dried flowers

Dried flowers might sound a bit like a contradiction—aren’t flowers supposed to be fresh, dewy, and alive? But picking your own flowers for drying in the Netherlands is a lovely way to bring summer home for months. Several farms across the country invite you to wander through rows of strawflowers, statice, lavender, roses, and cornflowers that keep their shape and color when dried. Grab a basket and a pair of sharp scissors, and start snipping. Cut the flowers when they are fully open but before the petals fade or turn brittle, ideally in the early morning or late afternoon on a dry day: damp flowers can go moldy while drying. The season runs from June into October, with lavender at its best in July and August and strawflowers lasting until the first frost. The best part? You can take your sweet time. Debate whether that pale pink matches the living room, and feel the satisfying snip as you harvest.

Once you’re home, gently shake or brush off any dirt or insects, but don’t wash the flowers: water causes mold. Tie them in small bunches and hang them upside down in a dark, dry, well-ventilated spot for one to three weeks. Now comes the fun part: using them. Dried flowers are wonderfully low-maintenance decor that doesn’t need a drop of water. Tuck a bundle into a mason jar for an instant farmhouse centerpiece. Glue them onto a plain wreath for your door. Or snip the heads off and scatter them around candles on a dinner table—they catch the light like tiny, dusty jewels. You can even pop a few into a clear Christmas ornament as a keepsake. Kept away from light and moisture, they last six months to a year before fading, so you can swap them out seasonally.

Suggested Decorations:

Everlasting Bouquet: Arrange a mix of colors in a wide-mouthed vase, no water needed. Change the look by rotating the stems.
Scented Sachets: Stuff lavender or rose petals into small muslin bags for drawers or closets.
Picture Frame Art: Press a few flat dried flowers between glass in an old frame for a boho wall hanging.
Gift Toppers: Hot-glue a single dried flower to a gift box or card for a rustic, personal touch.
Table Scatter: Use petals as confetti on a dinner or wedding table—eco-friendly and beautiful.

Not all dried flowers are edible—strawflowers and statice are for decoration only—but lavender and rose petals make a delightful, gentle tea. Here’s one simple recipe to cozy up with after a day of picking.

Recipe: Lavender & Chamomile Dream Tea Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers (or a generous pinch)
1 teaspoon dried lavender buds
1 teaspoon dried rose petals (optional)
Honey to taste
Hot water

Instructions: Place the dried flowers in a tea infuser or a heatproof cup. Pour over 8 ounces of just-boiled water. Steep for 5-7 minutes (no longer, or lavender can get soapy). Remove the flowers, stir in honey, and sip slowly. Great for bedtime.

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.

FrankenFruit

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries

noord-brabant

FrankenFruit in Bergen op Zoom is a pick-your-own farm where visitors can harvest fruit, vegetables and flowers from mid-June to mid-November. The farm grows over a dozen varieties of apples, including Elstar, Jonagold, Pinova and Santana, as well as pears, plums, cherries, blackberries, redcurrants and gooseberries. Vegetables include pumpkins, courgettes, sugar maize, runner beans, beetroot, kale, tomatoes and white onions. The flower field offers dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, sweet peas and dried flowers, with prices per stem or bunch.

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 Amstelveen

flowers

noord-holland

Pluktuin Amstelveen is a pick-your-own flower farm in Nes aan de Amstel, just outside Amstelveen. It grows seasonal flowers from March to October, including daffodils, tulips, peonies, dahlias and sunflowers, as well as herbs and dried flowers. Visitors pick their own bouquets straight from the field. You pay €12.50 for a bucket of about 15 stems, with extra stems charged at a higher rate. The farm also sells individual stems of specialty flowers year-round.

Hanna's Pluktuin

flowers

friesland

At Hanna’s Pluktuin in Makkinga, you pick your own seasonal flowers directly from the field. The farm grows dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers, amaranthus, ornamental tobacco, statice, salvia, scabiosa, fountain grass, calendula, strawflowers, echinacea, yarrow, sea lavender, snapdragons, bishop’s weed, nigella, bronze fennel, phlox, globe amaranth, lion’s tail, marguerites and more. The selection changes through the season. You pay €12.50 for a hand-held bouquet of 20 to 25 stems, which you cut yourself with scissors provided. The farm also sells gift vouchers starting at €10, valid for two years on fresh bouquets, dried flowers and decorative items. Pre-arranged bouquets can be ordered in advance for collection.

Pluktuin De Keet

flowers, herbs, grasses

gelderland

Pluktuin De Keet in Vorden is a pick-your-own flower garden where visitors can cut seasonal blooms from the fields. The main picking season runs from early July until late summer, though the garden remains open daily for walking and enjoying the surroundings even after the self-picking period ends. Over 30 varieties of flowers and ornamental grasses are grown, including zinnias, cornflowers, dill, and ever-blooming species like cosmos and marigolds. Some flowers regrow after cutting, while others are one-time bloomers.