It's been close to 20 years since I last visited Floriade. Although I'm not a gardener, who can resist seeing massed plantings of colourful tulips blanketing the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, just in time to welcome the Spring?
Well, I can't say I'll be rushing back. Sure there were plenty of flowers, there were plenty of visitors, and there were plenty of high end cameras and keen photographers. But the theme (A feast for the senses) seemed forced, and realisation of that theme just didn't work. There were signs to show what particular beds represented
but when you're looking at the flowers horizontally, you just can't get the impact
I remember years when there were brilliant sculptures. This year there were carnival rides and stalls and more stalls. For some reason everyone wanted to photograph their girlfriend or child standing next to this carrot (made of oranges)
or its companion giant teapot.
The swans got on with their lives despite the crowds
