In Bloom
Canberra blossoms into life during the annual Floriade festival.
Floriade is one of the most beautiful experiences. There are flowers as far as the eye can see in a rainbow of brilliant colours. It is the biggest spring flower festival in Australia and indeed the Southern Hemisphere. For four weeks during September and October over one million blooms come to life in Commonwealth Park in Canberra.
The event has been running for almost 20 years now, the first one held in 1988. The idea was born in 1986 when two members of the ACT Parks and Conservation Service envisaged a massive floral display for the celebration of the country’s bicentenary as well as Canberra’s 75th birthday. They were inspired by the flower festival in Holland called Keukenhof, which was an annual event, as well as that country’s own Floriade, which occurred once a decade.
Since the inception of Canberra’s Floriade, the celebration has been held annually each spring. The event has a different theme every year and the garden beds are designed and named accordingly. Over the years themes have included Poetry in Flowers, The Wonder of Water, Gardens and Gourmets, Games in the Gardens in 2000 in conjunction with the Sydney Olympics, Rock ’n’ Roll in Bloom, Gardens and Gourmets, and Carnivale – The World On Show.
This time the theme will be, ‘Aussie icons, myths and legends’. And if past years are anything to go by, then 2007 will be amazing. The organisers claim that you’ll be able to see interpretations of Australian inventions and brands, famous people, history, sport and our stunning landscapes.
Floriade is a fairly big event to coordinate – just imagine getting one million plants to bloom at the same time! Planning starts about 18 months in advance. First a theme is chosen, then a team of landscapers design the garden beds and layout in Commonwealth Park. Once that is finalised, it is announced during the current Floriade. Next, all the flowers are ordered, then overhauling the gardens begins and finally in the autumn, all the bulbs are planted. The flowers used vary from year to year, but they often include tulips, irises, daffodils and hyacinths, which have an abundance of species and a kaleidoscope of colours.
The gardeners work to the landscapers’ layout, sowing the bulbs carefully since specific designs have been devised for each bed according to the chosen theme. This means that when they bloom they create a pattern. And this is why it’s called Floriade – the term comes from the Latin word, ‘floriat’, which means to sketch with flowers. After planting the park is prepared for the festival and closes for a while so the gardeners can add the final touches before it is re-opened for the incredible floral event.
Floriade really is an amazing experience. It is easy to spend several hours or indeed a couple of days there, as no day is ever the same. New flowers bloom daily and as the light changes throughout the course of the day, so does the appearance of the plants. There’s a range of entertainment at the park while the festival is on, as well as demonstrations and lectures about gardening. Market stalls sell all sorts of food, crafts, soaps, clothes and gardening items during opening hours each day.
Canberra is a fascinating place to visit any time of year, but next time you go, make sure it is when the city is in bloom.
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