A few kilometres from the centre of Brussels lies an exceptional place where the plant kingdom reigns supreme: Meise Botanic Garden (the National Botanic Garden of Belgium). It has rich outdoor collections displayed in a landscaped park of more than 90 hectares, as well as collections of exotic plants in the Plant Palace, one of the largest greenhouse complexes in Europe. Among the countless plant collections at Meise, one particularly catches our eye: the begonia collection.
At the heart of the Plant Palace, in a small collection greenhouse, more than 170 taxa are displayed, with 51 hybrids and 125 botanical species. Cultivation is traditional, with clay pots on benches covered with a bed of sand or directly on the greenhouse floor. The substrate is a mix of leaf mould, peat and perlite. The collection, the largest in Belgium, focuses on botanical species without forgetting the hybrids, including a fine collection of Begonia Rex-cultorum. Among the most interesting taxa are Begonia cathayana, Begonia hemsleyana, Begonia socotrana and Begonia versicolor.
To protect the plants, the small collection greenhouses are closed to the public.
Informations pratiques
The garden is open all year from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with seasonal variations. Admission is €5 and gives access to the whole estate, from the greenhouses to the arboretum, including the shop and the orangery.
Meise Botanic Garden, Bouchout estate, 1860 Meise, Belgium.
www.br.fgov.be
