Whether you’re living in the city or in the countryside, you can’t have missed the beginning of spring. Everywhere you look, there’s at least one little sign of nature reviving. Maybe it’s a gigantic oak tree getting its lightly-hued leaves back, maybe it’s just a dandelion popping up from between two paves in the street. And even if that’s lacking, chances are that when you look up at the sky, you’re being greeted by a beautiful blue (even though in Belgium, it could also be rain). Spring is here and it’s not going anywhere at the moment.
And with the change of seasons, our mood has a tendency to shift as well. At the end of winter, we might get a bit down due to all the greyness and cold we’ve been experiencing for months on end. But once spring shows its colours, the sun comes back and so does vitamin D. And thanks to that very necessary vitamin, we’re feeling better in no time. Time for a fresh start in every sense of the word.
It’s not without reason that spring cleaning has been named as such. As springtime feels like a new beginning, we have a tendency to give our whole life a little clean-up. We Marie Kondo our stuff, make some purchases we’d been uhming and ahing about for a while and book that summer vacation we’d been eyeing up since forever. Given, at the end of that fresh start our bank account is feeling a little blue but well, that won’t last forever hopefully.
In the meantime, however, springtime is also the perfect moment to buy some fresh flowers for your home. It adds a touch of colour and having a bit of nature inside never hurts. Normally, we tend to buy those flowers at the supermarket or the florist, or we pick them in our own garden if we’ve got one. But actually, there’s another option too. One that tends to be a little less expensive than going to the florist and that, at the same time, keeps you occupied for a couple of hours: flower picking fields.
In Belgium, this option is getting more and more popular. The idea behind it is pretty simple. A farmer sows a field of flowers and once they’re out, you as the consumer can go buy to pick your own flowers and pay for whatever you’ve chosen. Great if you want to be sure to have very fresh flowers and if you’re interested in seeing how it all works. If you don’t yet know what to do this weekend, we’ve collected 5 places to go and pick your own flowers in Belgium.
1. Les Fleurs à Couper
With no less than sixteen flower fields in Wallonia, Les Fleurs à Couper is certainly one of the biggest players on the market in Belgium. Here, it’s all about trust, as the fields are not manned and it’s up to you to put the right amount of money in the little piggy bank next to each field. A great option if you’re in need of flowers at an unlikely hour, as they’re accessible 7 days a week and 24 hours a day!
2. FleurAkker
If you’re living in Brussels and you like to have some flowers inside pretty much all season, FleuAkker is a safe bet. Situated in Jette, it’s fairly easily to access and thanks to their handy formula, you pay a fee per season. Depending on how much you pay, you get a fixed amount of flowers you can pick. Maybe one week you don’t pick anything, maybe the next you make a bouquet for yourself AND your friends. It’s all up to you.
3. Fleurs à couper du chant des cailles
Another great address to go and pick your flowers if you’re from Brussels. You might need a bike to get you to Watermael-Boitsfort but once you’re there, Chant des Cailles is a great place to spend some time at. All their flowers are organic and you can even buy your other groceries here as well. Much nicer than going to the supermarket on a weekend if you ask us!
4. Groenatelier Pluk
If you’re living in Limburg or visiting for the weekend, you shouldn’t miss out on going by Groenatelier Pluk. Their garden isn’t always open to the public, but they put out pre-made bouquets on fixed dates if you just want to buy one. If you’re from the area, a subscription formula might be a good option. In that cased, you’re allowed into the plucking field during the summer months to put together your own little creation.
5. Wild
Anoher option in Flanders, this time in the province of Antwerp. From April to Ocotober, you’re welcome all day long to put together your own bouquet. The owners try to have a wide variety of flowers available at all moments so there should be something to everyone’s taste. You can also get gift cards for your loved ones, which we’re sure would make for a great little attention.
