I usually run with a theme. This week I am back on common themes. I am definitely celebrating beauty, and the explosion of Spring.
My city celebrates Spring with a flower festival, Floriade. It is Government run, and established in a beautiful location not far from the city centre. However at the same time, just down the road there is another celebration of Spring. Tulip Top Gardens is a private affair, established and run by one family. Each year they plant a LOT of bulbs. By hand. And the major gardeners are in their seventies. Which puts me to shame.
They have also planted a lot of blossom trees. Our Spring has been early. And windy. So fearing to miss the blossoms we headed off to Tulip Top Gardens first. Lots of the blossoms were past their best. Were we disappointed? NO. Settle back with a beverage of your choice and be prepared for an explosion of colour. And a lot of photos.
I could have put up a lot more photos too. Tulip Top Gardens has an entry fee but is a lot less commercial than Floriade which doesn't. Instant tea and coffee is included in that fee and there are other refreshments available. Leashed dogs are welcome, and access is wheel chair friendly. Frogs croak from the water ways and classical music plays from the trees. Do you wonder we love it?
I hope your week is packed with colour and joy too.
It's a color bonanza!
ReplyDeleteMike: It is. Each and every year.
DeleteThat looks like it was a lot of work to plant all of those flowers too. What a wonderful thing to have each year. It's so pretty.
ReplyDeleteMary Kirkland: It is a heap of work. I couldn't see any weeds either. I hope you noticed the purple flowers I featured with you in mind.
DeleteI absolutely did see the purple flowers. Thank you, so pretty.
DeleteMary Kirkland: I am glad you liked them. There will be more from Floriade. And a LOT more photos.
DeleteRiver Fairchild - Always a delight to see. Such a glorious display and must be a wonderful walkthrough for you, though I suspect tiring as well. Thank you for taking me along on the paths. Hugs to you and homage to the furry ones.
ReplyDeleteRiver Fairchild: Of course it was tiring - but I have been as tired with a whole lot less pleasure. I am so glad we went and went early. The furry ones accept their homage as their due. Thanks for the hugs that are reciprocated.
DeleteYou warned us... lots of pictures! And I loved every second I spent looking at them!
ReplyDeleteA big thank you!
Caterina: My next two Sunday Selections will be packed with photos too.
DeleteSo very beautiful. Much difference color.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend
Greetings orvokki
orvokki: It is a truly lovely place.
DeleteWhat a spectacular place, Sue! Thanks for sharing all these beautiful flowers and blossoms! Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteFundy Blue: It is indeed spectacular. And as a would be gardener I am really appreciative of the work involved. You have a great week too.
DeleteSuch colours! It is heart warming.
ReplyDeleteJenn Jilks: I didn't see any of the visitors who weren't enjoying it as much as we did.
DeleteThat is an explosion of color!
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: Several explosions - of the best kind.
DeleteThe tulips look so fabulous
ReplyDeleteroentare: They were. They are. The daffodils and annuals were special too. And the blossoming trees.
DeleteDear EC
ReplyDeleteI love these riots of colour and the positivity that no matter what, bulbs will bloom and trees will blossom at their appointed times. It's a heartwarming and delightful sight and thank you for sharing it with us.
Have a colour and joy filled week too.
Best wishes
Ellie
Ellie Foster: I riot of colour sums it up well. Such a beautiful place, such a peaceful place. I am more than happy to share the magic.
DeleteWhat a pleasure for my eyes! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSean Jeating: I am more than happy to share our pleasure.
DeleteA luscious display of flowers. The trees with the pale pink flowers could be flowering cherry trees but they look like flowering crab apples to me. We once had one beautiful specimen but when we sold the property, it was removed for no obvious reason.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: Definitely luscious. We had a crab apple which I adored. The man who lived across the road from us used to have tea parties to celebrate when it came into bloom. Someone in the street took a chainsaw to it. It may have hindered the view but all he had to do was ask and we would have trimmed it.
DeleteLovely tulips, and more. Spring is definitely in charge.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: Spring is in charge - and more than welcome.
DeleteChainsaw? May he rot in hell! Tulip Tops is gorgeous, I love the forsythia walk and the yellow daffs with red/orange spots.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you should feel shame comparing yourself to those gardeners. They probably don't have your health problems and maybe they also have a little help with all that planting, certainly they have a whole year to do it.
River: I hope he rots in hell too. I am super impressed at those gardeners, both their vision and their industry.
DeleteI look forward to your Tulip Tops visit every year and it didnt disappoint!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the pink/ purple fruit tree best seen in pic 21?
kylie: It didn't disappoint us either. I think that tree is a flowering peach, but won't swear to him. Such a deep colour.
DeleteIt's well worth paying to see these beautiful display of plants EC.
ReplyDeleteMargaret D: We think so, and with our senior's discount it isn't expensive.
DeleteWhat are the pink flowered trees? Are they tulip trees? They look, from a distance, like the cherry blossomed trees in spring that so many folks yearn to see, as a beautiful sign of spring. we have tulip festivals here too, private affairs, entry fees, not gardens, commercial bulb and flower farms, but the blooms are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteStrayer: From memory some of the pink trees are flowering peach and I am pretty sure that there were some crab apples too. Tulip Top Gardens is a private garden for most of the year that they open to the public for a month or so in Spring. While they charge an entry fee it is low and given the cost of bulbs I would be surprised if they even break even.
DeleteUp at the top, someone said "A color bonanza!" And so it is. But your pictures show the flowers beautifully. That isn't always easy to do. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteBill: Definitely a colour bonanza. And hooray for digital cameras. I took a LOT of photos and discarded quite a number too.
DeleteHi EC - just gorgeous to think about ... Spring ... so so glorious, and so well sent over the net ... wonderful pics - thank you. I'd love to visit both explosions of Spring flower feasts ... reminding me I must look at our carpet gardens along the front: if I can beat the heavy hail and rain storms ... which are now besetting us - Autumn is definitely on its way. Take care and have a good week ... xoxo
ReplyDeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: We are getting ominous warnings about the dangers of the summer to come, particularly if we continue to not get rain. I am loving spring but dreading the following month. Fire danger is already high. I hope your hail and rain storms don't cause too much damage.
DeleteWow! Those are quite something. And something for me to look forward to as we slip into the season of brown and gold.
ReplyDeleteJohn "By Stargoose And Hanglands": One family creates an incredible display don't they? I hope your autumn is gentle and beautiful.
DeleteHow lovely!!! Thank you! Mercy and I wish you a great week.
ReplyDeletee: Thank you. I hope you and Mercy have a wonderful week too.
DeleteSomehow it seems odd to see tulips in Australia, although I am not sure why it should, since plants from every corner of the world seem to appear everywhere. I am glad you enjoyed it so much, Sue. Classical music emanating from the trees sounds a whole lot more enjoyable than listening to some moron’s radio blasting out noise on the beach.
ReplyDeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: The classical music is delightful - but I prefer the sound of the frogs by the waterways. Some day I will see as well as hear them.
DeleteThis is a great way to start the day! Thank you my friend :) A stunning display for sure. Because of my love of classical music, this sounds a perfect choice in such a setting. Enjoy your day and I wish you a wonderful week ahead.
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: It really is a lovely place. I am so glad we found it and that we make an annual pilgrimage there.
DeleteHappy happy spring! Love the plethora of blooms, friend.
ReplyDeleteDJan: Thank you. I hope you are feeling much better.
DeleteOverwhelmed by beauty. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): Overwhelmed sums it up well.
DeleteEs normal que os encante y que disfrutéis de tanta belleza y olores a perfumes naturales.
ReplyDeleteA mi también me ha encantado esta explosión de color, que es un deleite para la vista y los demás sentidos.
Un saludo, amiga Sue, y a disfrutar de ese buen tiempo.
Manuel: Thank you. You are right - it is a delight for the senses and something I look forward to every year.
DeleteBeautiful flowers. If I had the money that is what I would like to do when colorful autumn arrives fly to a place that is having spring. Then when the summer starts getting hot zip off to where the winter has set in. In other words always be on top of the weather. I hope you're enjoying spring and will have a good new week.
ReplyDeleteRasmaSandra: That is one of the reasons I enjoy the blogosphere - two seasons at any one time.
DeleteWow! I wouldn't want to leave.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I have just rescued your comment from spam jail again. Leaving is always hard...
DeleteGlorious! Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Isn't it?
DeleteSuch a great way to celebrate spring! Love it!
ReplyDeleteMarie Smith: We love it too.
DeleteFunnily enough I'd just made myself a cup of tea, which I will enjoy now I've looked at all of your FABULOUS photographs.
ReplyDeleteThe colours are BEAUTIFUL, thank you for sharing the beauty of these flowers with us.
Enjoy the coming week.
All the best Jan
Lowcarb team member~Jan: Thank you for sitting though all those photos. I hope your tea didn't get cold.
