peonies

Oh, peonies! Those glorious, fluffy clouds of petals are an absolute joy, and what better way to experience their magic than by hand-picking them yourself on a lovely farm in the Netherlands?

Imagine this: a glorious Dutch spring or early summer day, the sun shining, a gentle breeze rustling through fields of vibrant green. You step onto a farm, and there it is – a breathtaking sea of peonies in every shade from pristine white to softest blush, vibrant fuchsia, and deep, rich crimson. The air is thick with their delicate, sweet perfume, a scent that just screams “happiness.”

The Pure Pleasure of the Pick-Your-Own Peony Experience

Going peony-picking is more than just acquiring flowers; it’s an experience, a mini-escape! Whether you go solo, seeking a moment of serene beauty amidst the blooms, or make it a fantastic outing with friends and family, there’s an undeniable charm to it. Kids absolutely adore scampering through the rows (carefully, of course!), pointing out the “prettiest” or the “biggest” flower. Adults can indulge in the delightful deliberation: “Should I pick this tight bud that promises a future explosion of colour, or this fully-opened masterpiece proudly displaying all its glory?”

You get to wander at your own pace, scissors in hand, carefully selecting each stem. It’s a treasure hunt where every prize is a natural work of art. The tactile pleasure of gently touching the silken petals, the visual feast of endless variations, and the shared laughter and chatter make it a truly memorable occasion. You’re not just buying flowers; you’re crafting memories and curating your very own bouquet, unique to your eye and your heart.

Bringing Your Peony Haul Home: Ways to Enjoy Your Blooms!

Once you’ve carefully transported your precious cargo home, the real fun begins – arranging and enjoying your hand-picked beauties!

For Decoration:

Peonies are, quite simply, showstoppers. Their lush, full blooms make them ideal for creating stunning displays:

The Grand Centrepiece: For maximum impact, gather a large bunch of varying shades and pop them into a wide-mouthed vase in your living room or dining area. Their sheer volume and beautiful colours will instantly elevate any space.
Dainty Delights: Don’t feel obligated to use them all in one go! A single peony in a small bud vase on your bedside table, bathroom vanity, or kitchen windowsill adds a touch of simple elegance and a lovely scent to unexpected corners.
Bouquets with a Twist: Combine your peonies with some fresh greenery (eucalyptus works wonderfully) or other seasonal filler flowers like snapdragons or delphiniums for a more textured, professional-looking arrangement.
Floating Beauty: Pluck a few fully opened peony heads and float them in a shallow bowl of water. It’s a minimalist yet incredibly chic way to enjoy their beauty, perfect for a coffee table or a serene spa-like bathroom.
Petal Power: As the blooms start to fade, don’t throw them out! Gently pull off the petals and scatter them for a romantic touch – perhaps in a warm bath, around candles, or as a decorative element on a special dessert plate.
Dried Keepsakes: For a lasting memory, you can carefully press individual petals or even entire smaller blooms between heavy books to create dried mementos for cards, journals, or framed art.

The “Blushing Peony Spritz” Cocktail

While we adore peonies for their visual charm, we can also let their spirit inspire a delightful drink! This cocktail celebrates their beautiful hue and offers a refreshing, floral twist. Please note: While some peony petals are considered edible, it’s best to use them purely for visual garnish in drinks unless you are absolutely certain of their source (organic, untreated) and have researched the specific variety for consumption. For this recipe, the peony is primarily for aesthetic delight!

Ingredients:

1.5 oz (45ml) good quality Gin (something floral or citrusy works well)
0.75 oz (22ml) Elderflower Liqueur (like St-Germain)
0.5 oz (15ml) Fresh Lemon Juice
2 oz (60ml) Dry Rosé Wine (chilled)
2 oz (60ml) Sparkling Water or Prosecco (chilled)
Ice
Garnish: A large, clean peony petal (or two!)

Instructions:

Fill a large wine glass or a highball glass with ice.
Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice to the glass.
Top with rosé wine and sparkling water/Prosecco.
Gently stir to combine.
Carefully place a beautiful peony petal on top of the drink, allowing it to float gracefully, or secure it to the rim.
Serve immediately and enjoy your blushtastic, refreshing drink!

So, next time you’re craving a dose of natural beauty and a truly delightful outing, head to a Dutch farm for some peony-picking. You’ll leave with an armful of gorgeous blooms, a heart full of joy, and a camera roll full of unforgettable memories!

