Floriade - a disappointment this year

Today I went to Floriade, which is Canberra's annual flower show in Commonwealth Park on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin.

It was apparent soon after entering that I was about a week too late, as many of the flowerbeds showed the ravages of the recent poor weather.  I reckon that it was probably at its best last weekend.  I can imagine the panic by the organising committee now that it's been announced that the Queen will be visiting next week. I hope they have a few thousand back-up tulips.

 Beds full of dead flowers.

A gardener starting to remove dead flower heads.











The whole show also seemed noticeably smaller than last year.  There were no sculptures in the lakes like in previous years, and smaller flowerbeds.  Despite the dead flowers, there were still a lot in good condition, particularly those that were in more sheltered areas.

 Copying what everyone else was doing.

Posing for a photo by Mum.  Interesting that teenage girls would agree to wearing matching outfits.

 There is an annual competition for the best decorated garden gnome.

 A girl and her mother painting a gnome.