Hortus Populus in Bodegraven is a community garden where visitors can pick their own vegetables, herbs and flowers. The farm grows seasonal produce without pesticides or artificial fertilisers, including Roman varieties such as beans, endive, cabbage, onions, fennel and carrots, as well as herbs like anise, mint and lovage.

The vegetable garden is open from March to November, with picking available on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings from 9.00 to 12.30. The flower field, where you can cut your own bouquets, is open from mid-May to November on Fridays and Saturdays from 10.00 to 12.00. Flowers cost €0.75 per stem, and greenery is free. You pay at the farm shop, which also sells preserves, syrups, teas and locally sourced cheese.

The farm operates on a subscription model for vegetables, offering weekly boxes of seasonal produce. A trial box is available, or you can buy a four-week or 26-week subscription. Loose vegetables are also sold when available. For flowers, a season pass allows 12 visits between June and September to pick a bouquet of 10 stems.

Hortus Populus also features a Roman-themed garden and a reconstructed soldiers’ barrack, which serves as a small museum. Workshops on Roman cooking, gardening and crafting are held throughout the year. The garden is run by volunteers and supports local sustainability projects. There is wheelchair-accessible entrance.

What visitors say

Visitors come for the pick-your-own flowers and fresh vegetables, grown without chemicals. The rows are well-kept, and you can fill a bouquet or take home seasonal produce like courgettes and herbs. A few mention workshops—flower arranging or bread baking—though most just pick and chat. The volunteers running the place are friendly, happy to explain how things work, and often around for a coffee if you visit on a Friday or Saturday morning.

Children enjoy the space, with climbing spots, stepping stones, and tunnels to explore. Some parents say their kids stay busy for hours. Prices are fair, and the quality is good, though a couple of people wish they’d found the farm sooner. The Roman-style barrack adds a quirky touch, and the garden feels like a community effort rather than a commercial operation.

Facilities in this u-pick farm

Farm shop Farm shop

Bloemenhof

2.2 km — zuid-holland

Bloemenhof in Nieuwerbrug aan den Rijn is a pick-your-own flower garden where visitors cut their own seasonal blooms. The field is open from early May until late October, with flowers available depending on the time of year. You select your stems directly from the field, measure the bundle using a board with holes to determine the price, and pay via a QR code at the on-site kiosk. The garden is open Friday to Sunday, 9.00 to 17.00. Workshops on flower arranging, botanical art, and printing with natural dyes are held throughout the season, with advance booking required. Pre-ordered bouquets can be collected on Saturdays at a nearby shop in Bodegraven.

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Tuinderij De Groenteboer Biologische zelfoogsttuin

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Voedselbos Benthuizen

15.2 km — zuid-holland

Voedselbos Benthuizen is a pick-your-own food forest near Benthuizen where visitors can harvest a variety of seasonal produce. The forest grows fruit, berries, nuts, herbs and vegetables, all cultivated without pesticides. What is available depends on the time of year, with different crops ripening from spring to autumn. Members receive a weekly email listing what is ready to pick. The farm operates on a membership basis. Annual membership costs €45 for individuals or €75 for two people from the same household. Members can harvest produce weekly, either independently or during guided harvest tours that show what is ripe and how to pick it. Prices for self-harvested produce match regular supermarket rates. Members also help with planting and maintenance during weekly workdays on Fridays and alternate Wednesdays from 10.00 to 13.30.