FLORIADE - Canberra 2013

well Floriade is over for another year....

Floriade is Australia’s biggest celebration of spring. This iconic Canberra event, which is now in its 26^th year, runs for 30 days over the months of September and October.

 

It showcases one million flowers in bloom throughout Canberra’s Commonwealth Park and entry is free. The event welcomes more than 400,000 local, interstate and international visitors each year.

Truly a magnificent display in a perfect setting.

I was there on a beautiful spring day just last week, so here is just a small sample of some of the flowers ....

hope the above images may convince you to attend FLORIADE 2014!



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a bunch of wildflowers

On my recent 'photo drive' around NE Daylesford, I drove  along the Porcupine Ridge Road and where you can see as far as Malmsbury Reservoir and probably Lauriston Reservoir as well! The scenery in the area is spectacular especially at this time of year with the new spring grass and wildflowers in abundance.

The following images were taken along Saw Pit Gully Road, just off Leslies Lane in the Mt Franklin area as marked in blue on this map.....

The above images have been reduced in size to upload faster. If you wish to see a few of better quality, then check my FLICKR account.

Wildflowers bloom in national parks and reserves in the Grampians, Great Ocean Road and Victoria's High Country. Look for native orchids at Cathedral Range State Park, Holey Plains State Park, where 25 species have been counted, and Morwell National Park, home to rare native orchids.  The following website will give you a full list of parks in which to see a good display of Wildflowers in Victoria:

VISIT VICTORIA - Wildflowers

the "pick of the bunch" are definitely The Wildflowers in The Grampians:

THE GRAMPIANS - wildflowers


blog post on the Glenlyon Cemetery is HERE

blog post on the drive from Daylesford to Glenlyon is HERE




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Ballan - Red Cross Luncheon & Flower Show

Red Cross Luncheon and Flower Show is on tomorrow - Friday 30th November 2012 - at the Ballan Mechanics Hall in Inglis St Ballan (Victoria, Australia).

The flowers around the Ballan district at the moment are stunning and we are expecting some wonderful floral displays for the flower show tomorrow.

Do come along at 12 noon for a truly wonderful lunch and then to see the flowers that will be on display!!

any queries contact Heather Bush: 5368 1081



RED CROSS

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.




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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



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a winters walk ....

Here we are in the middle of winter, but every now and then we actually do get a nice day ... nice enough to put on a jacket and go for a walk that is.....

with the camera!

so here are a few captures of what I saw on yesterday's walk...

above: this is moss sitting in between the pavement.

  
above: tiny purple flowers outside the school

above: yellow flowers blowing in the breeze!

above: an old fence, full of this bush, hiding these tiny berries.

 

above: lovely colourful leaves and berries against a tin shed.

above: there are always daisies somewhere, dead and alive!

above: strange green shrub with white, furry bits on the leaves!

above: blue daisies

above: white daisies spreading out over the pathway!

above: I think I have captured every colour available in a daisy by now!

above: I did spy, high up above me, a flowering gum.

Now I thought they flowered about January / February and was surprised to see this example.

Then I found out there are probably more winter flowering gums in the southwest of the country where winter rainfall makes it the season of plenty, but winter flowerers occur all around Australia, in a myriad of colours.

At a conservative estimate, there are over 900 species and subspecies of eucalypts in Australia. They make up the very essence of 'the bush'. Generally the mass of olive foliage overpowers the distinct, star-like flowers of eucalypts.

But at certain times of the year, gum trees burst into vivid pink, red, yellow, orange, purple or white flowers. Many of them spread their colours in spring and summer, counting on attracting the fresh influx of insects brought by the warmer weather.

Insects also pollinate some late autumn and winter flowering species.

But come winter, there are fewer insects to transfer the pollen of eucalypts, and the winter flowerers turn instead to the birds, and the mammals.

With all this beautiful foliage around to brighten up the coldest winter walk, there's little excuse for not getting out and checking the winter flowers. After all, the birds and the bees do it, so why can't we?

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Visualise before your shoot!

We have a friend in Singapore (Alvin) who has created a Facebook page titled VISUALISE BEFORE YOU SHOOT  so am trying to do this more and more as I walk around with camera in hand.

above: an old fence post, makes me wonder how old it is!

We have known Alvin for about 4 years and in that short time has been a great mentor to me and with my photography.

So it was with this in mind that I set out with my camera for a walk to the Post Office and this is what I captured:

above: I have walked past this fence many times, each time trying to visualise how I would take the photo.

 above: an old gate on the main road.

 above: part of an artistic fence in the township of Ballan.

above: some artwork seen on the above 'artistic' fence.

I am no expert - far from it - but I enjoy taking photos and sharing them when I do. 
On this very same walk I took a few images of the flowers we had seen as well. Considering it is winter I am surprised at how many flowers there were!

Check the next blog post for the photos.

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off to the market again!

Yesterday we were back at THE BALLAN FARMERS MARKET!

If you live close by, do try to get there soon ... its on the second Saturday of each month.

The day was perfect and the crowds soon turned out in force.

We didn't stay so long this time, we met up with friends, purchased a few vegetables, a bunch of wildflowers and of course some yummy Ginger Biscuits!

..... and the protea's look superb on our dining table.

Now I am off to prepare the fresh vegetables we purchased for dinner.