The wind howled through the tree tops as my friend Ann and I made our way to Toowoomba for the Carnival of Flowers this week, but we didn’t let that stop us. Not even when clouds rolled in, whisking away the warmth, leaving the wind to goose pimple our arms and whip our hair into a flurry of knots. When you’re having a Girls Day Out, wild weather has no power to dampen your spirits.
We were supposed to be spending the entire day looking at flowers, but when Ann and I get together, we cannot pass a second hand shop without screeching to a halt and popping in to look for treasures. It was a grand day for treasures too, all sorts of bits and pieces to put smiles on our faces and make us just a wee bit giddy. After all that foraging, it was definitely time for a cuppa, so off we went to a little cafe for steaming Chai Lattes and ginormous muffins: Raspberry White Chocolate and Parmesan Bacon. Pure bliss on a blustery day.
Just as we finished Oma rang to invite us to meet her for lunch. We looked at each other and laughed, deciding that yep, we could fit a bit more in just so we could hang out with Oma and her friend Lynn. Needless to say, by the time lunch was over, we were stuffed to the gills and well and truly ready to work it off by wandering through gardens.
Rather than going to the showcase gardens, we decided to use our little garden map to visit homey ones, gardens where regular people (like us) live and play and potter. We weren’t disappointed.
Each garden had its own charms. Some were full of twisting pathways draped with flowering vines and shade-loving flowers. There were quaint bridges and stone trails, arbors dripping with wisteria in full bloom, massive gum trees under planted with sweeping stretches of vivid blooms.
One was a veggie-lovers dream with all sorts of clever ways to make veg growing as simple as possible. Another looked like something out of Mexico or America’s Southwest with flourishing mounds of plump succulents interspersed with cheery nasturtiums and tiny white daisies.
One of my favorite bits was a shady nook carpeted in moss and bordered with smooth stones and lacy ferns. It reminded me of the woods in British Columbia and Washington where I grew up. How I used to love padding about barefoot on the cushy mosses under the trees.
What stood out most in every garden was color, the brilliant hues of petunias, snapdragons, tulips, foxglove, phlox, Sweet William, columbine, pansies, and innumerable others. It was marvelous.
We returned home exhausted, happy, and full of inspiration for our own little plots and pots.
What are your favorite flowers? xo
I love the idea of a homey garden tour. I once worked at a museum that organized one, with vans ferrying tourists from backyard to front garden in private homes around town. Alas, my summer job started a month too late to partake of it. Someday, I’ll have to hunt for one a little closer to home; I doubt I’ll ever happen to be rambling through small town Manitoba in May! I’m partial to prairie flowers myself, sunflowers first, with daisies and flax tied for second.
Glad you had such a lovely day with your friends! Sounds like a dream, despite the weather 🙂
Oh yes, I love prairie flowers too, @rachelfriesen:disqus 🙂 A friend gave me a sunflower and I just got some flax seeds so hopefully I can replicate a bit of the prairies. 🙂
The pefrect kind of day Krista!!
It surely was, bellini! 🙂
I love the look of the Mexican style garden. Sounds like you had a wonderful day. Plus those flowers – stunning.
Me too, @lizstrayedtable:disqus 🙂 It felt so warm and bright. 🙂
The colors are amazing. What a beautiful place!
Aren’t the colors incredible, El?! I was in awe. 🙂
What a beautiful festival! Sounds like Floriade here in Canberra. : )
It is so inspiring and fun, @liz_posmyk:disqus , with many more events than I was able to participate in. Hopefully next year I’ll be able to do more. 🙂
I missed it this year and I regret that. Too much vertigo for a ride over the mountain for me. Next year for sure! I loved it last year.
Maybe next year we can meet there, @disqus_v9uRgGTGfe:disqus !! Hopefully then we will both be stronger and healthier and able to enjoy it thoroughly. 🙂
The Mexican style garden is gorgeous… Krista, I really love visiting your blog lovely one, its always so bright and warm, the perfect place for me to spend my Friday lunchtime. 🙂 My fave flowers are Gerberas & Sunflowers, they are big happy and fun flowers. 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend. xo
Oh thank you, dear @disqus_o9c9vkchcC:disqus XO You totally made my day. 🙂 And I go to your blog KNOWING I will always be cheered up, no matter what, and that is a wonderful, wonderful thing. XO
Oh! That feeling of bare feet on cool, springy moss! You’ve just brought back such a delicious sense memory – thank you 🙂
On our recent trip to Cornwall, my beloved and I spent lots of time wandering around gardens. I may be showing my age here, but honestly I think there’s little to beat walking, surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers, and feeling that sense of tranquillity. Gorgeous …
Just looking at all these images makes me happy Krista. I am so glad you had a brilliant day out. There is nothing better than hitting the road with your buddy
Ooh!! Such happy beautiful spring flowers! So full of color. I love spring when everything comes alive like that, and what a fun day you had together.