Visiting the King

Did you also think the Belgian King lives in the Royal Palace of Brussels, opposite the Brussels Park? I always thought so too. But it turns out he actually lives here in Laeken, about 7 kilometres from the palace.

We’ve just passed through security and are now standing in front of the Castle of Laeken. After living in Belgium for 15 years, and working in Brussels for seven of them, I’m finally here. Not that I’m particularly interested in the Royal Family, but it felt like something I should see at least once. I had also heard that the greenhouses are incredibly beautiful and a real must-see in Belgium.

And this year I finally managed to get tickets. In previous years, I was always too late.

Time to visit the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken.

The Royal Gardens

The walk begins at the Orangery. Not long after, we step outside again, where you can choose between a short route or a longer walk. We decide on the long route of about 3 kilometres, which also takes you through part of the Royal Gardens.

It turns out to be a good choice, as the views are beautiful. It would have been even nicer with a bit of sunshine, but unfortunately that’s not the case today.

It’s fairly busy, but whenever we pause to take a photo, the crowd moves on and it quickly feels quieter again. Along the way you pass fountains, wide views over greenery and even a few ruins. If I were queen, I’d probably spend quite a bit of time in this garden.

1001 Flowers

By now it has started to rain, so I’m quite happy that we can move into the greenhouses. Outside already felt fairly busy, but compared to inside it was actually quite calm. Friday afternoon at 3:30 pm… maybe a bit naive, but I really didn’t expect this many people.

We slowly shuffle through the greenhouses at a snail’s pace. I have to admit, it’s truly impressive. Everything is beautifully maintained. And because you move so slowly, you actually start noticing all the small details.

These are the moments when you really appreciate nature. At least I do. Just look at those flowers, it’s almost hard to believe how beautiful they are. I realised I hadn’t felt that sense of awe in a while, probably not since I visited Panama. Nature is simply incredible, and the Royal Greenhouses showcase it in a stunning way.

Every now and then, a photo of the royal couple reminds us that we’re walking through the royal estate. It’s actually quite nice that they open it up to the public for three weeks each year.

I couldn’t tell you exactly which greenhouse contains what anymore, but one thing is certain: it’s all incredibly beautiful. Some sections are closed to visitors, although you can still admire them from the path. Those are actually the best spots for photos too, as there are no other people in the frame.

Denis is busy testing his new 360-degree camera, while I’m experimenting with our 90 mm macro lens. No tripod and no flash though, which makes it quite a challenge. Let’s just say it’s far from easy. The photos in this article are the best I managed to get. Thank goodness for the denoise feature in Lightroom.

While I’m quietly cleaning my lens, a group of police officers suddenly arrives. Time to keep moving, they tell us. The greenhouses close at 5:30 pm, and there’s still at least another half-hour walk ahead.

And according to the officer, the best part is still to come. Damn.

Rushing Through the Most Beautiful Part

By choosing the 3:30 pm time slot, we only have about two hours in total. And that turns out to be far too short. I could easily spend hours photographing this place.

But that’s simply not possible. Closing time is taken seriously here. When the officer notices my slightly disappointed look, he smiles and says, “Come back next year.”

So we don’t really have a choice. We move through the greenhouses much faster now. The crowds have mostly disappeared, but there’s barely any time left to properly enjoy it all. I manage to take a quick photo here and there, but the time for creativity is definitely gone.

A Shop Full of Plant Goodies

At the end of the visit, you pass through a small shop filled with all kinds of plant-related things. You’ll find plants, postcards, bulbs and various garden accessories.

We’re quickly encouraged to head towards the exit, so there isn’t much time to browse. A bit of a shame, although probably better for my wallet. To be fair, we already have plenty of plants at home. Then again… do you ever really have enough plants?

All jokes aside, this visit turned out to be ten times more enjoyable than I expected.