roses

Roses aren’t just for gazing at over a romantic dinner—they’re for picking, sniffing, and, if the farm grows edible varieties, even snacking. Thanks to a handful of Dutch farms that open their fields to eager pickers, you can spend a summer day (the season runs from June to September) wading through rows of fragrant blooms, scissors in hand, playing garden stylist. Go solo for some quiet flower therapy, or make a day of it with friends and family. Pro tip: cut early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when it is cool and the flowers are well hydrated. Choose buds that are plump and just starting to open, and cut the stem at an angle with sharp secateurs, just above a leaf node, leaving at least two or three sets of leaves on the plant. Wear gloves against the thorns and carry your roses in a bucket of water. Don’t be shy about mixing colors.

Once you’re home: Remove the leaves below the waterline, recut the stems at an angle, and put them in clean, cool water. Change the water every two days and keep the vase away from fruit and direct sun; depending on the variety, your roses will last 3 to 10 days.

Decorate like royalty: Pluck off the heads and float them in shallow bowls of water as romantic table decor. Or strip the leaves, bundle six stems together, and hang them upside down in a dark, dry place for two weeks to create dried roses that will last all winter. Scatter the petals on your dinner table, or stuff them into a glass vase for a rustic, shabby-chic centerpiece.
Potpourri – combine dried petals with a few drops of rose essential oil, cloves, or dried lavender. Place in little bowls around the house.

For tea lovers—a rose-infused brew: Not every rose is meant for eating, so ask the farmer whether the petals are from an edible variety and unsprayed. Gather about a cup of fresh rose petals (red or pink work best) and pinch off the bitter white base. Rinse gently. Boil two cups of water, pour over the petals in a teapot, and steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Strain and add a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lemon. It’s floral and gently sweet.

Eric Sleutjes Bloemen en Planten

flowers

noord-brabant

At Eric Sleutjes Bloemen en Planten in Sint-Michielsgestel you pick your own flowers in a dedicated pluktuin from July until the first frost, typically the end of October. The field grows around 80 to 90 varieties, including asters, roses, delphiniums, phlox, cosmos, dahlias, zinnias and sunflowers. You cut the stems yourself and pay by the bunch. The farm is open Tuesday to Friday, 10.00 to 17.30, and on Saturdays from 10.00 to 17.00. The same hours apply to the on-site theehuis, a small café that serves coffee, tea, homemade apple cake and sandwiches. The theehuis is open from late April to the end of October.

Pluktuin Stoutenburg

flowers, vegetables

utrecht

Pluktuin Stoutenburg in Stoutenburg is a pick-your-own flower farm where visitors create their own bouquets from seasonal blooms. The farm grows tulips, sunflowers, dahlias, zinnias, snapdragons, amaranth, cornflowers, sweet peas and many other flowers, all pesticide-free. From July to October, the main picking season, the fields are in full bloom. In April, visitors can dig up tulips with their bulbs still attached, sold by the stem. After the summer season, dried flowers are available in November, and in September the farm sells pumpkins grown on-site.

StadsAkkers

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs

gelderland

StadsAkkers in Apeldoorn is a pick-your-own farm where you can harvest organic vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. The self-picking season runs from May to October. You pay for a subscription rather than by weight: €260 for one person, €390 for two, or €490 for a family with children. Each week you can pick four or five different vegetables, plus a bunch of herbs and flowers. The farm provides tools and instructions; you bring your own bag. Picking is possible on Wednesday afternoons (13.00 to 16.00), Fridays (10.00 to 18.00) and Saturdays (09.00 to 12.00).

Henk's Pluktuin

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries

gelderland

Henk’s Pluktuin in Oosterbeek is a pick-your-own flower garden and small-scale market garden. From June to October, visitors can pick seasonal flowers from the fields, including blooms for bouquets and edible flowers. The farm also grows vegetables, herbs and fruit, but these are reserved for members who pay an annual fee to harvest for their own use. Flower picking is self-service: you take a basket and scissors at the entrance and pay based on the number of stems, using a board with holes to measure the size of your bunch. The farm provides all materials, though you may be asked to bring your own vase or container. Flowers are pesticide-free, and any additional blooms used come from local Dutch growers.