Thursday, April 12, 2018

Marche aux fleurs — Reine Elizabeth II

The Queen Elizabeth II Flower Market was on my list of "must see" destinations during our trip to Paris. I knew it was close to Notre Dame, and thus our hotel, but I had no idea we'd walk right by it on our first stroll the morning we arrived.
Since it wasn't yet open then we came back the next day. See that bright fellow in the blue jacket and khaki pants? That's Andrew. I had no trouble locating him in Paris, everyone else was wearing black. He was like a tall neon sign.

But to the market! From Travel Paris: "The Flower Market or Marché aux Fleurs has been held since 1808 on Place Lépine, on the Ile de la Cité. It was renamed Marché aux Fleurs - Reine Elizabeth II on June 7, 2014, when the Queen of England came to France for the D-Day's 70th anniversary commemorations. A series of Art Nouveau metal pavilions, built in 1900 along the U-shaped Allée Célestion Hennion, house this picturesque and colourful market. The market offers an impressive choice of flowers, plants and shrubs indigenous to Western Europe, but also tropical plants and flowers. It is open everyday of the week from 8am to 7.30pm except on Sundays. On that day, it indeed gives way to the Marché aux Oiseaux - Bird Market"

Since our visit was in January several of the stalls were closed. However my friends Mark and Gaz just popped by last weekend and shared colorful photos here, a previous visit of theirs is detailed here.

Now that I think about it I didn't see any cut-flowers in the market. I wonder if that's a seasonal thing? January not being the best time? Then again if you remember my post about all the wonderful flower shops I did run across they certainly were to be found elsewhere.

I should also mention Marché aux Fleurs - Reine Elizabeth II is different from the shops I profiled in this post — what can I say, Parisians are plant people! And there was no shortage of plants.
All types and sizes.

This truck passed by and got me wondering about the hummingbird pictured on the side. While she was in Portland, for the Garden Bloggers Fling in 2014, Lisa Calle (descubriendo hojas) mentioned there were no hummingbirds in Europe. Perhaps this is a hummingbird hawkmoth?

The sweet little dog enjoyed keeping track of who was in his booth.

Extra storage, on the roof!

Perhaps things from last season?

Those lemons!

Who needs a tag with photos of the fruit when you've got the real thing?

I should have looked at the price on the palm.

Lomatia ferruginea

Which I noted was 62 Euro, but those flowers!

The foliage isn't bad either...

Lots of Loquats in Paris.

And this bed-head Yucca...

I saw a few of these floppy leaved guys, Yucca rostrata? Or something else? (no label)

So many cactus!
And sometimes more fruit than plant.

These cool wall planters were in a shop that forbid photos.

They come from the Flower Box Store.

I may have accidentally taken one photo inside too, they were just so well planted! I should have tried to get one home.

Weather Diary, April 11: Hi 57, Low 44/ Precip .13"

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden (dg). Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

17 comments:

  1. This is really interesting because I always think of the Brits as the flower fanatics. Guess they are not alone!

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  2. Love those colorful modernistic wall planters in the forbidden photo shop. They wouldn't fit in with any of my other accoutrements, but if I ever change things over completely, I sometimes think maybe modern would be the way I'd go. This must have been such fun to look around!

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    1. I remember reading something about how Barbara Streisand has several homes on her acres in Malibu, each decorated in a different style. Wouldn't that be the life? Well as long as someone else did the cleaning.

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  3. I really like those planters. When I was in Portland a couple of weeks ago, I went to Xera with a friend. And, next door to the container guy. HAD to buy one! Metal dish, lime green, hanging planter. I jokingly said, "Don't tell Loree Bohl I bought this!" and he said, "She already has one!"

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  4. Lomatia ferruginea might make one consider trying to get it home somehow. (A life of crime?) So many great plant places in Paris.

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  5. I like the stealthy camerawork. ;) One of those hanging containers would have gone perfectly with your decor. Quel dommage!

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  6. What a great way of keeping track on your husband! If I get back to Europe, maybe I'll put my husband in a red jacket - he's color-blind so I could tell him it's green or brownish-gray.

    I love those vertical planting boxes. I don't understand why some sellers establish "no photo" rules. Photos are great publicity.

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    1. Right? The no photo thing is a head-scratcher. This same booth had the greatest palm frond covered walls, I would have loved to share them too.

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  7. Those wall plantings look like your style! They're nifty! The flower market sounds wonderful. I remember folks all wearing dark colors in Florence and Rome, too, when we were there in March a few years ago. My mom had a bright, colorful coat, so she was easy to find/see, too. :)

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    1. Andrew noticed his "sore thumb" status, didn't seem to both him much.

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  8. That Lomatia was still there last week, must admit I was pleasantly surprised to find it there. I wonder what that Yucca is too, perhaps a unique variant or a hybrid between rostrata and linearifolia? In the summer this flower market sells some pond fish too :)

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    1. I saw a Yucca very much like that one in another part of town, seems to be a French thing...

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  9. We did see this place. Nice pics, but I was kind of underwhelmed.

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