sweet pea

Imagine a glorious sunny afternoon, rambling through vibrant fields in the Dutch countryside. The air isn’t just fresh; it’s utterly enchanted with a sweet, delicate perfume. What’s beckoning you with its irresistible fragrance and kaleidoscope of colours? None other than the delightful sweet pea!

Picking your own sweet peas at one of the many charming pick-your-own flower farms across the Netherlands is an experience that’s pure, unadulterated joy. It’s a true sensory delight – your eyes feast on a rainbow of soft pastels, fiery reds, deep purples, and crisp whites, all dancing gently in the breeze. Then there’s that scent – intoxicatingly sweet, airy, and wonderfully nostalgic, capable of transporting you to a bygone era of sun-drenched gardens.

Whether you’re a solo adventurer seeking a moment of fragrant peace and mindfulness, or sharing giggles and clipping shears with friends and family, there’s a unique satisfaction in carefully selecting each perfect, delicate stem. Little hands might struggle a bit with the graceful tendrils, but the squeals of delight as a child discovers a particularly vibrant bloom are absolutely priceless. For adults, it’s a chance to slow down, connect with nature, and gather a truly personal bouquet. Each snip brings you closer to creating something beautiful, knowing every single bloom was chosen by you. It’s not just about the flowers; it’s about the shared laughter, the quiet moments of appreciation, and the simple pleasure of bringing a piece of that Dutch countryside magic home with you.

Bringing the Sweetness Home: Decoration Delights

Once you’ve got your armful of fragrant treasures home, the fun truly continues! Sweet peas are the quintessential cottage garden flower, bringing instant charm, elegance, and a burst of natural perfume into any space.

Suggestions for Decoration:

Simple Elegance: The sheer beauty of sweet peas often lies in their charming simplicity. Gather a handful into a small, elegant vase, a cluster of mismatched bottles, or even a pretty teacup for a charming, rustic-chic look. Place them on a windowsill, a bedside table, or your dining table for an instant uplift and a fragrant greeting.
Mixed Bouquets: While utterly stunning on their own, sweet peas also make a wonderful addition to a mixed bouquet. Pair their delicate forms and vibrant colours with other garden favourites like roses, hydrangeas, or delicate foliage for a fuller arrangement that still allows their unique beauty and scent to shine.
Scented Spaces: Don’t underestimate their power to naturally fragrance a room! A small vase of sweet peas can subtly perfume an entire living area, bedroom, or bathroom, creating an incredibly welcoming and serene atmosphere. Place them near an open window to let their heavenly scent drift gently on the breeze.
Little Luxuries: Fill tiny teacups, shot glasses, or bud vases with just a few sprigs and dot them around your home – on a bookshelf, next to your bath, or even on your work desk for a delightful, fragrant pick-me-up throughout the day. They make every corner feel a little bit more special.

A Note on Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus): While these beautiful blooms are incredibly tempting, it’s important to remember that ornamental sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are grown purely for their visual beauty and incredible fragrance, not for eating. Unlike their distant edible cousins (like garden peas or snap peas), the seeds and pods of ornamental sweet peas can be mildly toxic if consumed in large quantities. So, instead of heading to the kitchen, let’s keep these beauties purely for visual and olfactory delight, adorning your home with their charm and scent!

Pluktuin PlukWad

flowers, vegetables, herbs

friesland

Pluktuin PlukWad is a self-picking garden situated in Wijnaldum, easily reachable by bicycle from nearby towns like Harlingen, Franeker, and Sexbierum. The garden operates during the summer season, typically opening in early July and remaining open daily from 8:00 to 22:00 until late October, when the blooming period concludes. Visitors are invited to explore the vast flower fields and assemble their own vibrant bouquets of cut flowers. The payment system is self-service: after gathering flowers, visitors measure their stems at a designated picnic area to determine the cost, which can then be paid digitally via QR code or with cash. It’s recommended to bring a damp cloth or container to keep the fresh flowers hydrated on the journey home.

De Zonnegaard

flowers, fruit, herbs, berries

gelderland

De Zonnegaard is a biodynamic farm located in Appen, Voorst, dedicated to sustainable agriculture. The farm employs practices such as meticulous soil care, extensive crop rotation, strip cultivation, and the use of certified organic fertilizers, while also prioritizing the distinct taste of its produce. Fresh produce can be obtained through various channels. An on-site farm shop in Voorst is open on Fridays, offering the farm’s own-grown vegetables, regional and imported fruit, dairy products, eggs, dry goods, and juices. The Zonnegaard also sells its goods at market stalls in Zutphen on Thursday mornings and Deventer on Saturdays. For regular access, customers can subscribe to weekly seasonal vegetable and/or fruit packages, available for pickup at various locations or directly at the farm.

Tuinen van Hartstocht

vegetables, flowers, herbs

utrecht

Tuinen van Hartstocht is a self-picking garden located on Boerderij Hartstocht, an organic city farm in Abcoude, near Amsterdam. It operates on a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) principle, where members pay an annual contribution to harvest their own produce throughout the season. The garden offers two main self-picking areas: The Vegetable Garden: Members can harvest fresh, naturally grown vegetables weekly for approximately 30 weeks, from late April to mid-November. The farm cultivates without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Available vegetables for self-picking include various types of lettuce, bok choy, beets, chard, kale, Tuscan kale, beans, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, fennel, red cabbage, peppers, and various herbs. They also grow less common varieties like blue kohlrabi, spicy Asian salad, and edible flowers.