Cherry Blossoms at 7000 KMs from Japan

Located about 20 minutes from Canberra's CBD, over the border into NSW, Tulip Top Gardens is 13 KMs from Canberra Exhibition Park (show grounds) or 13 KMs from the southern end of Lake George. This is a 10-acre area which has been organizing an annual springtime festival and is run by a local family. The treasure trove of nature, the property has over a half million bulbs and flowers planted each year. Entry fee when I visited was AUD 16.00 (AUD 18.00 in 2019) for an adult which included access to tea/coffee and sandwiches. If you are in Canberra to visit the Floriade, you could plan for a trip to the Tulip Top Gardens as well. With the multitude of colours spread around, blossoms and streams, there is a tranquillity and peaceful aura over the gardens. With country music and wine (you are allowed to bring your own food and drinks), the hills and the colours make this place a perfect destination for a picnic. And for the shutterbugs - this is a paradise.

Cherry blossoms had been from a fantasy world for me ever since as a child I had seen them in a movie, and it had always been 'I need to visit Japan' to experience being around these flowers. And here I was, surrounded by the lovely blossoms - 7000 KMs from Japan! This was a surprise that can't be expressed in words, because my initial expectation was to witness acres spread of colorful Tulips. The hues would fill every visitor's heart. As you enter the garden, there is this small brook which was lined by cherry blossoms and this sight was breathtaking. No doubt people waited in an informal queue to get clicked with this background. One is immediately overwhelmed by the splendour, variety and color of the landscape as soon you enter the gates. Let the calmness descend upon you as you enjoy a relaxed stroll through a display of blooms. For a bird's eye view of the garden, we can walk up to a higher ground and view the area from the top. Countryside view of the rolling hills and the expanse of the valley surrounding the garden is worth the steep walk uphill. The path leading to the top is also lined with cherry blossoms!

Back in the gardens, there is also a cascading waterfall and brook. There are benches and seats to simply sit and appreciate the magnificence of the place. After having our fill with the cameras, we finally settled down outside the cafe and munched on our sandwiches with live country music for company.

We spent hours here before starting back, but not without getting ourselves a few collectibles from the Tulip Top Treasures gift shop (plants from their nursery were also available here). As we hit the Highway to Sydney, our hearts were filled with wondrous hues - and a serene feeling within.

Address - 20 Old Federal Highway, NSW.

Parking is free.

Proposed Date for 2020 : 12-September to 11-October.

*** Pet Dogs allowed :)

Their regular updates can be followed at : https://www.facebook.com/Tulip-Top-Gardens-145550242183585/?ref=ts

In case you want to know more about the trip, please feel free to reach out to me at champographie@gmail.com

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Published by Champak Sharma

...and photographs are an amazing way to express the vivid shades of the poem called life. There are people and emotions, places and traditions, history and nature, moments and memories - and amidst them I discover the myriad colours of life. Their stories touch my being and I feel an urge to spread the reflections further. And photography is my medium for storytelling. The images are attempts to capture the essence of existences and in the process explore beyond the stereotypes. And with every photograph it's an amazing feeling within...when a smile in an image spreads onto the lips of its viewer, serenity of a landscape captures someone's imagination, ruins of an empire fills a mind with wonder, a high flying bird makes someone feel liberated, a look on an unknown face touches a heart...the list goes on. Like many others of my age, as a child growing up during 1990s - the still camera fitted with a photographic reel was a fascination for me. As time passed the compact digital camera became a household name and we no longer needed to 'develop the negatives'. Now we have the DSLRs. Technologies have moved ahead simplifying the device - but photographs continue to be special moments preserved in the flow of time with interesting tales behind those shots. And this platform is an endeavor to share the photographs I capture, their stories and my experiences. As I attempt to explore the world through the lens, please join me in this journey and do share your views/comments. View all posts by Champak Sharma

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