The wood anemones keep flowering beautifully. In the parts of the wood where wood anemones and bluebells grow together, the purple-blue patches are getting bigger. The edges of the valleys stay green for the time being; but wherever the sun can reach the bluebells all day long, the purple-blue bluebells are growing out from the green carpet of leaves. The wood is slowly getting that magical atmosphere. Unfortunately, the first traces of destruction are seen from visitors that step on the bluebells to take pictures, what a shame! Some high beeches are already coming into leaf, due to the sudden summer temperatures. More hot days are forecasted and so, everything may happen very quickly. Hopefully all bluebells get a chance to flower before the beech leaves take away most of the sunlight. The next ten days, the wood is going to get more beautiful by the day, getting a purple-blue flower carpet. Along the path, lesser celandine keeps flowering. In the shadow of the pine trees, wood-sorrel is flowering. Lords-and-ladies is ready to flower.

The forest is more beautiful by the day. The wood anemones are flowering magnificently and at times they fill the air with their fragrance. There are a few flowering bluebells, but the next days most bluebells will still be in their buds, still waiting to start flowering. The first graceful fern curls are unrolling. You can follow a signposted bluebell walk with two options: a 5,1 km walk from Achtdreven (purple sign posts), or a 4,8 km walk from Hogebermweg (purple sign posts with a white line). These two walks are two loops that get together along Tranendal and as such can be combined. The route from parking 11 at Houtveld, towards Achtdreven, is also signposted (1,6 km). The walking map is handed out for free the coming weekends by Bluebell-volunteers, it can also be downloaded here.

It is a rare sight to see the wood anemones flower as beautifully as they do now. The wood, on a sunny spring day, is magnificent. Every day there are more flowering wild bluebells. In the warmer areas of the wood, a hint of purple-blue appears above the deep green bluebells’ leaves. We will not yet see the bluebells at their flowering peak this weekend, but every sunny day is a wonderful spring event. From this weekend onwards, the special traffic arrangement starts, with the free shuttle bus. The Vlasmarktdreef is closed, except for the shuttle bus, for buses and drivers who have an identity document for the disabled. More information. If you prefer to enjoy spring in the wood in a quiet way, come on weekdays. The late afternoon is also a nice time to walk in the wood.

The wood anemones are in full bloom now. Their white petals, yearning for the sunlight, give a wonderful spring atmosphere. Hidden between the wood anemones, dwarf periwinkle has been flowering for some weeks. The fragile, rare belgian gagea is a magnificent spring flower, which forms an exceptional amount of flowers this year. The first wild bluebells attract some curious insects. It will take some time before the bluebells turn the wood into a purple blue sea of flowers. The nuthatch keeps renovating its nest. Yesterday, the first chiffchaff’s call was heard in the wood.

A first wonderful, warm spring day. Wild daffodils keep flowering. The yellow stars of lesser celandine enjoy the pleasure of the sun. The less conspicuous moschatel with is die-like shape is ready to bloom. Wood anemone is the most conspicuous spring flower of the moment, on sunny day they form a white sea of flowers in the wood. Here and there the first bluebell flowers appear. But it will take some more days before we get to see more of them. A nuthatch is renovating a former woodpeckers’ nest. The birds that are heard or seen most now are: great tit, blue tit, chaffinch, green woodpecker (its laughing song), song thrush (especially in the morning), great spotted woodpecker, robin and of course  nuthatch.

The daffodils that started flowering first, start to wither now; but many other ‘Easter flowers’ are still flowering. The leaves of the low sycamore maple begin to unfurl. Just like the common brimstone, the peacock butterfly comes and indulges in the willow catkins. Wood anemones cover great parts of the forest with their white flower carpet. They will be the most conspicuous spring flowers for the next ten days when the sun is shining. Along the paths, the yellow stars of lesser celandine absorb the sun. The bluebells need some warmer days to start flowering. The forest will not turn purple-blue until the second half of the Easter holidays.

It is worth the while to come to the forest on any sunny day, to enjoy the awakening spring. The wild daffodils are in bloom. More flowering wood anemones emerge every day. The bluebells still need some warm days to start to flower. In the edges of the wood, colstfoot, blackthorn, cornelian cherry and willow are starting to blossom. The pollen of the male willow catkins are an ideal food source for common brimstone and bumblebees.

The wild daffodils are now fully in bloom. Along the edges of the paths, we see he yellow stars of lesser celandine. When the sun appears, some tiny white carpets of wood anemones can be seen. But a lot of plants still have to start their bloom. The leaves of the wild bluebells turn the forest floor green; a few flower buds are appearing on some places. Nothing is growing, though, where last year’s photograpers who did not keep to the paths, stood between and on the flowers. Those are now flowerless spots only covered in dead beech leaves. It will be one more week before the wood anemones are in full bloom. You need some more patience for the bluebells, they will probably reach their peak in the second half of April.

There are more flowering wild daffodils by the day. They will be the most conspicuous spring flowers for the next week. Small wood anemones start appearing, but they are far from forming a white flower carpet. Still deep between the leaves, a few flower buds of bluebells are hidden, but a ‘blue forest’ is not yet imminent. Roe deer enjoy the quiet in the wood. It is important to stay on the paths not to disturb them, you can enjoy the plants and the animals while always staying on the paths. Please respect their home when visiting the forest. In April and in early May there will be a special accessibility arrangement over the weekend, which can be found here.

A sunny sky, no freezing temperatures, perfect weather for spring flowers. The wild daffodils hold their heads up again and enjoy the sun. The first flowering wood anemones turn to the sun, gathering as much sunlight as they can like real sunbathers. On sunny slopes, the first yellow stars of lesser celandine appear. Tomorrow afternoon, in the bosmuseum, the practical approach to the coming bluebell’s time will be presented to the press, as well as the new walking map.