Hundreds of begonias and dahlias will perfume the Grand Place in Brussels this weekend.

It is the 20th “Flower Carpet” display, a biennial event which this year has a Japanese theme.

This year is marking the 150-year diplomatic friendship between Belgium and Japan.

What are the designs?


Among the designs laid out in the 15th century square are:


A Japanese crane
A bird symbolising good fortune and longevity


Koi carp


The flowers in numbers



600,000 blooms
75 metres long
24 metres wide


100 workers and volunteers


In tweets


Don't miss the biennial event! A flower carpet is laid on Grand Place from 12 to 15 August. Photo cr. visitbrussels pic.twitter.com/LqRYgfQDh7— CreativeMorningsBRU (Brussels_CM) August 12, 2016


Flower carpet in Brussels is August 12 -15, 2016. pic.twitter.com/My18P8gMcl— Travel for Kids (@travel_for_kids) July 30, 2016


600,000 begonias, 100 assemblers: the Brussels Flower Carpet is back https://t.co/l7LTAiIyIN pic.twitter.com/PcRNtvNt6x— Expats in Belgium (@ExpatBelgium) July 31, 2016


600,000 flowers in Brussels' 20th Flower Carpet display in the Grand Place! This year's theme is Japanese pic.twitter.com/1U6erbF0XS— AJ+ (@ajplus) August 12, 2016


Flower Carpet, the time when the Grand Place turns into a beautiful flower oasis. Info on: https://t.co/D5ijqU9AOL pic.twitter.com/cQDycVyCQn— The Hotel Brussels (@TheHotelBXL) August 2, 2016


What they are saying


“The patterns and symbols of the flower carpet express happiness and peace,” – Fujie Suzuki, a lead designer.

“It takes us two years to create and assemble a carpet like this,” – Johan Aelterman‘s family flower-growing business has been involved since the first event in 1971.

“We are from Hiroshima, which is famous for its peace park but is very different. We do not have such colourful flowers there, so I am really surprised,” – Japanese tourist Misa Kitatani.