Tesselaar Tulip Festival

last Friday a few of us drove to Silvan - in the Dandenongs, just east of Melbourne - to see the Tesselaars Tulip Festival.  For about four weeks every spring the tulips are in full bloom and the visitors flock from all over Australia to see the colourful displays.

just one hour by car from the city of Melbourne

But its not "just tulips", there are other varieties of flowers and plants with many being for sale, there is food, a souvenir shop, bulbs for sale and a Fairy Garden hidden away which is delights the children of course and Tesselaars have 'theme weekends' too. Next weekend will be the Jazz weekend and the one after will be the Irish Weekend .... but you could go at anytime during the festival and enjoy whatever is on offer.

It rained most of the time we were there, but there was enough 'cover' to hide under till it eased off a bit.  Still plenty of time to take photos, have a coffee, visit the fairy garden and the souvenir store!

I took many photos, but the few that are following will give you just a glimpse of how colourful it was .....

You need more than a 'couple of hours' to appreciate a trip to the Tulip Festival, so do allow some extra time. If you are making a family trip with children, its not easy to wander around with a stroller, but if they are older enough to walk around, remember to take rain boots and a change of clothing if the weather is wet, as it can be quite muddy if you decide to wander amongst the tulips!

There is still much to see and do regardless of the weather, and of course remember to take the children to see the 'fairy garden'!

Tesselaar Tulip Festival, 

Tesselaar Tulip Farm, 

357 Monbulk Rd, Silvan

13 September 13 to 9 October 2012,

open daily 10am to 5pm

Adults $18, Concession $15, Children under 16 free, 

groups of 10 or more $15 each person 

when prepaid online.




***   ***   ***

***

a secret fairy garden......

As I wandered around Tesselaars Tulip Festival yesterday, I came across a secret Fairy Garden.

Well when I first saw the rainbow I knew that's where the fairies would be and sure enough, I saw them dancing in amongst the flowers and toadstools!

then I saw another fairy, she had pink wings and a very pretty rain coat complete with matching boots. She was watching the other fairies very closely ......

they didn't stay around very long once they saw me with the camera. All of them disappeared into the tiny little red doorway at the base of the tree.......

I waited awhile and next thing I saw them all coming out, one by one. But I had to be very quiet as I watched them hopping from one branch to another, singing, dancing and having a lot of fun in their secret garden!

Then all of a sudden I saw that pretty little fairy again, you know, the one with the pink wings. She was chatting with another fairy so I didn't like to disturb them.

I soon left them all to their dancing and singing and as I went past old Mr Sad Face, I told him he had better go and catch up with the pretty fairy, that one with the pink wings as I am sure he would start to smile and dance and have fun again....

I hope you get to see the secret fairy garden soon



^^^^^^^