Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Thursday 12 October 2017

Floriade 2017

Floriade is my city's celebration of Spring.  It runs for thirty days, starting in mid September, and is an explosion of colour and scent.  It is now in its thirtieth year.

It is held in the centre of the city, in Commonwealth Park by the lake.  A few years ago we were told that changes were required and that it might be held in three or four venues.  The first year after that announcement Floriade returned to the usual location, but the display was considerably curtailed.  Not nearly as many flower beds, not nearly as many flowers and much less fun and whimsy too.  We were disappointed.    This year it is still in Commonwealth Park and we were not expecting great things.  We were wrong.  There was a concurrent sculpture exhibition which was a lot of fun, and by our second visit the garden beds were ablaze.

The festival is free to enter, though there are lots and lots and lots of ways to spend money while you are there.  Restaurants, cafes, stalls selling jewellery, chutneys, nuts, kites, fudge, soap, pearls, silk...  There are even some which sell things for the garden.  There is music, and other entertainment.  There are displays by florists and cooks.  Perhaps not something for everyone, but certainly something for a lot of people.

Over the last few posts I have showed you a lot of the sculptures and this post I am going to (largely) devote to the explosion of scent and colour which greeted us on our second trip.
Settle down with your beverage of choice (and perhaps sunglasses).  Many, many photos follow.


These naturalised bluebells were just outside the Floriade gates.






Loved the blooming hearts.








The green in the flowerbed above was parsley - doing much better than it does at our house.


















If you embiggen you may be able to see bats (flying foxes) in the photo above.  They showed no signs of being disturbed by the festivities below.

I


I have a soft spot for the Dusky Moorhens.  Another permanent resident who coped very well with the crowds.





The final photos were from the walk back to the car.  Commonwealth Park is a lovely haven so close to the city centre.

We didn't spend a lot at Floriade.  A ride on the Ferris wheel - and some fridge magnets.  I am happy to send the fridge magnets world wide (while they last) to anyone who would like one.  Please let me know in the comments, and give me your postal address (either in the comments or via email).

For the moment at least Floriade will continue to be an annual pilgrimmage.  Shortly I will post about our trip to Tulip Top Gardens - which I think is even better.



116 comments:

  1. That's a serious explosion of flowers! What a good time that must have been. Loved the bats hanging around!

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    1. Bill: I really like the bats. I look for them every year, and am always reassured to see them.

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  2. There did not seem to be hordes of humanity;perhaps it was a relatively "slow" day?
    And your moorhen is, as you know, my avatar!
    Thank you for the walk through,EC.

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    1. dinahmow: I thought of you when I saw the moorhen. And smiled when I saw one waltzing through the tulips. Definitely not tiptoeing.

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    2. Hate to say this, but it's actually a Swamphen. Moorhens are smaller and don't have the purply-blue chest. Enjoyed your blog, though.

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    3. Susan: Welcome and thank you. I am always happy to learn.

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  3. I am glad I found your blog... for all the right reasons... including the fact that I can kind of experience another spring this year through your pictures!!
    : ))

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    1. Caterina: Spring will be blazoned across my blog for a few weeks to come. I hope autumn is treating you kindly.

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  4. Ooooooh! I want to gooooo! Floriade looks heavenly. Gratis to get in can't be beat. :)

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    1. Bea: Floriade is lovely. They charged entry for a few years but numbers dropped. So now they are more subtle in their extortion (and it is optional).

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  5. The beauty is evident in the photos; it must have been even more so in person. You are to be congratulated for keeping most of your money in your possession, with all those temptations . . . I often look at my Floriade magnet you sent me last year and think of you.

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    1. jenny_o: It smelt delightful. I really wish I could convey just how good. Congratulations aren't in order though - except for books and plants I have almost total sales resistance. I just don't like shopping.

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  6. Ah...spring. I am envious, EC, though we have colour from a different source these days. Beautiful!

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    1. Marie Smith: I have been loving the beauty you are sharing. Arboreal fireworks.

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  7. Gorgeous--especially the poppies!!

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    1. fishducky: Oh good. I have a serious weakness for them and took LOTS of photos.

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  8. The pictures take my breath away. So many flowers so little time. I could wonder around in the gardens for days.
    Long live Floriade.

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    1. Sandra Cox: It really is an explosion of colour. It was so different on our second visit - just ten days later.

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  9. How can one place hold so much beauty? Incredible. No single favorite, since they all became favorites.

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    1. Susan Kane: It helps that it is a beautiful location the entire year.

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  10. Great shots. We are looking down the barrels at winter here.

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    1. only slightly confused: I hope winter treats you kindly. And gently.

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  11. This extravaganza is wonderful, year after year. Laura collects refrigerator magnets. It would be lovely to see on not a calendar or an insurance office.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: I will be more than happy to add to Laura's collection. And may dig out some other ones for her too.

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  12. The tulips are my favorite!

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    1. Sandi: There were so many different types of tulips too. I took individual photos of rather a lot of them. There are literally hundreds of photos in this years Floriade folder.

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  13. I think the naturalised bluebells are my favourite thing. When we moved to this house there was a small bed of freesias which I encouraged to naturalise over the following decade or more until we had a whole field full of them (well a front yard) It was glorious but my husband detested the untidyness of the dying plants and mowed them all so we don't have naturalised freesias anymore.

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    1. kylie: I really liked the naturalised bluebells (which had an occasional tulip too). We have some areas at home where I am letting plants do what they want - and resist any attempt at 'ordering them'.

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  14. The blooming hearts really spoke to me, so lovely. I've never seen a Dusky Moorhen, thanks for posting the photo.

    Have a wonderful week enjoying your bountiful spring days!

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    1. Truedessa: On our first visit we could see the outlines of the blooming hearts. Seeing them in full, bounteous bloom took our breath away.

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  15. I think Floriade actually looks better, by your photos, than when we saw it, maybe four years ago. At the time I thought there was a danger of it being overwhelmed by commercial activity and space, but it seems not. Yes, it has to be funded and a fine balance reached between being free and the commercial aspects to support it.

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    1. Andrew: Floriade has had a couple of less than stellar years. This was a good one. There is still a lot of commercial activity but they spread it into separate (smaller) zones this year - which was an improvement.

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  16. Wow, that's an incredible amount of flowers.
    Meanwhile we are into the heart of autumn here and a balmy eighty-five degrees...

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: 85? Bleah. You can keep that.

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  17. What a fabulous display of flowers. I am jealous that you are enjoying the beauty of spring while I am putting my gardens to bed for the year even though most are still blooming.

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    1. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: In a few months time when we are deep in the sweaty season I will be envying your weather. So much.

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  18. What a wonderful way to bring in the Spring season, EC!! Colorful gardens, new foods to try, and exercise to walk it all off. you find such great things to entertain us, and I adore it! hugs...RO

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    1. RO: My boring city does festivals weather. In Spring, and two in the early months of the new year. And I do love the celebrations of one of my favourite seasons. Hugs.

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  19. Beautiful and more. I would love to have gone along. I'm happy seeing the photos. I could spend some time there! Thanks for the viewing!

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    1. Sharon Quails: It has become a tradition, not only for us, but for lots of households. I can think of much worse ones too.

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  20. I can't imagine how anything could be better than this! Just stunning.

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    1. Alexia: I might be biased (I am) but I really think the Tulip Top display is better. You can judge for yourself a bit later.

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  21. Look at all those beautiful flowers. And look at all those bats! Glad you got to go, it was def. worth the trip (despite all the ways/people wanting you to spend your money). ;) We went to the pumpkin patch this weekend and I thought of you when we got to see the kangaroos. You don't come across those here very often/ever!! :)

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    1. mail4rosey: I hope you enjoyed the kangaroos. We do - every time we see them.

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  22. Your photos are gorgeous of Floriade - always lovely to see.

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    1. Margaret-whiteangel: It is lovely isn't it? I am glad you enjoy it.

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  23. The flowers are a feast for the eyes. What a wonderful event to have.
    I'm planting pink and white daffodils. Now why are we so crazy about something that doesn't happen naturally.
    We have a riot of autumn flowers. But in about a month we will have a freeze and the flowers will be over until January. There are some nice things about living in a warm climate.

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    1. Ann Bennett: I can't resist the double daffodils and the split coronas and those in unusual colours either. And plant more each year. For three seasons of the year I enjoy our climate. Summer? No.

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  24. What a beautiful explosion of colors, you do take some excellent pictures, along with the flowers I really like the last one with the little waterfall.

