Annuals are ready to go. Photo: James Coleman.
The heater might only just be going on for Winter, but preparation for Spring is already well underway for the ACT Government’s events team.
Since April, more than a million tulip bulbs and annuals for Floriade 2025 have been sorted and counted at the Yarralumla Nursery before being transported to Commonwealth Park for planting in painstakingly designed garden beds.
Described as “Australia’s biggest celebration of Spring”, Floriade returns to Canberra for its 38th year from Saturday, 13 September, to Sunday, 12 October.
“We’ve created 12 unique garden designs, built about 8000 square metres of garden, and planted about 970,000 flowers ready for spring,” head gardener Tim Howard says.
“It takes about 18 months’ worth of planning and preparation from the start to the opening day of Floriade. We’ve had designs drawn up, and Yarralumla Nursery kindly counted all our stock by hand … and we’ve been planting since the start of April. We’re about three-quarters of the way through that process.
“We definitely need cold weather for bulbs to grow well – that’s why they do so well here in Canberra. We need a cold Winter to get the bulbs activated and growing well, followed by a nice warm Spring for all of our annuals to colour up nicely.”
Despite a warmer-than-expected start to Spring last year – and a few early bloomers – Floriade 2024 ended as one of the most colourful Tim had seen.
It also attracted 470,000 visitors and injected more than $62 million into the ACT’s economy – both figures up on Floriade 2023.
Since then, the National Capital Authority (NCA) has flagged installing permanent garden beds in Commonwealth Park to save the annual disruption of building temporary beds for Floriade.
“An improved home for Floriade will provide year-round floral displays that celebrate the strong seasonality of Canberra,” a concept vision document, released early April, reads.
“Permanent beds will reduce the need for temporary works and subsequent impacts on the park.”
While no decision has been made yet, Tim, for one, would “love more flowers in Commonwealth Park”.
Floriade head gardener Tim Howard. Photo: James Coleman.
In addition to flower displays, all the usual well-loved Floriade features will return, including Nightfest from 2 to 5 October, Dog’s Day Out on 12 October, and the Great Big Bulb Dig on 13 October.
There’ll also be ‘Windows to the World’ on 11 October, described as “a cultural showcase with traditional dress, music, dance, global cuisine and coffee”.
This year’s theme of ‘Science and Nature’ will also celebrate the “powerful connections between scientific discovery and the natural world”.
“Visitors will explore stunning garden bed displays inspired by disciplines including physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology and botany, transforming Commonwealth Park into a vibrant, living classroom,” the government says in a statement.
Beyond the park itself, more than 300,000 bulbs and annuals have been distributed to over 100 schools, retirement villages, community centres, and local organisations across Canberra for ‘Floriade Community’.
A crate of tulip bulbs destined for Commonwealth Park. Photo: James Coleman.
Down south in Tuggeranong, Lanyon Homestead will also feature as a “satellite site” with guided tours and a special garden installation.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says he hopes Floriade 2025 will break records by hitting the 500,000-visitor mark while bringing $65-70 million to the ACT economy.
“Floriade is not only an important local event and an opportunity for Canberrans to come out of their Winter hibernation, but it is also our single biggest tourism drawcard,” he says.
“Floriade’s success each year underpins our territory’s tourism offering and we leverage a lot from this event.”
Entry to Floriade is free. Gates will open daily from Saturday, 13 September, to Sunday, 12 October, from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
