Spring has exploded all over Canberra and is looking like a bumper season. Masses of flowers are dripping from branches which have begun to droop, heavy under the sudden, floriferous weight. The city looks tres chic to the point where if you squint a little or angle the camera just so, you could imagine Emily in Canberra being the hit spin-off series to Emily in Paris. On recent walks through the city, I’ve realised that unfortunately the dog merde is universal but, thankfully, it can’t take away from the beauty just begging to be seen.
While Floriade has been a Covid casualty for the second year in a row, the Commonwealth Park flower beds were planted long before Delta crashed the floral party so if you use your outdoor exercise wisely, you can tip-toe through the tulips (for two hours anyway). And mercifully, the remainder of the bursting bulbs have been dispersed city-wide to add some much needed spring cheer. Keep a lookout for the community plantings too – they have popped up in the most unexpected of places.
As well as Floriade, the parks and gardens city wide have been the beneficiaries of a wet, mild winter and they’re looking peak-pretty and perfect for picnicking (socially distanced of course!).
Closer to home, my own garden is churning out flowers at a rate that’s hard to keep up with. The star performers have been the anemones, cheap as chips but tough as nails and sending up flower after flower. The cherry tree which managed a miserly harvest totalling five cherries last year has literally hundreds of blossoms clinging to the branches and even the stem. Some new strawberry runners have hit their stride and the Melbourne market peas have been climbing the fence like there’s no tomorrow all pointing to a nice little harvest in the weeks ahead. I know nature can be fickle but this year feels like it might be the one where growing food actually happens.
Tales From Canberra 