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    1. Jimmy: I like that waterfall too. We often detour on the walk to Floriade just so I can see it.

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  25. I usually enjoy seeing colorful flowers. I love to have them everywhere. No words to express the beauty of your pictures.Waterfall was nice to see. When we go to hill stations we have seen so many such water falls. The water will be good in these:)

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    1. Weekend-Windup: Waterfalls and rainbows are magic aren't they? With colourful flowers not far behind. Thank you for visiting.

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  26. The picture of the bats is my favorite -- I have a soft spot for these misunderstood creatures! Love the waterfall and tulips too. Thank you for sharing these shots!

    Marty K

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    1. Marty K: Kindred souls. I have a big soft spot for bats too. And waterfalls. And tulips.

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  27. What a magnificent feast for the eyes :) I would love a fridge magnet to add to the collection.
    My own garden is more and more neglected, so this was a joy to look at.

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    1. River: Our garden is suffering too. I will be very glad to add to your collection of magnets.

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  28. Dear EC
    Thank you for sharing your visit. What a riot of colour - perfect for brightening up a dull day.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Ellie Foster: It was a pleasure to go - and a pleasure to share.

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  29. How fabulous and colorful!The only place I've ever seen that many flowers is at Epcot in Disneyworld, Florida.

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    1. We are: Clamco: More flowers coming up. Another venue - with at least as many.

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  30. Such beautiful and amazing flowers. Love all the photos, especially the little waterfall. Thanks so much for sharing. Fabulous colors.

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    1. Mason Canyon: Thank you. It really is an explosion of colour. And scent. And smiles.

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  31. ahhhhh lovely. Shouldn't that mean we're in fall. With temps in the 90s...doesn't feel like it

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    1. Author R. Mac Wheeler: You and Alex have both alluded to temperatures which fill me with horror. I hope you get some respite. Soon.

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  32. Simply stunning, EC. I love the patterns they made with the flowers, breathtaking. I'm glad the festival returned to all it's glory.

    Enjoy the rest of your week!
    Elsie

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    1. Elsie Amata: I hope the festival retains the glory - and love that they returned to their roots this year. Off to check out your new blog now.

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  33. What beautiful flowers! I took such a nice "walk" through your pictures, and I now look forward to the tulip festival. Nice to know that spring is in full swing in your part of the world! :-)

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    1. DJan: Thank you. Spring is most definitely here. And I hope she holds off her sister Summer for a while yet.

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  34. I can never believe all the amazing and beautiful things you are able to see near your home.

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    1. Granny Annie: We are very, very lucky. And grateful.

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  35. Hi EC - those are brilliant - wonderful photos ... and how clever putting the parsley in amongst the flowers ... are there other herbs around? Do they sell/eat the parsley ...? Lovely ... and no wonder you want to visit ... fantastic spring showing ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary Melton-Butcher: I didn't see any other herbs - though in other years they have made great use of kale. Isn't it a treat to see so much colour?

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    2. Absolutely beautiful ... love tulips and Spring flowers ... cheers Hilary

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    3. Hilary Melton-Butcher: Spring is a joy. Hope your weekend is going well.

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  36. Just think of the time that went into putting that all together! The tulip photos are wonderful - it's all wonderful. Thank you for the lunchtime respite.

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    1. Lynn: A lot of time. A lot of planning. A lot of work. Which I am very grateful for. I hope that the council workers enjoy their work as much as I enjoy the results.

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  37. I'm a bit congested, and this felt refreshing. I could almost smell those beauties. Looking forward to more.

    Keep taking care of you.

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    1. Rawknrobyn: Congested? Not fair. I hope it eases off quickly. I wish you could smell the air here. It really was lovely.

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  38. That second picture is glorious. I love a mix of color.
    You have a day filled with sparkle.

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    1. Sandra Cox: I am not minimalist in anything, so big splashes of colour float my boat every time. I hope your day is full of rainbows and wonder.

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  39. Thirty days of celebration? I'm starting to like your country more and more. Do you think they would accept immigrants/refugees from the United States? Beautiful flowers!

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    1. Jono: Interestingly my city is renowned for being duller than ditchwater. Not my experience. And yes, we do welcome immigrants. Our government is 'iffy' about refugees though. Your country would be accepted. Too many are not.