Pluktuin Bloemfontein Bergen

flowers

noord-holland

Bloemfontein Bergen is a self-picking flower garden situated at Groeneweg 8a in Bergen (Noord-Holland). It offers visitors the opportunity to create their own vibrant bouquets by hand-picking a variety of seasonal blooms. The garden provides a diverse selection of flowers for self-picking throughout the growing season: Tulips: Over 100 different varieties are available from April to early May. These are picked by gently pulling them from the ground, bulb and all. Peonies: These beautiful flowers bloom for approximately two weeks at the beginning of May. Summer Flowers: From mid-May through July, the garden features a colourful array of summer blooms including peonies, lupines, alliums, and irises. Irises are pulled with the bulb, while others are cut. Dahlias: Later in the summer, from July through September, a large selection of dahlias is available, alongside gladioli and sunflowers. These varieties require cutting with shears. Visitors can park on-site and follow a designated route to the picking fields. For tulips, no cutting shears are needed, and picked flowers are counted and bound by staff. For most other varieties, it is recommended to bring one’s own cutting shears. After picking, guests can relax and enjoy coffee, lemonade, cake, or banana bread at a dedicated shed, with coffee and tea services available on weekends. Payment can be made by card or cash.

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.

Plukhoek Mookhoek

fruit, flowers, berries

zuid-holland

Located in Mookhoek, this establishment functions as both a self-picking garden and an outdoor care facility for children and youth aged 4-18, focusing on nature-based development and building self-confidence. The income generated from the picking garden directly supports the care foundation. The self-picking garden is scheduled to reopen on August 9, 2025, and will be open to visitors on Saturdays from 13:00 to 16:00. Guests can choose to pick a beautiful bouquet of flowers from both perennial varieties like roses, viburnum, aquilegia, lupines, anemones, and verbena, as well as annuals such as sunflowers, mallow, zinnia, tanacetum, and even peonies.

Pluktuin ut ouw goed

flowers, fruit, berries

noord-brabant

Ut Ouw Goed is a self-picking garden and food forest located at Middelstraat 41, 5176 NH De Moer, managed by the Van Laarhoven family who transformed a former tree nursery into this diverse outdoor space in 2017. The farm offers a rich variety of produce for self-picking, including a wide array of fruits such as apples, pears (eating, stewing, and quinces), apricots, nectarines, persimmons, peaches, cherries, plums, figs, medlars, mulberries, raspberries, red currants, blueberries, grapes, blackberries, and strawberries. Various nut trees are also present. For vegetables and herbs, visitors can pick rhubarb, along with other seasonal vegetables and herbs. The flower picking garden allows visitors to gather their own bouquets from an assortment that includes Gypsophila, Peonies, Lavender, Anemones, Persicaria, Daisies, Sedum, Lupines, Coneflowers, wildflowers, and flowers suitable for drying, as well as Butterfly bush.

Kwekerij de Bascule

flowers, vegetables, herbs, berries, grasses

friesland

Kwekerij de Bascule is a self-picking farm and nursery situated in Hommerts, Friesland, conveniently located near Sneek and Bolsward. The farm is dedicated to sustainable practices, growing all its plants and flowers locally without the use of artificial fertilizers, chemical pesticides, or growth inhibitors, ensuring fresh, seasonal, and natural produce. Visitors are invited to explore the extensive gardens and pick their own selections. The farm provides baskets and shears, allowing guests to gather their preferred items. The self-picking season typically runs from March or April through October, with the garden reopening for self-picking in April 2025.

Pluktuin Amstelveen

flowers, vegetables

noord-holland

This vibrant picking garden and tea garden, located in Nes a/d Amstel at Amsteldijk Zuid 183 b, invites visitors to enjoy a variety of floral experiences throughout the year. It operates from Wednesday to Saturday, between 10:00 and 17:00. The primary attraction is the opportunity to pick your own fresh flowers, all grown organically and pesticide-free. Seasonal offerings for self-picking include: Spring: Narcissi and tulips (which can also be picked with their bulbs). Summer: Peonies, alliums, sweet william, zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, and sunflowers. Additionally, strawflowers, statice, and physalis are available for drying. Autumn: Dahlias, gladioli, autumn asters, and cosmos continue to bloom, with pumpkins also featuring as a seasonal highlight. Beyond the picking fields, the location offers a welcoming tea garden, complete with a newly renovated tearoom for comfort in any weather. Guests can savor a selection of teas, coffee, homemade apple pie, and seasonal cakes. The tea garden also provides options for lunch, high tea (including a special “Flower High Tea” with edible blooms), and Spanish tapas. Children can enjoy a playground with a slide, sandbox, and play castle. The venue is also suitable for various events, such as family reunions, team outings, birthdays, and baby showers.