March 21th

The beautiful period with the wild daffodils ended a week earlier than in previous years. And that is mainly due to the many intense rain showers in recent weeks. Here and there you can still see a late bloomer. On sunny days, the wood anemones are now the most striking spring bloomers. Their white flowers face the sun to absorb as much heat as possible and thus attract pollinators. Their flowers are so close together that it looks like there is snow in the forest. In addition to the goat willow and blackthorn, the sweet cherry now also blooms in the forest edge. The white, closely spaced blossoms catch the eye from afar. A wild bluebell blooms here and there. But where a blue carpet of flowers is expected, it is mainly the green of the bluebell leaves that color the forest floor for now. Yesterday the installation of the rope started to keep visitors on the paths and thus protect the tread-sensitive vegetation and not disturb the fauna. Also where there is no rope, everyone must always stay on the paths. The entire forest is a protected nature reserve. The forest now looks different every week and it is wonderful to enjoy the budding spring.

The wild daffodils were not able to enjoy the warmer weather for long. Many flowers have been damaged by recent intense rain showers. The wood anemones are now the most striking spring bloomers in the forest. On a sunny day, their flowers fill the forest floor with countless snow-white stars. They continue to follow the sun to absorb as much heat as possible, which they use to attract pollinators to their stamens and pistil. Barren strawberry blooms in the light-rich forest edges. Goat willow continue to attract bumblebee queens and butterflies with their catkins. The white blossoms of the blackthorn are also popular. Small periwinkle blooms in the somewhat shady forest edges. Their relatively large blue flowers stand out among the dark green leaves. Lesser celandine provides yellow stars along the forest paths. And the leaves of the bluebells continue to emerge between and through the dry old beech leaves. And if you’re lucky, you can meet a roe deer.

Not all wild daffodils are in bloom yet. Fortunately, because those that have been blooming for about two weeks show the traces of the many rain showers. Where the sun can provide warmth on the forest floor all day long, the first small groups of flowering wood anemones appear. Along the edges of the paths, between their deep green heart-shaped leaves, the yellow ‘star-shaped’ flowers of lesser celandine emerge. Barren strawberry blooms in the forest edges. The blue flowers of small periwinkle are traditionally also among the first blooming spring flowers. The hazel trees have now finished blooming. The yellow flowers of the cornelean cherry , the flowering catkins of the willow and the snow-white flowers of the blackthorn now stand out in the forest edge. The flowers of the wood willow and blackthorn in particular are frequently visited on sunny days by bees, bumblebee queens and butterflies (red admiral, european peacock butterfly and common brimstone) that have hibernated as an imago (adult butterfly) and are looking for food (pollen and nectar). The leaves of the bluebells continue to poke through the dry beech leaves and ensure that the forest floor turns green little by little.

The first wild daffodils are in bloom. Cornelean cherry and blackthorn with its snow-white flowers bloom in the forest edge. Large arrow-shaped leaves of the Lords-and-Ladies stand out. Small wood anemones are showing up, with a small flower bud. The leaves of the bluebells poke through the dry beech leaves.

The forest continues to grow. Trees are planted at a second large planting site at the edge of the forest. Two large construction cranes have been rising above the horizon of the forest for several months. The Vlasmarktdreef bridge over the RO was demolished there last year and will be replaced by an ecoduct. The work is going smoothly but will only be completed well after the flowering time of the bluebells. The first white flowers on the blackthorn appear in the forest edges. And the heart-shaped leaves of lesser celandine can already be seen at the edges of the paths.

It is now planting time in the forest. The ‘Prima La Musica forest’, which the planting along Lorkendreef started last year, is being completed. In the meantime, the beautiful female flowers of the hazel, with their red stigmas, can also be seen. That’s really a sign that spring is coming. The first leaves of the bluebells pierce through the dead beech leaves. The snowdrops also have narrow leaves with a hard top and can pierce through the frozen soil and leaves. Fortunately, they can withstand a layer of snow and the frost that will certainly strike again. They can withstand temperatures down to -30°C, thanks to homemade ‘antifreeze’ in their leaves. Starch from the bulb is converted into sugars that act as ‘antifreeze’ in the leaves. As they flower so early, snowdrops do not rely on pollinators to reproduce. Instead, they spread via bulb division. That is why they are often found so close together. However, they may still be visited by bumblebees and other insects on a particularly warm day.

Wow! A thick carpet of snow in the forest. That was more than 10 years ago. Wonderful to take a walk in the woods. The male catkins of the hazel tree will have to wait a little longer to bloom.

A really lovely sunny spring day, finally. But as to the Bluebells, they have passed their peak of flowering. The Bluebells that have been blooming for a month are starting to wilt, the ones that have been pollinated now have visible swollen ovaries. What is beautiful now is the fresh green, transparent ‘stained glass window’ of young leaves on the trees. But these also prevent the sunlight to fully reach the forest floor. The higher temperatures have caused bumblebees and hoverflies to appear; but it is nog certain if  they can still assure much pollination for the Bluebells. Bear’s garlic is now blooming beautifully.

The Vlasmarktdreef will remain closed for cars until Sunday 07/05/2023, opening again on Monday 08/05/2023.

Every day there are more leaves on the trees. Within a few days, sunlight will no longer be able to penetrate the canopy up to the forest floor. Hopefully the sun will be out in the coming days so that the colourful fairytale time in the forest will continue for a while.

The Vlasmarktdreef will remain closed to cars until Sunday 7 May, opening again on Monday 08/05/2023. Car parks 2, 3 and 8 will not be accessible by car then. Tomorrow and on Monday, the free shuttle bus will run between Halle station and the forest (to car park 2 at the forest museum) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Cold, but wonderful weather for a walk. Ideal for enjoying a forest in spring colours. The persistent low temperatures slow everything down a bit. The Wood anemones are wilting, but slowly, and in some places they still form a flower carpet of white solar panels that do not lose sight of the sun. The tall beeches are getting their leaves, but slowly. A few high beeches already have young leaves. But it is mainly the low, thinner beeches that provide a fresh green stained glass window above the purple-blue carpet of Bluebells. The low temperatures keep the pollinators away, bumblebees, bees and hover flies. The sweet hyacinth scent is not in the air yet. But the flowers do create a fairytale atmosphere. Especially where the sunlight reaches the flower-filled forest floor, it creates all possible shades of blue and purple with the shadows of the trees. Meanwhile, Greater stitchwort, Herb Paris, Garlic mustard and Yellow archangel are also blooming. If it doesn’t get warmer and the high beeches don’t get their leaves out of the buds in the coming days, you will certainly be able to enjoy the fairytale forest until the middle of next week.

Update 28/04/2023: the Vlasmarktdreef will remain closed for cars until Sunday 07/05/2023, opening again on Monday 08/05/2023.