DeleteAbsolutely stunning collection of shots. Made my day.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Wisewebwoman: It made our day too.
DeleteWow! Wow! And wow! Great set of photos.
ReplyDeleteJ Cosmo Newbery: It is a great place.
DeleteIt must be lovely to walk amongst so many flowers all at the same time. Thank you for sharing photos.
ReplyDeletemail4rosey: Each year when I go I promise myself I will be more restrained in my photo taking (and sharing). Each year I fail.
DeleteHey...I just noticed the title of a Rudyard Kipling book, Just So Stories. Was that the inspiration for your blog address?? 😄
ReplyDeleteSandi: It was. I grew up with those stories and can still recite from memory quite a lot of The Elephant's Child.
Delete🙂
DeleteHow beautiful! You captured the beauty so well.
ReplyDeletegigi-hawaii: It was and is so beautiful that you would have to work at it not to capture some of it.
DeleteWow! Incredible displays!
ReplyDeleteWe are looking through all these beautiful images again as we thoroughly enjoy Floriade, from here in Florida.
Have a great week EC!
Wally Jones: Tulip Top Gardens rather than Floriade this post but there will be more colour (a lot more) from that venue too. I hope you and Gini have a wonderful (and doctor free) week.
DeleteOh, wow! Beautiful. And I'm smiling as I imagine the classical music playing in the background.
ReplyDeleteDo you know if they dig up all the bulbs and plant new ones each year? If so, do you know what happens to the old bulbs? (I always wonder whenever I see a spring bulb garden, but I've never been able to find out.)
Diane Henders: They do dig up the old bulbs but I don't know whether they replant them or buy new ones. I meant to ask and didn't. Next year.
DeleteI guess it's one of those great unanswered questions that we all wonder about. :-)
DeleteDiane Henders: With luck I will remember to ask next year. I don't dig my bulbs up. Some reflower, some don't.
DeleteAbsolutely beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteMelissa Baker: Welcome and thank you. It is an incredibly beautiful place.
DeleteSo beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHena Tayeb: It is. Each and every year.
DeleteYour photos are spectacular. So much beauty.
ReplyDeleteI had meant to post something too, but the day escaped me.
Hope you figure out how to do the linky thing so we can see what other folks post as well.
Great-Granny Grandma: Thank you. I meant to work on the linky thing this week but it didn't happen. Hopefully next.
DeleteSuch a riot of colours! More soul balm. Thank you as always.
ReplyDeleteNilanjana Bose: More riots of colour coming up - which I certainly found to be balm.
DeleteOi! Such beautiful flowers! I wish I could have been there with you.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Janie Junebug: How I wish that you and a lot of other bloggers could have been here with me.
DeleteThere's just something about tulips in the spring, isn't there?
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra Cox: There is, but there is something about so many spring flowering plants. I love the freshly washed green as deciduous trees put out their first leaves too.
DeleteWOW!!! I somehow knew I would see joy and new beginnings here. Thank you, Child!!! I remember the photos from last year.
ReplyDeleteneena maiya: I try and often focus on joy. And beauty (which gives me joy).
DeleteThis is amazing post of gorgeous and stunning colours on these flowers x [my dried rose has retained the petals intact so far and hope they stay like that as I sold it recently x]
ReplyDeleteaussie aNNie: I loved your dried rose card and am not surprised it sold quickly.
DeleteWow...beautiful series of flowers...
ReplyDeletethe white flower is a new for me...they look so lovely...
and the tulips are great too...Greetings
Mbul Kecil: Thank you.
DeleteA flower festival is the purrfect way to celebrate spring. I love it.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra Cox: And two flower festivals are even better.
DeleteWow such beauty!
ReplyDeleteDebby: Welcome and thank you. Tulip Top Gardens are definitely beautiful.
DeleteIf we had a festival like Floriade here - and especially those Tulip Top Gardens - I would be there every year as well, probably mutiple times. Such beauty! No wonder you love it. I wish I could join you for a walk through all this color.
ReplyDelete
DeleteCarola Bartz: I would love you to be able to join us. I will put up the first of two posts from Floriade tomorrow. You would love that too - and would join us there every year too.
Stunning photos,
ReplyDeleteit's like they are from paradise!
I'm sure you must feel indescribable emotions there E.C.
Have a great time and enjoy yourselves! We're looking forward to the next amazing photos.
Katerinas Blog: Thank you. I delight in the beauty this family gives us - each and every year.
DeleteSo marvelous!
ReplyDeleteCloudia: It is an annual treat.
Delete