Floraide 2019

[calissa]

I have a few batches of photos to catch up on. About two weeks ago, Sahaquiel and I made it along to the second-last day of Floriade, the local flower festival. We had a friend involved in the design this year, so I was especially glad we managed to make it along.

Being the second-last day, there were a lot of flowers past their prime (the daffodils in particular were long gone). But the displays still looked surprisingly good, despite that.

Just an overview of one of the beds.

As you can see above, the weather wasn't exactly ideal--grey and a bit on the cool side. However, it made for nice, even lighting.

The photo above was my favourite of the outing.


There was some wildlife around, too. A thirsty currawong was taking advantage of a leak.

And there were the bats that permanently make their home in the park. Most people didn't notice them because they are very high up.

Comments

[umadoshi]

The flower pictures are beautiful, and I've so charmed by both the currawong and the bats. *^^*

[calissa]

Thank you! The currawong particularly made me laugh. They're not corvids, but still pretty intelligent.

[winterbird]

I love the thirsty currawong! And I've never seen fruit bats except at a wildlife park, so it's so awesome that you got to see them in the wild.

Also, we had some of those tulips in our garden this year (particularly the red one with the yellow striations), but it's so amazing to see them en masse like that.

[calissa]

If you're anywhere in central Canberra of a summer evening, you can often see the fruit bats flying overhead, returning to their roosts for the night. It's quite a lovely sight.

Aren't the tulips so beautiful all together like that? It really is stunning. I'm hoping to get my hands on some for my own garden next year.

[pantha]

Beautiful photos.

Although I am most amazed by the bats. So... what... your bats just literally hang around out in the open when they sleep!? Also, those look like pretty big bats!!

[calissa]

Thank you!

They are pretty big bats! And yep, they just hang around in the open, albeit pretty high up (which is where a big camera lens comes in handy).

[pantha]

Our bats (or at least the ones I've seen) are all small. And like roosting in caves or in people's roof spaces. Though you do fairly commonly (in the countryside) see them flitting up and down lanes catching insects.

Yours are HUGE!

[kaberett]

Aaaaaah, thank you for these! Bats and tulips: all my favourites in one place. :)

[calissa]

I'm glad you enjoyed them. <3

[onewhitecrow]

O_O flooers. That grey light really makes the whites glow; you'd have missed the delicacy of that last shot in bright sunlight.

The wildlife is exciting to see. Are any native flowers out yet? What blooms first in your area?

Over here I am starting to consider turning the heating on, like the misers with their candle.

[calissa]

Oh, goodness, so many native flowers in bloom! I really must post my photos from the Botanic Gardens soon.

Off the top of my head, I'd say the wattle (acacia) blooms first. The earliest varieties tend to come out around 1 August. I've got a photo of one here with a honey bee. That particular variety is Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana), which is good for bees, but considered to be a bit of a weed in the local region for its rapid spread, relatively short lifespan and vulnerability to pests.

I do hope the winter ends up being a kind one.