Since 1971, every two years the city of Brussells, Belgium creates a stunning carpet bed of flowers in the Grand Place which is regarded as the most ‘beautiful central square in the world’. Originally the design of Etienne Stautemas, who studied in the Horticultural College of Ghent, Etienne started developing flower beds during the 1950s with begonias. Working with a team, he would later start creating more complex and creative designs with more than 180 carpets in London, Paris, Buenos Aires and Amsterdan. Begonias are highly resistant to their environment whether they be under rain, hail or shine and also provide a vast array of colour arrangements. Belgium is also the largest producer of begonias in the world.
When planning goes ahead, the designers must incorporate the size of the 75 by 24 metre square, choose a theme and even have an accompaniment of concerts every evening to go with it. It takes just 100 volunteers four hours to plant the 700,000 flowers. The festival begins on the 15th of August and lasts four days.