Floriade.

NO, this is NOT my garden. These flower beds are all part of the magnificent floral display known as FLORIADE, which is held in Commonwealth Park, Canberra, every year for four weeks from mid-September.

This year there are more than one million blooming bulbs and plants in designs which represent some 16 countries. The garden beds are inspired by flags, iconic symbols, history, flower festivals and traditional gardens from Canada, France, Spain, China, New Zealand, Turkey, England, Netherlands, Japan, America, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, Colombia, Belgium, and Australia.

Plants include hundreds of thousands of tulips, plus violas, Dutch hyacinths, iris, ranunculus, English daisies, daffodils, jonquils and poppies.

Plantings are staggered so that not all are in flower at the same time to ensure that there are good displays throughout the four weeks of Floriade. At the conclusion of the show all garden beds will be removed, including soil, bulbs and plants. Commonwealth Park is the temporary home of Floriade, and has been for the past 19 years! Next year new soil will be brought in, and new bulbs will be planted in newly designed beds, ready for another spring spectacular.