daisies

Oh, the humble yet utterly delightful daisies! These charming little sun-seekers aren’t just for adorning meadows; in the Netherlands, you can actually visit dedicated “pluktuinen” (picking gardens) or farms where you can gather your own beautiful bunches. It’s an experience that truly embodies simple joys and wholesome fun!

The Pure Joy of Picking Daisies

Imagine a bright Dutch afternoon, a gentle breeze rustling through fields dotted with countless white and yellow gems. Stepping onto a farm dedicated to these cheerful blooms is like entering a storybook. Whether you go solo for a mindful escape, or with friends and family for shared laughter, the pleasure of hand-picking daisies is undeniable.

Little ones, with their eyes wide with wonder, love hunting for the “prettiest” daisy, their tiny hands carefully snapping stems. Friends might compare their blossoming bouquets, giggling over who found the biggest, brightest bloom. And for adults, it’s a wonderfully nostalgic activity, a chance to reconnect with nature, feel the sun on your skin, and simply be in the moment. There’s a certain meditative quality to bending down, selecting each perfect flower, and building your own unique collection. It’s a sensory feast, too – the fresh scent of green, the soft petals, the warmth of the sun. You leave not just with a bouquet, but with a heart full of happy memories and a genuine sense of accomplishment.

Bringing the Sunshine Home: Uses for Your Freshly Picked Daisies

Once your basket is brimming with these lovely blossoms, the fun doesn’t stop! Daisies, being both a flower and an herb, offer a surprising array of uses at home.

For Decoration: A Touch of Whimsy

Daisies are masters of understated elegance and rustic charm. They bring an instant touch of cheer to any space.

Mini Bouquets: Arrange small clusters of daisies in tiny vintage bottles, jam jars, or even shot glasses. Place them on windowsills, bedside tables, or scattered across a dining table for an informal, inviting look.
Daisy Chain Garlands: Revisit your childhood by threading the stems together to create beautiful daisy chains. Drape them over mirrors, photo frames, or across a mantelpiece.
Table Settings: Lay individual daisies next to place settings for a charming touch at a brunch or garden party. You can even tuck one into a napkin ring.
Hair Adornments: For a truly whimsical look, weave a few daisies into your hair or craft a simple daisy crown – perfect for a summer festival vibe or just feeling pretty around the house!
Floating Blooms: Fill a wide, shallow bowl with water and let a few daisy heads float on the surface for a serene centerpiece.

For Health & Relaxation: Daisy Tea (Herb Recipe)

Daisies (specifically Bellis perennis) are known in herbalism for their gentle properties. A tea made from fresh daisies can be a soothing, mild tonic.

Simple Fresh Daisy Tea

Ingredients:

10-15 fresh daisy heads (ensure they are picked from a clean, chemical-free source, like your “pluktuin”!)
250 ml (1 cup) hot water
Optional: A slice of lemon or a drizzle of honey to taste

Instructions:

Gently rinse your fresh daisy heads under cool water to remove any dust or tiny critters.
Place the daisy heads in a mug.
Pour the hot (but not boiling) water over the daisies.
Let steep for 5-10 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor will be.
Strain the tea into another mug, discarding the daisy heads.
Add lemon or honey if desired, and enjoy your delicate, floral brew. It’s wonderfully refreshing and believed to be mildly anti-inflammatory and calming.

For Cocktails: The Daisy Delight

With their subtle flavor and beautiful appearance, daisies make a fantastic garnish and can even infuse a delicate note into your beverages.

The Sunny Daisy Fizz

This cocktail is light, refreshing, and perfectly highlights the springy essence of daisies.

Ingredients:

60 ml (2 oz) dry gin (or vodka for a lighter taste)
30 ml (1 oz) fresh lemon juice
15 ml (0.5 oz) elderflower liqueur (St-Germain is perfect)
15 ml (0.5 oz) simple syrup (adjust to your sweetness preference)
Sparkling water or prosecco, to top
Ice
Fresh daisies for garnish (ensure they are food-grade and rinsed)

Instructions:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add the gin, lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, and simple syrup to the shaker.
Shake well until thoroughly chilled, about 15-20 seconds.
Strain the mixture into a chilled highball glass filled with fresh ice.
Top with sparkling water or prosecco.
Garnish generously with several fresh daisies, perhaps even letting a few float on top for an extra touch of charm.
Sip and enjoy the sunshine in a glass!

So, the next time you’re in the Netherlands, don’t just admire the fields from afar. Find a “pluktuin,” embrace the simple pleasure of picking your own daisies, and bring that unique brand of Dutch cheer right into your home!

