On Wednesday the skinny portion and I went, as we do every year, to Tulip Top Gardens, which is less than fifty kilometers from where we live. It is always a delight and puts our home grown Floriade to shame (and we go there every year as well). Floriade is free to enter but makes up for it with the intense marketing within its boundaries. The Tulip Top Gardens entry fee for an adult is $12 which includes a sausage sandwich and a free cup of tea or coffee. I don't eat meat so the skinny portion got two sausages - which won't go astray at all. He still badly needs building up.
The entry to the gardens is down a very steep path flanked by blossom trees (there is also a level entry for people with disabilities).
(Clicking on any of the photos will enlarge them.)
At the bottom of the walkway there is a small bridge. I couldn't see any, but I could certainly hear the frogs.
Looking to the left...
Looking to the right...
Looking straight ahead.
We ambled along, basking in the sunshine and taking photos as we went. Classical music plays from the trees and there are small groups of chairs dotted around the gardens. There is a small waterfall, cascading down the hill to the ponds below.
Still walking...
A bed of forsythia with brilliant purple pansies beneath them.
Another steep path, going up to a look out spot. My legs are often reluctant to move, and make me pay for exertion, but I was showing them who is boss. (Incidentally they are, but I am still glad I did it.)
And the views across the valleys were definitely worth the spasms that the climb caused and is causing. Aren't they just lovely?
Down to the ground level gardens again .
And up the path again to the car park. Isn't it a delightful outing?
The entry to the gardens is down a very steep path flanked by blossom trees (there is also a level entry for people with disabilities).
(Clicking on any of the photos will enlarge them.)
At the bottom of the walkway there is a small bridge. I couldn't see any, but I could certainly hear the frogs.
Looking to the left...
Looking to the right...
Looking straight ahead.
We ambled along, basking in the sunshine and taking photos as we went. Classical music plays from the trees and there are small groups of chairs dotted around the gardens. There is a small waterfall, cascading down the hill to the ponds below.
Still walking...
A bed of forsythia with brilliant purple pansies beneath them.
Another steep path, going up to a look out spot. My legs are often reluctant to move, and make me pay for exertion, but I was showing them who is boss. (Incidentally they are, but I am still glad I did it.)
Down to the ground level gardens again .
And up the path again to the car park. Isn't it a delightful outing?
Fantastic series :) Great flower shots!
ReplyDeleteDelightful is an under statement!
WildBlack: I look forward to it each and every year. And had to be quite vicious in whittling back the number of photos I just had to put up here.
DeleteSo Beautiful! I miss spring with all the fresh new plants. But it is kind of sad here at this time of year to be cutting them back. But that is the way fall is.
ReplyDeleteTeresa: It is a beautiful time of year - and these incredible gardens showcase it well.
DeleteReally lovely. Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful shots. I hope your legs aren't too sore - it certainly looks as if it was worth the effort!
ReplyDeleteAlexia: It was worth it. My legs have woken me up with screaming cramps every night since - and it is still worth it.
DeleteWoW! What a beautiful place to spend some time. Thanks for taking us there on this grey, drizzly morning . . . I can almost smell the Spring.
ReplyDeleteI love those "flame tulips" I've no idea what they're called but they sure look like fire, how stunning.
So pleased to see that you're both out and about enjoying the Spring.
I'm rushing off for an assessment right now, but will post later, definitely. It's been a very busy week. Busy is good.
Thinking often of you both, thanks again for such wonderful pictures, with love x
bugerlugs63: Thank you so much. I am looking forward to reading about your busy week.
DeleteBeautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
ReplyDeleteStarting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: Oh it was.
DeleteGorgeous. Really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDave King: They are incredible gardens and I am amazed that two people do all the planting - by hand.
DeleteWow! Amazing beauty! I love tulips
ReplyDeleteSherri: I love tulips as well.
DeleteWhat an abundance of tulips and other flowers! I enjoyed strolling through the gardens with you, EC. And it seems that the skinny portion is well enough to accompany you these days. What a lovely day you had. Your pictures are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteDJan: My walk pales into insignificance beside yours, but this is a simply lovely outing. Each year.
DeleteWow! These are lovely. Definitely feels off for me to be looking at tulips since we're plunging into autumn here! :-) Enjoy your spring.
ReplyDeleteOne Minnesota Writer: It is one of the delights of the blogosphere that we get to celebrate seasons twice each year.
DeleteHoly tolitas! That was quite the journey. They ought to post your pics on their website, those are fantastic. It makes me realize how not ready for winter I am, though. *sob!*
ReplyDeleteCarrieBoo: The photographs they have on their website are impressive. I like to take my own though. Happy snapping away. And still taking the time to enjoy it without my eyes to the viewfinder.
DeleteAll this beauty and classical music, with a sausage sandwhich too! What a lovely outing. Your photos are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteKaren: Even without the cuppa and the snosage sandwich I think the gardens give really good value for money. And the music drifting through the trees just adds to it.
DeleteThank you for sharing all these gorgeous pictures! They could be enlarged and framed. (You should start selling some of your photos!) I love flowers and tulips are one of my favorites. Maybe because they don't last very long and they are such a treat to see. It's just so strange to see that spring is happening right now in some places on our earth! So glad you made the walk for us!!
ReplyDeleteBECKY: Gardens and gardening are some of my many obsessions. Tulip Tops reminds me why they are. And I didn't spot a solitary weed. Humph.
DeleteSpring is outstanding. I can hardly wait for summer! Thanks for taking the walk.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: I can certainly wait for summer. I would be happy to stay in a time warp of spring. Or autumn. Or winter.
DeleteGlorious gardens.
ReplyDeletemybabyjohn/Delores: They are incredible gardens and the work that goes into them puts me to shame. One couple - with intermittent help from their family.
DeleteWhat beautiful gardens, and it looked like you had a beautiful day to enjoy them! They reminded me tremendously of our visit to Keukenhof in The Netherlands many moons ago. Such fun eye candy!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe it's early spring there, I know you're tickled as pink as some of those lovely blooms! :-) It snowed here today!! Argh.
Enjoy your weekend!
Laloofah: We did have a lovely day (though it is getting a little warm for me now). I went to visit Keukenhof and loved it - thank you so much for the link.
DeleteWhat an incredible place and lovely photos! I'm always amazed to be reminded of the flip-flop of our season compared to yours. Enjoy your springtime! (I turned on my furnace yesterday...)
ReplyDeleteRon Dudley: It is just off the highway - and the noise disappears in the gardens. It is a blissful spot - and I noticed several of our native birds but there were too many people for good photos of them.
DeleteIncredible and what a splendid, colourful visual delight. "Tulip Top Gardens" is a joy to behold. Reminds me of "Butchart Gardens" on Vancouver Island, Canada.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this and what a lot of photos you have shared.
Have a peaceful weekend.
Gary
klahanie: Thank you - and a wonderful weekend to Penny, to you and to Tristan as well.
DeleteOh EC what a line up of truly magnificent photographs and thank you so much for sharing. You are amazing to do all that walking and I'd take my hat off to you if I wore one. Just joking....I do so admire you for what you make yourself do. I'd love to amble through such beautiful gardens but for me it would have to be a wheelchair with poor old MOH pushing me!!!
ReplyDeleteThe colour yellow always takes my eye but one pic that was lovely was the one of the little violas (heart's ease?). Once again thank you for taking us through such a beautiful place.xx
Mimsie: It is such a beautiful place. Much of it is on the level, and there are chairs dotted about so you can sit and just absorb the beauty. No-one (except my silly self) made me do the long and steep bits. Heart's ease it was. Literally and figuratively.
DeleteThat looks like such a beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty: It is a truly beautiful place. It is just off the highway - and you would never know it.
Deletesuch pretty pictures
ReplyDeleteAdam: Thank you so much.
DeleteDear EC, thank you for inviting us along on your visit to the loveliness of spring "down under." Here, we are enjoying crisp autumn days as the trees take on their final fling before letting go of their drapery!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed all the paths and the tulips and vistas, but one photograph in particular stays in my mine and this is of a single white/cream-colored tulip that looks as if it's blushing. Peace.
Dee: I also really liked that blushing tulip and have five or six photos of the bed and individual blooms. I am so glad that you liked the amble through.
DeleteLovely, we are at the furthest point in the year from my tulips making an appearence. The trees are turning golden and dropping their leaves and there is the crisp feel of winter in the air. It's also lovely but I love my spring flowers!
ReplyDeleteMrs Midnite: Welcome. I think that our tulips have only a week or so left before we steam forward into summer. I find myself yearning for your crisp weather.
DeleteThe flowers are so beautiful. I love color, EC. Thank you for posting such gorgeous photos!
ReplyDeleteStrayer: Thank you for indulging me in indulging in one of my obsessions. It was a lovely, lovely day.
Deletephew
ReplyDeleteI had to have a sleep and a break half way during y look at these
lovely!!!!!
John Gray: I did get a bit carried away I know. And there are many, many more photos I could have put up.
DeleteIt's nice to think it is spring round there, just as Autumn takes a firm hold on things here. I may need to start wandering the globe just following the spring, my favourite season, although I think I'd have to meet up with summer and winter at some point. I've not really thought this through, but thinking things through is usually a mistake, I find.
ReplyDeleteDon QuiScottie: It is really only summer that I could happily miss. It seems that there are a lot of us who could travel the globe looking for better weather. I would often like a Tardis for personal use. I don't think I have the world saving skills (yet) but would happily go along for the ride...
DeleteThese gardens are stupendous! Wonderful!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Sissym: Welcome and thank you.
DeleteWhat beauty - and to think it's all done by the one couple - amazing! Thank you so much for these; they are a real treat.
ReplyDeletejenny_o: Thank you. I always look forward to our annual visit, and have never been disappointed.
ReplyDeleteWhat magnificent gardens. You know i'm a fan! Will have to visit next spring. I have noted their website.
ReplyDeleteMrs Catch: Tulip Top Gardens are open for the same time as Canberra's Floriade. I much prefer Tulip Tops though I go to both every year. Beautiful, beautiful places.
DeleteDear, Sweet, Wonderful Sue,
ReplyDeletehow did you know tulips were my fave. flower?!
I do believe this is what heaven might be like.
Sending you love from Minnesota. Xxxx Kisssss
My Inner Chick: It is such a wonderful place. We go every year, and every year I am blown away by the beauty and the serenity. And all this glory is hand planted by one couple. A couple who are no longer spring chickens. Amazing.
Delete