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  40. The pictures are stunning. Must have been so much fun to attend and see all the flowers in bloom. Such bursts of color! Fantastic! I wish I could visit. :)
    ~Jess

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    1. DMS ~Jess: It was fun. We smiled our whole way round.

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  41. Stunning EC, the flowers, I love them.

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    1. Bob Bushell: There were some birds there you would have liked too. Black swans, Australasian darters, moorhen, wrens...

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  42. Oh I just discovered your blog - how awesome to live close to Floriade. Lucky you! whenever they show it on the garden shows I drool, and put it onto my bucket list. I was wondering where the elephant part of your name came from?

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    1. africanaussie: Welcome and thank you. Floriade is indeed a treat. An annual pilgrimage for us for a number of years now.
      My blog name comes from Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories which I grew up on. The Elephant's Child suffered from 'satiable curiosity'. As I do.

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  43. I'm glad it exceeded your expectations!
    I never thought of bats as hanging out in the sunlight. What an unusual (to me) photo. :)

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    1. River Fairchild: The bats were dozing, and come out at dusk. The area they are in is relatively shaded, and generations of them have been happy there.

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  44. Spring has sprung there. You take beautiful pictures.

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    1. Rick Watson: Thank you. It really would be hard not to take nice photos when there is sooooo much beauty around.

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  45. How very nice there is no charge and great for larger families, for everyone. Another fantastic series of photos EC. I don’t see bats/flying foxes so they were particularly interesting to me but I loved looking at every photo. Thanks very much for sharing all these.

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    1. Denise inVA: No cover charge makes it not only affordable for families but makes return visits possible. I am pretty certain that the local government does well out of the event even without a cover charge.

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  46. Nice photos. I would be near the burger van.having said that I am now a vegetarian so maybe not.

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    1. Treey: Perhaps not then. We didn't have any of the food on offer, but gorged ourselves on the colour.

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  47. The gardens are glorious! I especially like the heart-shaped displays, but all of them are beautiful. I can't remember who said it, but someone said flowers are nature's laughter. Nice, huh? Those pics sure made me smile.

    It was surprising to see the bats in broad daylight. They don't usually come out here until after the sun has gone down.

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    1. Susan: The bats have been roosting in those trees for as long as I can remember...
      I like flowers as natures laughter. She must have been wetting herself during Floriade.

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  48. my goodness you have the most beautiful places to visit, only thing I miss about living so far out is all the public gardens I no longer get to visit.

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    1. Linda Starr: We are lucky - and very little in our city is more than half an hours drive away.

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  49. Spectacular visages! I bet it smells like heaven ;-)
    We have migratory bats where I live. They drink up all the hummingbird nectar if I don't hide the feeders at night.

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    1. diedre Knight: Hummingbirds? Colour me jealous. Though I am fond of our birds (and bats) too. It did smell amazing. Spring at its very best.

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  50. Thank you for the wonderful walk among all of those lovely and colorful flowers. Enjoyed. Sigh... wish it were spring here but autumn is slowly turning our colors.

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    1. Rasma Raisters: Thank you. I am happy to share the colour in our world, until it re-enters yours.

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  51. I would never have thought about parsley in a flower bed. What a 'novel':) idea.
    You have a weekend full of sparkle.
    Hugs

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    1. Sandra Cox: They have included herbs in other years, but the parsley was particularly successful. I hope your weekend is magical.

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  52. Truly magical and beautiful! WOW!!!!

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    1. Magic Love Crow: It really is a treat. And a little later (next week?) I will post about an even better spring extravaganza.

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  53. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
    Magical, stunning, awesome ...
    I could go on...
    Splendid, spectacular, and stupendous!

    Such a lovely post, I feel as if I've walked around a wonderful garden.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. Even on a temporary basis it IS a very pretty garden.

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  54. If you have any frig magnets left, I would love one. I like the photo of the daffodils against water. I also love Bluebells, just the name alone even. I have a wild cat named Bluebell here.

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    1. Strayer: I am fond of bluebells too. They are out at home and I am really enjoying them. Sadly the last of the Floriade magnets has gone. Would you like me to look out for a different one from my city?

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  55. Wow, on the flowers. Things here are dying (autumn), but still pretty. Great collection that you shared.

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    1. The Happy Whisk: Thank you. It is still bright and beautiful here - but warming up fast. Too fast.

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