Floriade before breakfast

Floriade is Canberra's annual 'Celebration of Spring' held in Commonwealth Park in the city. The show has been running for years and attracts hoards of visitors both local and from interstate. There are always masses of coach-trips full of tulip lovers arriving throughout the month.

The festival spreads throughout the entire park and every year has a theme (this year it is 'Reflection') and the flower beds are made to resemble pictures which portray the theme.

We were lucky enough to be invited to tour Floriade before the crowds with head gardener Andrew Forster.

He was an amiable chap - not necessarily conversant with the skills and charisma required to be a tour guide, but knowledgeable at what he does and happy to answer questions.

Floriade has a million bulbs and plants and it was interesting to hear his thoughts and listen to him describe some of the beds. The festival is due to move to the smaller Glebe Park and in doing so will lose the lake as a backdrop. Andrew (after I pushed him to air his thoughts) felt that it would lead to the demise of Floriade and would mean that it 'fizzled out'. Still the move isn't planned until 2017 so I guess time will tell whether his predictions are correct.

The kids were less than impressed that at the time of our tour (7.30am) none of the ice cream vendors were open and the children's area (in the corner of the park) was empty of children. To add to their disgust we had a couple of showers and we all scampered to hide under cover (straight after I'd told them to pose for a picture).

Still, the three of us had a nice breakfast in the park before work/school.

Andrew Forster sharing his knowledge

The kids not really appreciating the fact that I'm getting them to pose for a photo in the rain!