Archive for December, 2007

Australia Fair Street Organ, Floriade 2007

Our holiday in Canberra

September 2007

One of the more unusual things we saw at this year’s Floriade floral display in Canberra was the Australia Fair Street Organ (shown in the photo above). This magnificent machine travels around the country giving renditions of well known songs at fairs and festivals. We stayed for a while listening to the amazing music. Audience members are able to walk around the back of the organ and observe how it all works.

Nearby we were impressed with the artistic bird sculpture shown in the photo below.

Sculpture display at Floriade 2007

Display of Gnomes at Floriade 2007

Our holiday in Canberra

September 2007

Over recent days (weeks actually) I have written about the delights of our visit to Floriade 2007 in Canberra. We were astounded at the magnificent displays of flowers in bloom. Floriade this year did not only display flowers. In one quite corner of the park there was a display of garden gnomes. Many Australian gardens display garden gnomes in a wide range of shapes and designs, so it was quite appropriate to include such a display at Floriade.

Display of Gnomes at Floriade 2007

The inclusion of garden gnomes as a part of Floriade has become a much loved tradition of the month long festival. It is actually a competition with children, schools and community groups encouraged to participate. As a retired elementary teacher I really appreciated the sentiment expressed on the sign shown in the photo below.

Display of Gnomes at Floriade 2007

Further reading:

• More information about the Floriade Gnomes can be found here at their gn(h)ome page.

Clown at Floriade 2007 in Canberra

Our holiday in Canberra

September 2007

On our wanderings around the magnificent displays of flowers in bloom at Floriade 2007 in Canberra, we came across several different forms of entertainment. One of these was a clown who was engaged to entertain the crowds that came along to see the flower displays.

Clown at Floriade 2007 in Canberra

We arrived just as he was setting up an area for his act. I guess we stayed watching him for a good twenty minutes, perhaps longer. He was very slick and very funny and engaged the crowd watching or passing by in a wonderful way. He was extremely good at being flexible with his act and would quickly adapt to whatever was happening around him.

Clown at Floriade 2007 in Canberra

At the end of his performance he asked for donations from the audience and many people obliged. I was quite happy to add my little contribution to his hat as I felt that he lightened the day for me quite considerably. Not that I needed a boost in any way because seeing all those wonderful flowers on display was an amazing experience.

Clown at Floriade 2007 in Canberra

Floriade 2007, Canberra

Our holiday in Canberra

September 2007

The theme of Floriade 2007 in Canberra this year was “Aussie icons, myths and legends.” All of the floral displays related in some way to this theme. One of the more startling and appropriate displays was that shown in the photo above.

The photo shows a vehicle that would be familiar to all Aussies (Australians), especially in the rural areas of the country. A Holden ute (short for “utility”) rusting in the farmyard near the flower garden. In fact, this ute has been utilised to grow flowers in the tray section. Very innovative.

Another Aussie icon stands nearby – the outback dunny. The dunny on every Aussie farm was a distance from the house – perhaps 20 to 50 metres away – to keep the smell from wafting into the homestead. Almost all outback dunnies were of the “long-drop” variety, the wooden seat with a hole cut into it for sitting on over a large deep hole. I remember being terrified as a child of going to the dunny, especially at night. Imagine my relief when my father and older brother constructed the latest convenience under the same roof as the house – and it flushed what’s more!

To more refined people a dunny is known as a toilet. (Bathroom for all my American readers.)

Floriade 2007, Canberra

Floriade 2007, Canberra

Our holiday in Canberra

September 2007

As far as I could tell, most of the flowers on display in this year’s Floriade festival in Canberra were tulips and daffodils. There was a generous sprinkling of other flowers too, including plenty of pansies, one of my favourites. My mother used to grow these in twin beds each side of the path leading to the door of the home where I grew up. It is a shame that she never really had much opportunity to travel during her life. She would have been astounded at the display of hundreds of thousands of flower blooms all together in one area such as that during Floriade.

Floriade 2007, Canberra

More flower photos can been seen on my photo gallery here.