens. You pay for what you pick at the counter in the café or museum. The farm provides picking tools and baskets; bring your own containers if you prefer. Children must be supervised while picking.

Pluktuin de Melkweg

flowers, herbs, grasses

overijssel

Pluktuin de Melkweg in Bergentheim is a pick-your-own flower garden where visitors can cut their own bouquets from around 40 varieties of flowers and grasses. The selection includes dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers, cornflowers, cosmos, lathyrus, amaranthus, and ornamental grasses, with availability depending on the season and weather. The garden is open from spring until the end of the growing season in autumn. The farm operates on a self-service basis. Visitors take a pair of scissors from the garden shed, cut the stems to the desired length, and remove excess foliage at the arranging table. Payment is made by scanning a QR code for a Tikkie or in cash. A large bouquet costs €12.50, and a small one €7.50. Gift vouchers for a large bouquet are also available.