Hortus Populus is a Roman-themed garden located in Bodegraven, dedicated to sustainable cultivation, healthy eating, and historical education. The garden operates without pesticides or artificial fertilizers, utilizing renewable energy sources.
Visitors are welcome to self-pick a vibrant field bouquet from the flower garden, which features numerous wild flower species such as dahlias, gladioli, sunflowers, cornflowers, hawkweed, poppies, and knapweed.
While the garden serves as a picking and harvesting site, its unsprayed vegetables, fruits, and herbs – including Roman varieties like beans, endive, cabbage, onion, fennel, carrot, anise, mint, and lovage – are primarily available for purchase in the on-site local shop or through a weekly vegetable subscription service. The shop also offers other local products such as jam, syrup, and tea. For those wishing to grow their own, fruit trees and berry bushes, including blueberries, raspberries, and thornless blackberries, are available for sale to plant at home.
The site is home to a replica Roman soldiers’ barracks, known as the Cohortus, which functions as a museum, an event venue, and a space for various workshops. These workshops cover a range of topics, from Roman cooking and crafts with plant materials to botanical drawing in the flower garden and guided wild picking walks, where participants learn about edible wild plants, herbs, fruits, seeds, flowers, and nuts found in the surrounding area.
Hortus Populus is a community-driven initiative that relies on volunteers for tasks spanning gardening, shop assistance, and construction. The garden and shop typically welcome visitors from May to November on specific days, with the Roman garden and Cohortus having broader seasonal opening hours.
What visitors say
Visitors consistently praise this self-picking farm as a truly wonderful and special place, offering not only delicious, healthy, and naturally grown vegetables and herbs free from chemicals, but also a beautiful natural setting. The friendly and dedicated volunteers are a highlight, contributing significantly to the pleasant atmosphere and making it a welcoming spot for everyone who appreciates nature and good food.
Beyond the opportunity to pick fresh produce and flowers, the farm provides engaging activities such as flower arranging and sourdough baking workshops. It’s particularly appreciated by families for its child-friendly features, including climbing areas and tunnels. Many see it as a beautiful initiative with admirable objectives, fostering a sense of community through shared gardening, pleasant conversations, and even coffee mornings held in a unique reconstructed Roman barracks. It’s often described as both fun and educational, leaving many visitors wishing they had discovered this enriching location sooner.