Tuliptop Gardens - the extravaganza

A little while ago we went to Floriade, and I mentioned that I was a little disappointed.  Many of the comments I received on that post made me wonder whether I had got jaded and was expecting too much.

This week we went to Tuliptop Gardens.  I was battered and bruised and a little hesitant about being seen in public (and then I thought about it, and realised that it probably took more courage on the part of my Smaller Portion to be seen beside a battered woman).

Tuliptops was established and is maintained by two people.  Which blows me away.  The work involved is incredible.  Each year they dig up all the bulbs and redesign the garden beds and replant them in time for spring.

Unlike Floriade there is a charge to enter the gardens - $12.  Included in the entry fee is free and unlimited tea and coffee and a sausage sandwich between 11.30 and 1.  There are chairs dotted around the garden which you can move to any place you fancy.  I saw two elderly men having a nap in the sun.

There is a viewing platform.  The path up to it is quite steep, but is wheelchair accessible.  At the viewing platform there is shade and perhaps another six or seven chairs.  I love this place.

The first photo shows the path down into the gardens.

At the bottom, if you look to the left, this is your view.  The sound of frogs is almost deafening.

The view to the right.

And looking straight ahead.  Once you are down to the garden level, classical music plays through speakers attached to the trees.

The waterfall.

Climbing up towards the viewing platform.

The view down across the valley.

Back down at ground level.

Isn't it glorious?  I walked too far, I taxed my bruised leg and I paid for it the next day and I don't regret it for a moment.

A bit of a mixture

This week has not been dull.  Not at all dull, but parts of it I could have done without.

On Monday afternoon I went to a family afternoon tea.  Three generations of family (including half and step variations).  I was not a happy chappy when I realised that I fell into the oldest generation.  I had thought I had escaped age issues, but obviously not.  I believe that family occasions have striking similarities to a trip through a minefield.  Still I survived, and also annexed a book from the brother in whose house we were gathered.  The book was 'Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes' which he had snaffled while we were cleaning out my parents place.  I was strongly reminded of this book by a recent post by Paper Chipmunk. 
A victory.  I had survived the afternoon tea, AND reclaimed a book I love.

So we went home.  And here is where it gets a bit sad.  It was garbage night.  Pushing a wheelie bin to the curb I overbalanced and planted my face into the road.  Hard.  Fortunately I had my mouth shut because while my lip is severely lacerated both inside and out, if I had had my mouth open I would probably have lost teeth.  So I now have a large, ugly and painful scab covering most of my top lip and extending to just under my nose.  My nose is red, swollen and bruised and also has lacerations.  I have grazes on both my hands and my feet.  My left leg is the one that MS has left likely to collapse under me.  So it also suffered.  It is so bruised and swollen that it looks as if my knee extends to half way down my calf.  And yes, it collapses even more often at the moment.  Woe, woe and thrice woe.

However, now comes the amazing part.  I was dripping copious amounts of blood on the road.  Somehow, I didn't get a drop on my white trousers or shirt.  How likely is that?

Irritation the second.  My smaller portion has an antique clock he inherited from his parents.  It has a nasty habit of stopping working from time to time.  Himself does not have the patience to fix it, but is a grumpy so and so until it is working again.  Naturally it broke down on Monday.  On Monday night I was in too much discomfort to sleep so I spent literally hours coaxing that clock back into working order.  I retired to bed around 2 am, having fixed the damn thing, leaving it on the kitchen bench where I had been working.  On Tuesday morning the smaller portion moved it to its usual spot.  He did not take sufficient care and it stopped working again.  So guess what I spent yesterday doing?  Many more hours later it is back in its usual spot, ticking, chiming and bonging happily.

All is not doom and gloom however.  I have been thoroughly enjoying these visitors.  Firstly the wattle birds who love our camellias.  They also make me smile because they swoop Jazz.  And, less often, Jewel.  (I apologise for the blurriness of some of these shots.  They move very, very fast. - clicking on any of the photos will make them larger)

We have also had these visitors.

A never ending source of joy and delight.

And today we went to Tuliptop Gardens (another spring flower extravaganza).  It was heaven on a stick.  I took 397,463 photos (approximately) and when I have had a chance to go through them I will share them.

Floriade 2011

Floriade is Canberra's spring flower festival and is held for four weeks each year, starting  in mid September.  It is held close to the centre of Canberra by Lake Burley Griffin, and draws in big, big crowds.  Entry is free, though there is plenty to spend money on inside the festival.

The smaller portion and I went in yesterday as we do at least once every year.  This year I was disappointed.  It is very, very beautiful as mass plantings in a lovely spot cannot fail to be.  Just the same, I thought it was lacking in imagination, and didn't make nearly enough use of the water.  In one (amazing) year, Chihuly glass sculptures floated on the pond, surrounded by barges of flowers.  In other years plantings have gone right up to the waters' edge and were reflected in it.

We started a little way off, wandering through parkland.  I love this mural.  I haven't noticed it before, so either I am supremely unobservant (quite possible) or it is relatively new.

As we got closer, the first of the birds appeared.

I hadn't realised how big swan's nests are (clicking on this or any other photo should make them bigger). I appreciate a bit of quirkiness, and had to stop off and take photos of these birds too.  They are a permanent installation, but I take at least one photo of them every year.

Then into Floriade itself.

And a bit more quirkiness.

And some more flowers.   Lots more flowers.  Almost all tulips this year.  Whatever daffodils there were are gone (after the first week) as are most of the hyacinths.  There are still some dutch iris to come out.  There is usually a small section devoted to Australian native plants, but I missed it this year.  Tulips, tulips everywhere - with some annuals used as under plantings.  So, into the blaze of colours.

And a Ferris Wheel.  Not just a sop for bored children.  There is a lot of Floriade that cannot be appreciated without a high vantage point.  In years gone by ramps were built at strategic points.  For the last four or five years, the ramps have been phased out, and replaced by the Ferris Wheel, which gives a perspective you can no longer get any other way.  And of course the Ferris Wheel is not free.

From ground level these patterns were simply not evident.  There are many, many shops at Floriade too.  Selling everything from garden tools to pearl jewellery.  Multiple food outlets too.  After our ride on the Ferris Wheel we headed out, following these swans.  Literally, as the gate keeper had to open the gates wider for them.

And a slow amble along the edge of the lake, back to where we had left the car.  Was it beautiful?  Oh yes.  Was I disappointed?  Again, yes.  Will I go back again this season?   Probably not.  Will I be back next year?  Of course.