Self-care is so in these days, and you know what’s even better than buying yourself flowers from TJ’s? Spending a sunny Colorado morning plucking your own peonies and pastel zinnias at a U-pick farm.

Below, our eight favorite places to pick flowers around the Front Range.

Yetman Farms

woman picks a bucket of flowers in a field
Photo courtesy of Yetman Farms
  • Address: 2995 S. Estes St., Lakewood
  • Dates: Vary
  • Hours: 7:30–9 a.m. or 6–7:30 p.m.
  • Cost: $40

Polish off the pickles in your fridge and fill that wide-mouth mason jar with flowers at Yetman Farms. The Yetman family purchased a four-acre parcel of land in south Lakewood in March 2021 and relocated their farm (originally in north Denver), now filled with livestock, crops, and a flower field. On your chosen date, you’ll snip up to 25 stems of yarrow, celosia, snapdragons, and more to dress up that pickle jar you brought (no, seriously, you need to bring your own vessel). They’ll supply tools, stunning scenery, and adorable animals—including barn kittens, goats, and mini horses. Summer sessions are selling out fast, but there’s still availability on September 6 and 15. Be on the lookout for a Bouquet and Books event, where kiddos can settle in for storytime and then pluck their own petals afterward.

SHEGROWS

white flowers in a field
Photo by Amy Caroline Photography
  • Address: 7491 Kline Drive, Arvada
  • Dates: May–September, Fridays; other days vary
  • Hours: 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; event hours vary
  • Cost: Free to walk the gardens; event pricing varies

This European-style garden in the northwest Denver suburbs has sprouted quite a few new shoots over the last several years including a barn, farm store, and greenhouse. Visit any Friday from May through September to frolic among the flowers, shop for prearranged petals, and pick up handmade body care products.

But if you want to take scissors to the stems at SHEGROWS, you’ll need to sign up for one of the farm’s guided workshops or creative retreats. Past workshops have centered around different species—like peonies and lavender—or taught attendees how to use their blooms for aromatherapy. This year, creatives can learn how to capture the flora’s fleeting beauty through the lens during the Floral Photography and Styling Retreat (October 11 and 12).

Anderson Farms

campfire surrounded by sunflowers
Photo courtesy of Anderson Farms
  • Address: 6728 County Road 3-¼, Erie
  • Dates: August 2–August 24, Fridays through Sundays
  • Hours: Vary
  • Cost: Admission $12 per person; U-pick pricing $10–$25

This Instagram-worthy attraction is perhaps best known for its fall corn maze and pumpkin patch, but you don’t need to wait for the first chill to check out the farm. Anderson Farms will open its gates to the public for sunflower season on August 2 (pending Mother Nature’s cooperation). Give yourself plenty of time to wander the 15 acres where you can admire more than 20 varieties of sunflowers, from the two-toned Crimson Blaze bloom to the fluffy Teddy Bear sunflower with its characteristic plush, golden petals. Fill a cup or a bucket with flowers and then use your loot as inspiration during the Pick and Paint class—paint and canvas provided. The property transforms after dusk, so don’t leave too soon. Pack your s’mores supplies and book your own private campfire cove nestled among the greenery.

The Bee Hugger Farm

  • Address: 12590 Ute Highway, Longmont
  • Dates: Starts mid- to late August
  • Hours: Daily from 8 a.m.–8:30 p.m.
  • Cost: Free, donations encouraged

If your summer plans tend to be spontaneous, the Bee Hugger Farm is one of the most laid-back locales for flower foraging. Appointments aren’t necessary—walk-ins are allowed every day of the week from 8 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. If you visit, mosey over to the sprawling sunflower field, which will likely sprout mid- to late August this year. The owners offer up buckets and scissors for picking. There’s no cost, but consider dropping a few bucks at the Volkswagen bus donation station. And don’t forget bug spray; the mosquitoes love the Bee Hugger Farm almost as much as we do.

Ya Ya Farm and Orchard

Photo courtesy of Ya Ya Farm and Orchard
  • Address: 6914 Ute Highway, Longmont
  • Dates: Starts mid-August
  • Hours: Vary
  • Cost: Admission $3 per person; U-pick TBD

Before autumn brings the annual apple harvest, this eight-acre farm and orchard comes alive with purple dinnerplate dahlias, blush pink hollyhocks, and more. Beginning in mid-August, you can roam the rows of flowers on-site at Ya Ya and pluck as many as you wish—no reservation required. While you’re there, say hello to the resident percheron draft horses, mini donkeys, and peacocks. If the weather gods are in your favor, you might leave with a basket of lip-puckering montmorency cherries, too (perfect for pie).

Native Hill Farm

  • Address: 2100 County Road 54G, Fort Collins
  • Dates: Mid-July through September
  • Hours: Daily from 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Cost: $22 per cup of flowers, $95 per bucket

Is there anything more relaxing than doing a little downward dog among the dahlias? Native Hill doesn’t think so. This year, the FoCo farm introduced Wildflower Flow, a 50-minute yoga class for all levels in the flower fields. Your next chance to namaste is August 10; after the final shavasana, stick around to amble through the rows and pluck as you please. The fields are open for picking every day of the week from mid-July through the first frost in September. No reservation is required, and Native Hill supplies clippers, cups, and an outdoor sink to give your fresh finds a drink.

Garden Sweet

flowers in a field in front of mountains
Photo courtesy of Garden Sweet
  • Address: 719 W. Willox Lane, Fort Collins
  • Dates: Now–Sept. 30, reservation required
  • Hours: Vary
  • Cost: Admission $5 for nonmembers, free for members; $20 for a cup of flowers, $60 for a bucket

Perfect for the indecisive at heart, the build-your-own bouquet experience at Garden Sweet is fueled by the farm’s fields, which flourish with more kinds of flora than even the most avid anthophile could name. Grab a pair of clippers and a bucket from the staff, and then while away the morning perusing more than 100 different types of flowers from lavender columbines to purple salvias to yellow sunflowers. No need to make up your mind, your bucket can brim with as many varieties as you can fit, but owner Amy Kafka says the gladioluses are looking particularly vibrant this year. (If you visit in August or September, you can fill a basket with raspberries and strawberries, too.)

Gather Mountain Blooms

  • Address: 5210 S. Highway 85, Colorado Springs
  • Dates: Now–Oct. 15, Fridays and Saturdays
  • Hours: 8 a.m.–noon
  • Cost: Admission $5; U-pick flowers $25

Wander the grounds of historic Venetucci Farms on the southeast edge of Colorado Springs in search of stems to spruce up your space. The 1936 property, now leased by three sisters, is a playground for petal-peepers. With more than 30 varieties of flowers and fillers to choose from, don’t skip a row if you want to see the full roster.

To leave with a bouquet as big as your head, reserve your spot online. Scissors, cups, and water are supplied, but if you want to go big and fill a bucket (60 or 70 stems), you’ll need to bring your own. Gather Mountain Blooms only opens its dahlia fields for cutting a few times a year, so if you want a bouquet full of these flashy flowers, you’ll need to visit during Dahlia Days ($10 admission, flowers sold separately) or Dahlia Brunch ($75), which takes place every Sunday in September.