Hoogstraten Groenen en Bloemen: Weekend Reflections

It’s late Sunday evening, and as I sit here in Bruges after an intensive day preparing for tomorrow’s Advanced EMCprogram.com class, my thoughts keep drifting to Hoogstraten. The show opened Friday night to wonderful crowds, and all weekend visitors have been discovering the floral installations woven through the streets.
My piece — built with orange paprika, pink dahlias, Vanda orchids, and Gloriosa lilies — has been living its own life these past few days, telling its story to strangers while I’ve been immersed in lesson plans and classroom setup. There’s something beautifully bittersweet about creating art that continues without you.
Tomorrow is the final day before the show closes tomorrow evening. I wish I could be there to see it one last time, but I’m grateful for the images and messages that have kept me connected to what we all created together.
None of this magic happens without Tom De Houwer’s exceptional leadership, the 16 international designers who brought their vision and support, and the 130 incredible volunteers who make dreams become reality on the streets.
If you have a chance tomorrow, don’t miss experiencing what we’ve built together. Some stories are meant to be brief and bright.

X