HAPPENING 16-17 MAY 2026 | Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum will host its spring plant market, known in Dutch as De Plantenmarkt, on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May. The weekend brings specialist growers, sustainable plants, children’s activities and practical garden inspiration to one of Rotterdam’s greenest corners.
The market runs from 10:00 to 17:00 on both days at Trompenburg on Honingerdijk. Regular garden admission applies, while entry is free with a valid Museumkaart, Rotterdampas or annual walking card.
Specialist growers fill Trompenburg
During the market, you can browse perennials, unusual shrubs and trees, bulbs, cacti and rare houseplants. The growers focus on well-rooted plants, often grown without pesticides, with some grown peat-free or fully organically.
That makes this a useful weekend whether you have a large garden, a balcony or just a windowsill that is currently looking a bit tragic. Trompenburg is also adding children’s activities, and the terrace will be open for coffee, cake or lunch.
Sustainable plants take centre stage
Trompenburg is using the market to highlight plants grown more calmly and responsibly. These are plants raised without chemical pesticides, preferably in peat-free soil, and with many of the qualities associated with organic plants.
The garden notes that not every grower can label plants as organic, partly because certification can be expensive and time-consuming. The point here is still clear: plants that grow more slowly and steadily are less likely to collapse the moment they land in your Rotterdam garden or balcony pot.
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New growers join the route
New growers this year include Belle Epoque, a rose nursery from Aalsmeer with climbing roses, standard roses, shrub roses, strongly scented varieties and even edible roses. Belle Epoque can be found near the entrance square on Saturday.
Buitenkweek from Delft will also join the market, bringing nature-friendly, often native garden plants that support bees, butterflies and birds. You will find Buitenkweek near the entrance square on Sunday.
Garden favourites return
Several growers are also highlighted as ones to look out for during the weekend. Wil van Ooij brings a collection of trees and specialises in Cornus and Magnolia, alongside plants such as Acer, Pinus and Picea.
Kwekerij Aaldering and De Stek focus on organic perennials, including Epimedium and Geranium, with plants for shaded, semi-shaded and sunny places. Happy Garden from Belgium brings Hostas, Irises and Hemerocallis, plus peonies and poppies, while Kwekerij Ferdinandushof offers unusual perennials such as special varieties of Helleborus, Astrantia, Geranium and Persicaria.
Plants for balconies and windowsills
The market is not only for people with a proper garden. De Koffiestek kamerplanten brings unusual houseplants, with a focus on sustainable plants, peat-free soil, semi-hydro culture and recycled materials.
Sjaculenta offers special succulents, including cacti and other fleshy plants. Many are suitable for windowsills, while some can also be placed outdoors in summer or even survive winter conditions.
Climb an oak tree
On Saturday 16 May, visitors can climb one of Trompenburg’s special oak trees with tree carer Andries and his colleagues. The tree is a Quercus robur ‘Cistata’, and participants climb safely with proper equipment while Andries explains his work high in the treetops. Trompenburg describes it as a unique experience for the whole family.
Practical details and parking
Trompenburg advises visitors to wear suitable walking shoes, as the market route runs through a large part of the garden and includes unpaved paths. The market is accessible for wheelchairs, prams and rollators.
Bring your own bag for purchases, and bring both cash and a payment card, as not every stall accepts card payments. There is no cash machine nearby, which is exactly the kind of tiny detail you only discover too late if nobody warns you.
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Event details
Event: Plantenmarkt Trompenburg
Dates: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May 2026
Time: 10:00 to 17:00
Location: Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum, Honingerdijk 86, Rotterdam
Admission: Regular garden admission applies, free with Museumkaart, Rotterdampas or annual walking card
More information: https://trompenburg.nl/event/plantenmarkt/
How to get there
Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum is in Kralingen, close to Erasmus University and the Woudestein area. Tram lines 1 and 11 stop at Woudestein, a short walk from the garden, and tram 7 stops at Erasmus Universiteit, also within walking distance.
If you are coming by car, Trompenburg advises parking at De Plazaparking of Erasmus University, with the entrance on Burgemeester Oudlaan. Day tickets for Erasmus Parking Plaza or Excelsior Parking cost €7.50 at the entrance.
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