Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere need to be reminded that the seasons Down Under are the opposite.

for example, Floriade – Australia’s biggest celebration of spring – opened last weekend in Canberra for the 29th year. There’s plenty of time to get there: it’s open through October 16, 2016.

Floriade first began when Peter Sutton and his colleague, landscape designer Chris De Bruine, developed a proposal for a grand floral display to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary and Canberra’s 75th birthday almost three decades ago.

This year there’ll be floral workshops, photo workshops, a garden party, workshops on the “Art of Perfume Making” and lots of gardens and displays.

The inaugural Floriade blossomed in 1988 with a floral display of exotic bulbs and annuals, which grow well in Canberra’s climate. It’s held alongside Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park, the heart of the nation’s capital.

Each year, more than one million blooms combine to create a stunning backdrop to a month-long festival filled with music, cultural celebrations, horticultural workshops, artistic displays, entertainment and recreational activities.

Here’s a video about last year’s Floriade:

(Photo and video courtesy of Floriade)