We visited the Carnival of flowers

In Toowoomba every year in September, our city hosts the Carnival of flowers. So much so, that Toowoomba has been given the name of the Garden City. It's really a wonderful time of year and the local Council does an excellent job of dressing the local gardens and streets, with colours and scented perfumes.

Queen's Park Memorial 2010

This was an excellent use of the colour blue, and the different levels of planting, using heights. I took this photo from the platform specifically errected to take elevated pictures.

Acres of flower beds

Dave and daughter, hamming it up for the camera infront of some beatufil garden beds. I told him to smile but he replied, "this IS smiling", through gritted teeth. Daughter was jumping on his back, much to the amusement of the other visitors to the garden.

Tulip heads

Finally, here is daughter, me and her pet poodle, posing in the tulips, albeit, not exactly the natural variety. Although it looks like I have short hair in the picture, it's actually tied at the back with a hair clip.

It was surprisingly cool in the afternoon, but not cold enough to stop us riding on the Ferris Wheel together. It's weird how they have the rides set up. Some you pay tickets for at specific booths, which you then supply the ticket to the ride attendant. Only they have a $5 booth, $6 booth and $7 booth, which you only discover when you want to go on a ride that happens to cost more. Then once you wrap your head around the ticket concept, you hit a ride that only takes cash!

It was very confusing and a great way to fleece parents of their money. We gave the Carnival Alley a skip however, much to daughter's dismay. As fun as it may be to put a ball inside a rotating clown's mouth, or pop a ballon with a dart, the prizes are cheap and nasty. She has enough stuffed toys at home, much to my dismay. ;)

Unfortunately, the Carnival of flowers only runs for two weeks, and all the beautiful flower beds we get to see, touch and smell, will be ripped up by Council again. I wonder if keen gardeners are allowed to stalk the workers and ask for free plants, LOL.