If you’re not new here, you may have realised that I have a thing for flowers: they brighten up a gloomy day with their touch of colour, liven up a room with their sweet scent and they are simply the sign that spring, summer and longer, warmer days are coming. So, of course, it was almost my duty to check the Floralia flower show, right next to Brussels!
Once a year, the Groot-Bijgaarden Castle, located within a 10-minute drive from Brussels, opens its gardens and greenhouses to the public for an amazing flower exhibition. Thousands of visitors come to walk around the 14 hectares park, adorned with thousands upon thousands of flowers, including more than 400 varieties of tulips.
I went there at the end of April and was absolutely amazed! First of all, when you arrive, you have to cross a bridge which leads you in front of a gorgeous 12th-century castle. Even though the castle itself is not open to visitors, from there you are free to walk around its massive garden, where millions of bulbs (literally!) are in full bloom.
What I really liked about it, on top of the beautiful flowers and general atmosphere there, was how incredibly different the flowers were from one another!
There were really hundreds of varieties of beautiful tulips (from the Netherlands), hyacinths, daffodils and many other spring flowers that were organised in neat little alleys, wide flower beds and colourful “islands” in a sea of green grass. The flower arrangements created beautiful colour palettes, mixing bright and pastel colours, and various shapes and sized.
After a walk in the first portion of the garden, which was more neatly arranged, we ventured into the “wilder” part of the park, taking pictures of literally everything. We checked the greenhouses, took pictures surrounded by flowers and walked in every alley. There was also a very tiny flower market at the entrance/exit where you could buy bulbs or flowers!
Overall, it was an amazing experience, perfect for a morning or afternoon local adventure around Brussels, to get in the mood for spring! And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some from this little adventure!
What was your latest local adventure?
Other spring-related local adventures:
Chasing flowers
– Belgium’s Blue Forest
Sunny Days with Juliette 
So beautiful!
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Beautiful photos
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It’s lovely! Thank you 😊🙏
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Flowers are certainly lovely! It’s also being in nature that can take your mind off the stress of everyday work and worries. Glad that the springtime is treating you well!
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So pretty!!! I love flowers and spending time in nature too. It’s so rejuvenating!
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I, too, adore flowers exactly for the same reason. During the early phase of the pandemic when strict lockdown was imposed, I found solace in my balcony garden with some of my plants putting up their best display of colors. And it really helped me through the anxiety caused by the inability to move freely.
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So beautiful – I love all the colours 🙂
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Oh such beautiful and vibrant pictures! Love them 😍
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The gardens are so colourful and clearly a sight to behold, Juliette! I love flowers, too and even try to grow them from seed on my little balcony as the beautiful blooms—with their colour, smell, and symmetry—provide the brief solace I often desperately seek. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Omg how absolutely beautiful those flowers look!
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Gorgeous flowers
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So beautiful!
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