Moestuin Vollenhoven is a historical and regenerative kitchen garden nestled on Landgoed Vollenhoven. This garden operates with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, cultivating all its produce biologically without the use of artificial fertilizers or pesticides. It features unique historical glasshouses dating back to 1800 and 1854, which are still actively used today.
Visitors to Moestuin Vollenhoven can engage in several activities and offerings:
One of the primary self-picking activities is flower picking, available throughout all four seasons using a special clipping card. The variety of flowers for self-picking changes with the seasons:
- At the start of the season, one can pick forsythia, magnolia, various daffodils and tulips, lily of the valley, lupine, sweet peas (lathyrus), and delphiniums.
- Summer brings an abundance of dahlias, sunflowers, asters, and other seasonal blooms.
- Autumn offers artichokes, hydrangeas, callicarpa, ornamental corn, and beautiful seed pods.
- Towards the end of the year, various types of Christmas greenery and berry branches are available for crafting wreaths.
Beyond flower picking, the garden also provides:
- Weekly Vegetable Boxes: A subscription service running from May to November, delivering fresh and healthy produce. These boxes contain a varied selection of familiar and less familiar vegetables, fruits, herbs, and preserves, all harvested directly from the garden.
- Workshops: Educational sessions are offered on topics such as starting and maintaining a kitchen garden, flower arranging (which includes picking flowers from the garden), and various food preservation techniques like pickling, fermenting, and drying.
- Guided Tours: Heleen and Thomas, the gardeners, offer tours showcasing the garden’s regenerative practices, the flower garden, and introducing visitors to the resident pigs.
- Pigs: Four pigs, a cross between Oxford Sandy and Black and Tamworth breeds, actively contribute to the garden’s ecosystem by rooting through the soil, helping to cultivate it naturally.
Moestuin Vollenhoven is managed by Heleen and Thomas, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers and interns, and has been featured in Dutch television programs and documentaries.
What visitors say
This highly-regarded location receives consistent praise for its beauty and the passionate dedication of its management. Visitors describe a stunning garden, lovingly overseen by individuals like Thomas and Heleen, who are actively working to revitalize the site. The farm prides itself on its commitment to regenerative agriculture, producing a wide variety of biodynamic vegetables, flowers, and fruits without the use of large machinery. This sustainable approach fosters ideal living conditions for local wildlife, flora, and the natural environment. Guests can enjoy exploring the picturesque estate, with guided tours also available upon request, and commendations have been made regarding the quality of the catering service. Overall, it’s considered an exceptional destination, with one visitor expressing a strong desire to live closer to frequent it more often.