BOTANIC GARDEN OF MEISE

There’s no better season than Spring to discover new gardens and parks around the city you live in. Since Belgium is treating us to some great weather lately, I decided to make the most of it and explore the Botanic Garden of Meise (also known as the National Botanic Garden of Belgium) just a short ride away from Brussels in the province of Flemish Brabant. 

The garden is located in the grounds of Bouchout Domaine in Meise and developed around the historic Castle, which now hosts various exhibitions. It occupies a large area of land which means you can basically walk for hours admiring the different trees and some thousand plant species that grow here both indoors and outdoors, such as medicinal plants, roses, conifers and stunning magnolia trees. I was blown away by the Plant Palace, the largest greenhouse in Belgium, that consists of 13 interconnecting glasshouses where tropical and subtropical plants from all over the world grow together. Try to imagine a greenhouse labyrinth full of camelias, fuchsias, cacti, orchids, coconut palms and cacao trees – pretty amazing, right? If you visit during the summer, don’t miss the world’s biggest water lilies in the pond of Victoria House, the most humid of all the glasshouses, that also hosts carnivorous plants (!).

Before visiting the Botanic Garden of Meise make sure to check the opening hours on its website. An extra tip: make sure to stop by the Orangery cafe; it has a large sunny terrace right by the water which is calm and absolutely beautiful!  

INFO

Address: Bouchout Castle Domain, 1860 Meise, Belgium

Telephone: +32 2 2600920

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