Koningshof

flowers

utrecht

Koningshof is an urban agriculture initiative situated on the eastern outskirts of Utrecht, established in 2012. Its mission is to safeguard and enhance the region’s agricultural heritage while connecting people with a healthy and sustainable food system. The farm serves as an educational hub for all ages, offering opportunities to learn about cultivating, harvesting, preserving, and preparing homegrown vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Visitors can engage with the farm through several avenues:

Hanna's Pluktuin

flowers, herbs, grasses

friesland

Hanna’s Pluktuin is a family-run, sustainable pick-your-own flower garden located in Makkinga, Friesland, Netherlands, at Bercoperweg 53 B, 8423 TR Makkinga. Established in 2023 and expanded in 2024 by Hanna Lemmens-Edema and her family, the garden invites visitors to enjoy a unique outing among meadows. The primary offering is the opportunity for guests to self-pick seasonal flowers. Upon arrival, visitors receive instructions, a pair of scissors, and a bucket, then proceed to select and cut their own bouquet. Bouquets start from €10, with the final price dependent on the type and quantity of flowers chosen.

Pluktuin Maarsbergen Maarn

flowers

utrecht

Pluktuin Maarsbergen Maarn is a natural, small-scale self-picking flower garden located at Halmweg 1 in Maarn. The garden is open for visitors to pick their own flowers from June through September. Regular opening hours are every Wednesday from 9 AM to 12 PM. Should the Wednesday be rainy, the garden endeavors to open on a Thursday or Friday evening instead. Groups of 10 or more persons can arrange a picking session by appointment. Visitors are encouraged to bring a bucket to keep their freshly picked flowers hydrated.

De Boschhoeve

flowers, herbs, grasses

gelderland

De Boschhoeve is a delightful nursery, garden, and tea house nestled amidst agricultural fields and mature trees in Wolfheze, near Arnhem. The property features a large and varied farm garden, showcasing vibrant summer and autumn borders, a tranquil shady lane, and an orchard bursting with spring bulbs. A notable highlight is the decorative vegetable garden, where unique vegetables are artfully combined with various flowers, including many summer bulbs. The nursery offers a wide assortment of robust and easy-to-care-for plants, specializing in diverse snowdrop varieties, dahlias, peonies, and spring bulbs. Visitors can observe plants in their full glory in the dedicated mother plant beds. The farm also encompasses a large agricultural barn, which houses a garden shop selling seeds, tools, and gardening accessories, a cozy tea house offering refreshments, and a brocante section with antique and second-hand goods. Throughout the year, De Boschhoeve hosts various events and workshops, with the annual Snowdrop Festival being a particular draw.

de Buytenhof

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs

zuid-holland

Boerderij de Buytenhof is a self-picking farm and care farm located in Rhoon, near Rotterdam, offering visitors a tranquil experience of farm life. The farm is dedicated to nature-inclusive agriculture and provides meaningful daytime activities for adults with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities. Visitors can enjoy a variety of self-picking opportunities throughout the seasons: Apples: Available for self-picking from approximately late August to mid-October. Varieties include Delcorf, Elstar, Goudreinet, and Jonagold. Pears: Also available for self-picking from late August to mid-October, featuring varieties like Doyenne de Comice, Conference, and Triumph de Vienne. Strawberries: Self-picking is typically offered for about five weeks around late May to early June. Pumpkins: Harvested by visitors during the annual “Oogstdag” (Harvest Day), usually in September. Potatoes: Can be dug up by hand during the “Oogstdag” in September. Flowers: The flower picking garden is open from June to late September, featuring over 60 different types of flowers, including dahlias, marigolds, daisies, and lavender. Beyond self-picking, the farm boasts a charming tea house (“Theeschenkerij”) serving homemade dishes, cakes, and drinks made with farm-fresh ingredients. There’s also a farm shop (“Boerderijwinkel”) selling local and seasonal produce like fruits, vegetables, fresh herbs, meat, eggs, honey, jams, chutneys, and juices. For families, an enclosed playground is adjacent to the tea house terrace.

De Smaak Van Buyten

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs

zuid-holland

De Buytenhof is a self-picking farm and care facility situated in Rhoon, near Rotterdam, offering visitors an immersive experience of rural life and sustainable agriculture. The farm features a cozy teahouse that serves lunches and high teas crafted with fresh, seasonal ingredients from their own land, complemented by an enclosed playground for children. A well-stocked farm shop also sells pure, local, and seasonal products, including a variety of fruits, organic vegetables, meat, eggs, homemade jams, chutneys, honey, and fresh juices.