Flower Carpet and floral trail cover Brussels in magical blooms
The Bloeiende Handel flower trail returns to Brussels on Tuesday. Previously known as Bloeiend Brussel, it transforms the city centre into a magical journey through art and nature. The biannual Flower Carpet will also be on show.
The event features 17 stages across various shopping streets in the city centre. The trail, which takes about an hour to complete, begins in the courtyard of Brussels' city hall with The Magic Dragon, an awe-inspiring work of art that sets the tone for the event.
As visitors wander along the trail, they will encounter Secret Garden Door at the Hotel Amigo, as well as floral installations at key locations such as the Manneken Pis and the Grand Place.
One of the highlights of this year's event is the Flower Carpet, a floral display that has become a staple of Brussels' cultural calendar. The 23rd edition of the carpet, at the Grand Place, will be on view from August 15 to 18. Visitors can climb the tower of the town hall for a bird's-eye view.
"By creating an artistic flower trail in the streets around the Grand Place, we offer visitors an aesthetic, fun, and artistic experience," says Brussels city councillor Benhur Ergen. "We also ensure that they discover our range of shops; the shop windows along the trail will be decorated with flowers for the occasion, and a flower bar will offer discount vouchers in the form of flowers."
This year's flower carpet marks a significant departure from the past, as the carpet will primarily feature dahlias instead of the traditional begonias.
Dahlias, which make up more than 80 per cent of the 1,600 square metre carpet, have been chosen for their robustness and decorative value, and are grown locally.
This year's flower carpet design comes from Océane Cornille, a street artist who works under the pseudonym Whoups. She drew her inspiration from the rootstock of plants, which she sees as a metaphor for Brussels.
"Just like the roots of a plant, these lines cross and overlap each other, creating a dense and organic network that reflects the diversity and vitality of Brussels," she says.
© PHOTO JOHN THYS / AFP
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