Pick Your Own Sunflowers in the Netherlands
There’s something wonderfully joyful about walking into a field of sunflowers in the Dutch countryside. They tower over you, heads heavy with seeds, faces turned toward the sun—and they’re waiting for you to pick your own. Many farms across the Netherlands open their sunflower fields to the public in late summer, letting you stroll in with scissors or a small knife, and choose the biggest, brightest, happiest blooms.
How to pick them:
Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun isn’t too fierce. Look for flowers that are fully open, with bright yellow petals and a dark, firm centre. If you’re with kids or friends, make a game of it—who can find the tallest stem, or the flower that looks most like a smile? Cut the stem at an angle with sharp scissors, and pop them straight into a bucket of water. They’ll last much longer that way.
Now that you’ve got them home…
Sunflowers are pure cheer. Arrange a big bunch in a wide-mouthed vase—they look fantastic on a kitchen table or a sunny windowsill. For a playful touch, put one or two in smaller bottles or jars around the house. Don’t forget the seeds! You can dry the flower heads, tap out the seeds, and roast them for a crunchy snack (just toss with salt and bake at 150°C for 20 minutes). Or leave a few heads in the garden for the birds.
For something a little different, try a sunflower petal salad—scatter the yellow petals over a green salad with goat’s cheese and balsamic. They add a mild, nutty flavour and a gorgeous pop of colour.
And for a cocktail?
Try a Sunflower Spritz – muddle a few sunflower petals with a teaspoon of honey in a glass, add 50 ml of vodka, 30 ml of fresh lemon juice, top with soda water, and garnish with a whole petal. It’s bright, floral, and dangerously easy to drink.
So grab your scissors, head to a farm, and bring home a little piece of the sun. It’s hard not to smile when your hands are full of gold.