Tulip Top Gardens - a springtime treat


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.

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! 

Once again, the joy you get out of such a beautiful place is the sharing with others, and I’m so glad we made the time to visit Tulip Top Gardens again. I know it won’t be the last visit for any of us.

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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