London’s Columbia Road Flower Market

If you come to visit me in London and your trip includes a free Sunday there is a VERY high probability we will start our morning at the Columbia Road Flower Market.  From where I live in Islington (or really anywhere in London) it is not convenient to get to on public transport but it is worth making the effort.     As you might guess, it is located on Columbia Road, in East London, just north of Shoreditch.    The market is open all year, rain or shine,  beginning at 8am (though the vendors, I am told, arrive at 4am to set up) and by mid day it begins winding down.  I have only ever gone in the morning but by 1pm most of the good flowers and plants will be gone and the florists and gardeners begin offering great deals so they do not have to take their greenery home.  Thus, while it officially closes at 3pm, I would suggest getting there by noon at the latest.

I usually start from the top of the street, picking up a flat white at Jack Garcia Coffee and taking a peak in Peponita Shoes & Coffee before heading into the maze of flowers and plants! When you are done with the Columbia Road Flower Market, it will likely not take more than 15 or 20 minutes, you can head south to Brick Lane and take a walk down that fantastic open air shopping and check out some of the famous Shoreditch sites! 

Despite the amount of times i have gone in the past year and a half I have only ever purchased flowers once (for this post, actually) but now that I am not traveling every week to Germany I need to go back again soon and buy some planets for my apartment as I will finally have the time to water them!  Take a look at all of the gorgeous blooms below and I think you will see, Sunday’s at Columbia Road Flower Market really are something special! 

Does this Columbia Road Flower Market look like your kind of place?