The spring flower exhibition in the park and the greenhouses of the Belgian castle of Grand Bigard (Groot-Bijgaarden) offer an unforgettable flower experience: Floralia Brussels. The park of 14 hectares incorporates nearly all spring bulb varieties. For the new flowering time, the gardeners of the castle have planted by hand more than one million bulbs. Special attention goes to the tulips, with almost 400 varieties, hyacinths and daffodils are also well represented.
Floralia Brussels 2021
The creation of this flower exhibition is possible thanks to
the participation of major Dutch bulb producers and exporters.
The design and the realization of the Flower Show in Grand Bigard have been taken care of by Maarten Bakker, a descendant of a famous family of bulb producers in the Netherlands. He looks always for the most interesting varieties and the creation of the flowerbeds. He searches across the Netherlands in order to find the most beautiful species and the most talented producers. Maarten composes the different gardens while taking the diversity of the colors as well as their time of blooming into account.
History of the Castle
The Entrance
The tourists have always admired the beauty of historical monuments and castles. The province of Brabant is home to several of them, which testify to a glorious past. The castle in the village of Grand Bigard (Groot-Bijgaarden), 7 km from Brussels, is surrounded by a large moat, its deep waters reflect the centuries-old beech trees. A five-arch bridge, headed by two heraldic lions from the 17th century, leads the visitor to the drawbridge that gives access to the fortified entrance from the 15th century.
The Castle
The castle itself was built in the 17th century, a vast edifice and a wonderful example of the Flemish Renaissance style. It consists of a long main building in red bricks, contrasting with the white stone windows and the blue slate roof. The chapel, on the right-wing, has remained unchanged for the last three centuries. The left wing of the castle is surmounted by a bulb-shaped roof.
The Donjon
The Donjon, built around 1347, is a 30-meter high structure next to the fortified entrance. The tower has four floors and the walls have a thickness of two meters. You will have a panoramic view on its roof terrace from where you can see the Atomium and the city of Brussel.
Amazing Beauty
No more words needed: take a look at these gorgeous pictures and pretend that you are there.
