“You’ll see things that make you look twice”, says Anne Muller, the event coordinator. “But this isn’t about flashy designs or pristine displays. It’s about letting nature grow as it does today, within the limitations of our era.”
For 162 days, visitors can delve into the depths of Luxembourg’s nature and agriculture. The exhibition has been in the works since 2012.
According to Muller, LUGA is a laboratory – a work in progress. “We’re experimenting. If we cover everything with nets and perfect it every day, we might get lush gardens, but that’s not what we’re here to show. LUGA is about what’s visible and invisible: the plants, yes, but also the climate, the challenges we face now.”
If something isn’t working – if it’s too dry, for instance – teams are sent out to assess and respond. But overall, nature is allowed to take its course.
The road to LUGA hasn’t been easy. The idea was first floated back in 2012, but the project had to be restarted several times. With around 1,500 events planned across Luxembourg City and Ettelbruck, coordination is a major task.
“It’s not a one-person job”, Muller explains. “We’ve got a small internal team of 16, and they’re brilliant. It’s amazing how much can be achieved with so few people. We’re rowing hard, but we’re getting there – and only because everyone’s putting their heart into it.”
Luxembourg City and Ettelbruck offer a 17km long project, which will be open to the public until 18 October – 11km are in the city, 6km can be visited in Ettelbruck.
Communication has been a challenge, she admits. LUGA has opted not to print flyers, choosing instead to avoid waste and stick to sustainable principles.
As for what will remain once the event is over, that’s still being discussed.
“We’ve got a site visit next week with the City of Luxembourg and the relevant departments. We’ll go on location and evaluate what can be kept”, says Muller. “Of course, even the most beautiful garden won’t last if it’s not maintained. That’s something we need to think through carefully – because we don’t want to come back in a year and see it all in bad shape.”
