This year I’m taking a London summer staycation. After months of trying to plan a holiday abroad with the family we finally decided that everyone’s schedules were too chaotic and it just wasn’t going to work out. I was bummed and in desperate need of a week off to re-boot so I decided to stay in town and take advantage of everything London has to offer. There is so much to explore right here in my own city. I’ve really been looking forward to doing some of the things I never get around to doing because life just gets in the way.
I usually get a pretty bad case of the Sunday blues with Monday looming over me like a dark cloud but not today! This morning I rose early and headed over to East London to Columbia Road Flower Market – a destination I’ve always wanted visit. On Sunday mornings the street is an oasis of flowers, plants and trees. I got to the market by 8:30am and the hustle and bustle was already in full swing! The air was filled with a buzzing energy and uplifting floral scents wafted around me in the early morning breeze.
There are lovely cake shops, vintage clothes stores, delis and antiques as well as pubs and cafes all woven together by the common thread of the flower market.
The market has a rich history and was named in honor of the heiress and philanthropist Angela Burdett Coutts who built the original Columbia Market. The Victorian shops that line the road today were built during the 1860’s. There was a thriving wood trade in the area during the time – wood turning and milling factories peppered the area until the late twentieth century. In the 1970’s the area went into decline and demolition was suggested but the locals fought back and the market and its surrounding areas were saved!
After purchasing some lovely bundles of Eucalyptus, Cabbages, Thistles and many more I headed over to Spitalfields and Brick Lane. I was a little too early and the markets were just starting to set up but I definitely plan on going back later in the week for a good curry!
Columbia Road Flower Market is open on Sundays from 8am – 3pm.
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