peonies

So, you fancy yourself a peony picker? Excellent choice. There is something deeply satisfying about wading into a field that looks like a pastel explosion, scissors in hand, and selecting the fluffiest, most magnificent blooms yourself. Several farms across the Netherlands open their gates for this exact purpose, and it’s the perfect outing for a sunny afternoon with friends, a chaotic family adventure, or a blissful solo mission.

Let’s talk strategy. Walk slowly. Peonies are drama queens. You want a flower that is soft to the touch—like a marshmallow that’s been left out for an hour—but not fully open. A tight bud is too shy; a flower that’s already flopping over is past its prime. Look for the ones with a little give, where you can gently press the petals and feel a spongy resistance. That’s the Goldilocks zone. Bring a bucket with a little water, and cut the stem at an angle. Don’t be shy—grab a big armful. You will regret taking too few.

Once home, your mission is to keep them happy. Trim the stems again under running water and remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline. Put them in a clean vase, and watch them explode over the next few days. They go from bashful to full-on ballroom in about 48 hours. Keep them away from direct sun and fruit bowls (bananas age them fast).

How to use them now that you have a small forest of peonies:

Peonies are the queens of the dining table. For a simple, stunning centerpiece, put a generous bunch in a wide, low ceramic vase. Bonus points if you float a few single heads in shallow glass bowls of water—instant elegance. For a more playful look, snip the heads short and cluster them in mismatched vintage jars down the length of a picnic table. You can also dry them: hang them upside down in a dark, dry spot for two weeks. They’ll turn into crisp, papery ghosts of their former selves, perfect for a winter wreath or a forever bouquet pinned to your wall. One more trick: pluck individual petals and scatter them down the center of a dinner table for a romantic, messy, magical look—like a slow-motion garden explosion.

And because one cannot live on beauty alone, here is a tea to sip while you admire your handiwork:

Peony Petal Tea (herbal, caffeine-free) Gently rinse a handful of fresh, fully open petals. Place them in a teapot. Pour boiling water over them, cover, and let steep for 5–7 minutes. The water will turn a pale, blush pink. Strain (or don’t), add a teaspoon of honey, and enjoy a delicate, lightly floral sip that tastes like a garden in a cup. It’s especially nice iced on a warm day.

Pluktuin Bloemfontein Bergen

flowers

noord-holland

Pluktuin Bloemfontein Bergen is a pick-your-own flower garden located at Groeneweg 8a in Bergen, North Holland. Guests are invited to wander the fields and cut their own bouquets directly from the source. The garden offers a variety of blooms depending on the season. Tulips are available from late March through early May; these are pulled from the ground with the bulb and do not require scissors. Peonies bloom for a short period in early May. Summer flowers, including lupines, alliums, and irises, are in season from mid-May through July. Dahlias, gladiolus, and sunflowers are ready for picking from July through September. Visitors bringing their own secateurs for summer flowers and dahlias is recommended. The garden is open daily from 09:00 to 21:00. Parking is available and free on site. No entrance fee is charged; payment is made via QR code for tulips or cash and debit card for other flowers. Check social media for the most up-to-date opening times and bloom status.

Pluktuin Maarsbergen Maarn

flowers

utrecht

Pluktuin Maarsbergen Maarn is a small-scale, natural flower garden located at Halmweg 1 in Maarn. Run by a female entrepreneur Celia Nijenhuis, the garden is open for self-picking from June through September. During this season, visitors can pick their own flowers every Wednesday morning from 9:00 to 12:00. In inclement weather, the garden may open on an alternative day, announced via social media. Groups of 10 or more can schedule a picking visit by appointment.

Plukhoek Mookhoek

fruit, flowers, berries

zuid-holland

Plukhoek Mookhoek is a pick-your-own flower and fruit garden located on Strijensedijk 14 in Mookhoek, within a historic 80-year-old orchard. The garden is part of a social enterprise that combines nature, community, and care, and is open to the public during the season. It provides a space for visitors to harvest flowers and seasonal fruit while supporting local youth services. The property covers 5 hectares and includes a flower garden, fruit orchard, and a small farmyard with chickens.

Pluktuin ut ouw goed

flowers, fruit, berries

noord-brabant

Ut Ouw Goed is a family-run picking garden and food forest located in De Moer, Netherlands. Originally a tree nursery, the property was transformed starting in 2017 into an experience garden that combines a flower picking garden, a food forest, and a nature pond. The site also features an apiary with beehives, making it a haven for pollinators. The garden is designed for relaxation and exploration, with wheelchair-accessible paths, a barefoot path, a sandbox for children, and a Jeu de Boules court.

Kwekerij de Bascule

flowers, vegetables, herbs, berries, grasses

friesland

Kwekerij de Bascule is a sustainable nursery and flower farm located in Hommerts, in the province of Friesland. The farm grows over one hundred different types of cut flowers, along with a wide range of perennials, shrubs, culinary herbs, and berry bushes. All flowers and plants are grown locally without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or growth regulators. The farm emphasizes seasonality, offering blooms that naturally thrive at different times of the year.

Pluktuin Amstelveen

flowers, vegetables

noord-holland

Pluktuin Amstelveen is a flower farm, pick-your-own garden, and tea garden located at Amsteldijk Zuid 183b in Amstelveen. The business is operational and also functions as a florist. The garden is open year-round, with seasonal flowers changing throughout the four seasons. Visitors can wander through the fields and self-pick flowers, such as spring bloomers, colorful summer flowers, and autumnal varieties. The gardens are open from Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and on Sunday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The farm is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Credit cards and contactless mobile payments are accepted. In addition to self-picking, the farm also offers workshops, creative arrangements for children’s parties, and a webshop for bouquets and floral work.