Boskoop, Horticultural village in South Holland, Netherlands
Boskoop spreads across both banks of the Gouwe River, with canals dividing the land into narrow strips where hundreds of nurseries grow plants. These waterways make it easy to move plants around and shape how the entire settlement is laid out.
The settlement began in 1204 under Count William I of Holland and came under the Abbey of Rijnsburg in 1222. The abbey's influence and the natural waterways helped turn the area into a nursery region.
The town hosts regular plant markets where local growers meet international buyers to display and sell their nursery products.
Two railway stations connect the village to other Dutch cities with regular trains. Visiting during the plant markets gives you the best chance to see the local nursery trade in action.
Hundreds of nurseries here focus on woody plants and perennials, making this one of the world's largest concentrated nursery regions. The sheer number of businesses gives the whole area a unique identity shaped entirely by the plant trade.
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