A day in the middle of colors!

The Floriade

Do you ever gaze at flowers and admire them? Do you wish that you could look at various flowers displayed in an organised manner? Recently, I went to the Floriade in Canberra, Australia. It is a flower show with a variety of flowers displayed. 

The Floriade is celebrated in many different regions of Europe like the Netherlands, Amsterdam, etc.  Unlike The Floriade in Canberra, The Floriade in the Netherlands happens only once a decade and is held at Amere, which is said to be a beautiful area.

As you enter, you can see a bunch of colourful flowers as they are displayed. Originally the idea of Christiaan Slotemaker de Bruine, who was a landscape architect with the Department of Capital Territory in Canberra. The design commenced in 1986 and it was based on the world-famous garden in The Netherlands known as 'Keukenhof'. 

It is held every year in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park, which is alongside Canberra’s iconic Lake Burley Griffin. The Floriade is usually planned to coincide with the beginning of spring (typically during the months of September and October). 

With much-awaited enthusiasm, we decided to attend the event as it had been canceled for the last 2 years. After parking our car, we walked on a bridge that led us to the Floriade. There are many ways to access it, but this was the one closest for us. You then climb up a hilly area and go into The Floriade. Upon entering you have a station that is specially provided just in case little kids get lost. You are given an armband where your guardian is meant to write their number on. This is so that if a child gets lost, then staff or other visitors can help locate their parents again. Then, you see little mini gardens and each patch is filled with a specific type of flower. For example, in one patch there were red tulips and on the other patch, there were yellow-ish tulips. There were also boards with information on the flower’s scientific names, etc.

While visiting The Floriade, you don’t need to worry about food, drinks, or entertainment. This means that you can enjoy a whole day of looking at different types of flowers and learning about them. There are food stalls, and there is a Ferris Wheel. The Ferris Wheel will give you a good view of the whole event and I believe that the view would be absolutely stunning, as it would be colourful and brimming with joy. This year there was a night festival where you could see the flowers surrounded by lanterns.

The Floriade also has various workshops that can improve different skills related to gardening or farming. For example, there are workshops such as:

      - Introduction to Composting and Worm Farming

• Grow your own food

• Flow Yoga

And some more. These workshops are a good opportunity to learn more about agriculture and some of the rejuvenating yoga sessions are also very refreshing. 

Some questions you might have about The Floriade:

Q1: Am I allowed to bring my pets to the event?

A1: On the last day of The Floriade, dogs are allowed to go to the event. It is the only day they can go as that day is considered to be ‘Dog’s Day Out’.

Q2: Does The Floriade have an entry fee? Do I need to register in advance?

A2: The Floriade does not have an entry fee as it is free. Registration isn’t necessary as you can just walk in to the event.

Q3: How big is the area where The Floriade is being held?

A3: The park where The Floriade is held covers about 34.25 hectares - which also has a variety of constructed and natural spaces. 

Fun facts:

1. The Floriade has a different theme every year, and this year's theme (2022) is ‘The Sounds of Spring’. There are different musical programs and performances set up this year so that visitors can enjoy gazing at the flowers and listen to different pieces of music. In The Netherlands, the current theme is ‘Growing Green Cities’ and it is a horticultural show. 

2. The Floriade also has public art displays with each year commissioning new pieces of work. It also includes recreational activities and entertainment. People were also dressed up as animals at the photo booth. 

3. The Floriade also has different competitions and also features workshops for kids.

In conclusion, The Floriade has a beautiful set of flower displays. It has activities that can occupy you for a whole day. The best part is - that it is free!

Here are some pictures from my visit there: