Last weekend we visited the glorious Tulip Top Gardens near
Canberra, which opens annually in September. If you live anywhere close by or can manage a trip there, it’s
only open for another three weeks!
Our first visit to this ten acre wonderland back in
September 2017 came about quite by accident. I had always had Floriade on my
bucket list, Canberra’s renowned annual tulip exhibition, but had never had a
chance to go. A friend put a post on Facebook, and knowing her as a lover of Floriade
I was surprised to find her instead extolling the virtues of a place called
Tulip Top. I was intrigued, and mentioned it to hubby. On impulse, we decided
to do the drive down there that weekend and check it out for ourselves.
I look back now at that visit, marking it as the day my husband
fell in forever-love with gardens, and tulips in particular. To watch him
express his astonishment and amazement at what he saw was every bit as good as
the beautiful sights themselves. I think it had a lot to do with his level of enthusiasm and ability to dream when just a few short weeks later, Bountiful came into our lives, our
own piece of paradise.
This year we were fortunate to share the trip with some
family members who had also expressed an interest in seeing the tulips. My son
came too - zero interest in gardens, but always up for a roadtrip if he can drive. Now that he’s home after five years overseas, he's keen to catch up on some of the family times and people he’s missed as well as renew his love affair with Aussie roads, so he was (mostly) happy to tag along.
I hope the photos do it justice, it was hard to pick just a few to convey the serenity.
The weather presently is all over
the shop, so I’m not sure what is normal or not for these tulips and the
flowering trees, but last weekend was probably a tad early in the season,
having seen the gardens before when all was in full bloom. But that means it’s not
too late to visit this year!
I was particularly struck by the number of willow
trees whose fronds seemed to sway graciously in the breeze like swathes of green
lace above the flower beds – it just added to the relaxed feel of the place.
People were picnicking, there were babies on the lawns, many people had brought their dogs (all on leads) and the pace of life slowed to a delightful stroll, accompanied by strains of instrumental music. You could buy food there or happily take your own, there were a few market style stalls and the main layout was wheelchair friendly. The lovely waterfall and ponds have been drained as it is too difficult to maintain them in our drought conditions, so we look forward to their rebirth once we are blessed again with sustaining rain.
People were picnicking, there were babies on the lawns, many people had brought their dogs (all on leads) and the pace of life slowed to a delightful stroll, accompanied by strains of instrumental music. You could buy food there or happily take your own, there were a few market style stalls and the main layout was wheelchair friendly. The lovely waterfall and ponds have been drained as it is too difficult to maintain them in our drought conditions, so we look forward to their rebirth once we are blessed again with sustaining rain.
One of my favourite shots - grandson and grandfather enjoying the beauty together
Very excited to see this tree - a Prunus Persica, or Double Peach Versicolour.
We have planted Prunus Nigras (flowering plum trees) at Bountiful, but now that I've seen the stunning display of these two-toned flowering trees, I think they need to go on our tree wish-list!
Tulip Top Gardens is open from 9am to 5pm, every day between now until October 13, 2019. If you want to see more, check out Tulip Top Gardens’s gallery here.
(I’m still planning to get to Floriade one day, but it might have to be next year).
It simply isn't possible to do a post about tulip gardens and not have as the song to go with it, Tiny Tim's Tip Toe Through The Tulips.
Tracey 🌷
With thanks to You Tune channel of Michel Sartre Sastre for Tiny Tim.
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