One of the most awaited cultural events of the Brussels is the famous biennial floral carpet show which takes place in August every alternate year, in the central market square, popularly known as Grand Place or Grote Markt. The square is the most important tourist destination and one of most famous landmark in Brussels.

The art of making floral carpets is very old and is in vogue in several countries where floral carpets are generally made on some religious or social occasion. However carpets in other places are not as beautiful as the carpets created exclusively from begonias in Brussels.

The tradition in Brussels was first started in 1971 at the Grand Place when the landscape architect E. Stautemans made first giant floral carpet. Thereafter carpets were made here in 1976, 1979, 1980, 1986 and then every second year.

Next carpet show is scheduled for weekend of 13-15 August 2010.

About 700,000 flowers are used in the carpet making and every time a different theme is undertaken. The planning work starts a year in advance. Once the theme has been decided, the number of flowers and colour combinations are estimated and the outlines prepared. A day before start of the event the square is cordoned off and rolled grass turf is laid in the square as per pre-planned sketch to fill-in the empty spaces between the floral pattern. On the main day about hundred experienced gardeners take about four hours to complete the giant carpet, measuring about 77 x 24 metres, by closely packing together one by one, begonia flowers of different colours. It is arduous work and a very tight packing is made (300 flowers per square meter) so that the flowers are not blown away by the wind.

The dense packing of flowers can be seen in this picture taken during the August 2008 show.


Image from Flickr is by Kmeron

Here are few photographs of carpets of last few years;

2002

Image from Flickr is by Beaukiss Steve

2002

Image from Panoramio is by goldi1

Aug 2004

Image from Flickr is by Vancayzeele Olivier

Aug 2006

Image from Panoramio is by Mingo

Aug 2006

Image from Panoramio is by Noisette

The slightly raised stars were provided with a rotary motion.

Aug 2008

Image from Flickr is by gbatistini

Aug 2008

Image from Panoramio is by Noisette

Source of info and Official Home page: http://www.flowercarpet.be. More information and themes/images of all the previous years are available at the official home page.

Note: Some more photos can also be seen in this post by Noisette in F&G section.

Credits Ummeayaan for bringing this spectacular show to my knowledge and Noisette for encouraging me to make the post in GEC.

Copyright: Photos provided by Panoramio and Flickr are under the copyright of their owners.

Very nice post JM

2004 was an art nouveau theme which is a particular love of mine

2002 was the year it was very hot, and by the time I got to see the carpet on the Sunday afternoon, the grass was all brown and the flowers faded. So much so, that I looked at the official photos that were for sale, and they were so different to what I was looking at, I wondered why they had no photos for that year, and if they had sold out. It was unrecognisable. Such a shame, but that happens sometimes (though not very often here! ).

AMAZING!