Every spring, the royal greenhouses of Laeken open to the public, showcasing a year’s worth of work from the greenhouse gardeners. The process involves designing the flower arrangements, maintaining the plants and trees, decorating the greenhouses, and selecting and preparing the plants that visitors will admire. The thousands of plants, trees, and flowers present a lush and verdant display, some species of which date back to prehistoric times. One of the rarest trees is the Oreopanax dactylifolius, which has survived since the greenhouse was built in 1876. Despite the challenges of temperature and humidity, the gardeners work tirelessly to ensure that the plants thrive and that the flowering evolves with the seasons. A visit to the greenhouses is not complete without seeking out Queen Mathilde’s favorite plant, the Abutilon Mega Potamium, featuring the three colors of the Belgian flag.
An unmissable event, every year in the spring, the royal greenhouses of Laeken open to the public tomorrow. On this occasion, RTLinfo takes you tonight behind the scenes of this place.
What you will be able to admire this Friday required a year of work for the greenhouse gardeners. It is necessary to design the flower arrangements, to maintain the plants, to take care of the trees and to decorate the greenhouses. Meet these men and women who work on a daily basis, in the shadows but with passion.
It sits at the heart of the winter garden, an Oreopanax dactylifolius. Rare and native to Mexico, it is the only survivor of the trees planted when the greenhouse was built in 1876, at the time of Leopold 2. “I don’t know how to see the future, but diseases are always possible. There are also insects. We are doing everything we can to keep him alive. And we have two young people. The next generation is there, we have something thing for the future”says Johan Lauwers, the head of the Greenhouses
With these thousands of plants, trees and flowers, the Greenhouses plunge us into the midst of lush vegetation. Some species are descended from prehistoric times.
After studying horticulture in Gembloux, Sébastien was hired as a gardener. He has been working in this natural setting for 9 years. “In the middle of summer, when it is very hot outside, it can be up to 35 degrees or more. We then sometimes have 70 to 80% humidity. We must always water so that the plants do not suffer too much”explains Sébastien Wauters, a gardener.
Organizing the opening of the greenhouses to the public takes a year of work. Every day, the 15 full-time gardeners inspect the premises. Each palm tree or flower requires special attention. It is also necessary to design and build the sets that make up the exhibition. But above all, it is necessary to select and prepare the plants that will be admired by visitors.
This is Axel’s job. “This is the Laeken nursery. We will take all the plants to reproduce them, either cutting them, or making seedlings, or doing layering”, specifies the gardener. “This is where they will grow until April to go to each service and be able to amaze you for a month.”
Main challenge of the installation: to ensure that the flowers are open at the time of the visits. Example with azaleas. When the greenhouses open, they will reveal their colors: white, red, pink or mauve.
The blooming of the flowers evolves with the light and the spring temperatures. It is therefore necessary to adapt to the weather even if it means cooling the greenhouse to slow down flowering.
“Sometimes we are scared. We tell ourselves that we are not going to have them in bloom, they will already have faded. Especially when we have very sunny days, we see the difference. It’s a bit stressful”says Martin Stringhetta, a gardener.
Finally, during the visit, be attentive and look for the Abutilon Mega Potamium. It is Queen Mathilde’s favorite plant. “It is greatly appreciated, because there are the three colors of the Belgian flag”concludes Johan Lauwers, the head of the Greenhouses.
A little story…in the big story of the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken.
As spring arrives, the royal greenhouses of Laeken prepare to open their doors to the public, revealing the stunning results of a year’s worth of hardwork and dedication from its 15 full-time gardeners. With thousands of plants, trees, and flowers, visitors will be transported into a lush environment, some of which are descended from prehistoric times. As you walk amongst the vibrant blooms, take a moment to appreciate the care and attention that goes into maintaining this natural paradise. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for Queen Mathilde’s favorite plant, the Abutilon Mega Potamium, with its three colors reminiscent of the Belgian flag. The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are truly a sight to behold, and a testament to the passion and expertise of the gardeners who maintain them.