Flowering season 2025
Permission for commercial or professional photo shoots, with or without models, or film recordings must be requested via the box office. In the Hallerbos you must always stay on the paths, also when taking pictures and filming. The soil and vegetation are fragile and very sensitive to trampling.
The use of drones is not allowed in the forest.
Only in places where the bluebells are in an open space in the forest or not under the trees at the edge of the forest, can you still find flowering specimens. But in the forest, the blue-purple carpet has completely disappeared. The bluebells have wilted, are no longer noticeable among all the other greenery on the forest floor and are forming fruit. Bear’s garlic and lily of the valley are still in bloom. Other spring flowers that are now in bloom are yellow pimpernel, wild strawberry and spiked rampion. Broom is in bloom at the edges of the forest. The golden yellow flowers attract many insects. The forest is now attractive to those who seek the cool on very hot days.
The countless young leaves on the trees provide a lot of shade and as a result the bluebells are starting to stand out less. They are also starting to wilt and the ovaries are starting to swell. And because the ferns are growing above the bluebells in some places, the blue sea of flowers is gradually disappearing. In the valleys, where the soil is wetter and calcareous, bear’s garlic provides a beautiful white sea of flowers. Meanwhile, after the wood anemones, the bluebells and bear’s garlic, the last carpet-forming spring bloomer is in bloom: lily-of-the-valley. It is mainly the leaves that provide ‘the carpet’ and are noticeable. Not all plants form flowers and the small white bell-shaped flowers hang a little hidden between the leaves. Lily of the valley grows on rather dry, fairly acidic soils. It remains wonderful to walk and enjoy the forest, but the fairytale bluebell season is past its peak.
In the valleys where the soil is moist and chalky, bear’s garlic blooms. Like wood anemones and bluebells, bear’s garlic can also form extensive carpets of flowers. Bluebells that have been blooming for a while are starting to wilt, but most are still in bloom and provide a purple-blue carpet of flowers in the forest. The crowns of the beech trees are filling up with countless fresh green leaves. Here and there, the sunlight fortunately still reaches the forest floor. If you would like to enjoy the colorful spring scene, it is best to come over the next few days. There is less light in the forest every day. Tomorrow (26/04) there is the annual bluebell jogging. It will be a bit busier than on other weekend days.
The forest is at its most beautiful now. Every now and then a cloud that slides past the sun, the shadow of the beech trunks and the young beech leaves that temper the sunlight like a stained glass window, ensure that the sea of flowers of bluebells gets all shades from light blue to dark purple. And here and there a wonderful floral scent floats through the forest. In the meantime, many other spring flowers are blooming. And they can mainly be found along the paths because that is where some extra light falls into the forest. In the coming week, every sunny day will certainly be worth taking a walk in the forest and enjoying the beautiful, soothing spring colours.
The flowering of the wood anemones is past its peak. The white petals are falling off and the beginnings of the fruits are visible on the plants that have been pollinated. But in the meantime, the white carpet of wood anemones has been replaced by the purple-blue sea of flowers of the bluebells. The flanks of the valleys are also getting a purple-blue colour. Just in time, because the leaves are opening on the large beech trees. The fresh green glass window of young beech leaves will become increasingly dense in the coming days and provide more shade on the flowers. In addition to celandine, herb-paris, greater stitchwort, Solomon’s seal and the violets, yellow archangel and wood sorrel are also in bloom. With all those spring colours, it is really enjoyable in the forest.
Fortunately, it has not rained too hard in the past few days. The white petals of the wood anemones are not damaged and, with some sunlight, lure their warmed centre of the flower, visible to pollinators. More flowering bluebells appear on the plateaus every day. But even there, there are still quite a few plants with flower buds that need to open and flower stems that need to grow. On the flanks of the valleys, flowering is slower. But in combination with the fresh green, transparent young beech leaves of the low beeches above the flowering bluebells, the forest is completely in the spring mood. Wonderful to enjoy while walking and to relax among those soft spring colours and singing birds. In the meantime, the first delicate flowers of the herb-paris are also blooming. The flower buds of the Solomon’s seal are ready to open.