WITH the advent of COVID-19, Floriade has been reimagined this year and media were given a sneak preview this morning at Cockington Green of the sponsored plantings at more than 130 locations.

The main message of the day, Floriade head gardener Andrew Forster was keen to stress, was that the Floriade and its trademark garden gnomes have left Commonwealth Park, for this year at least.

On hand was chief gnome hunter Poppy Cotter-McGahey, as well as her aunt, executive producer of “Floriade: Reimagined”, Vickii Cotter, who explained what a pleasure it had been to work with more than 90 community groups on the sites all over town.

The floral festival would, she said, include Tulip Trail, a city-wide hunt for 10 hidden gnomes created by the Canberra East Rotary Club, as well as photography workshops, food, souvenirs, floristry classes and all the things expected at the annual floral festival.

Mark Sarah, general manager of Cockington Green, which we heard was the first organisation to jump at the offer of plants earlier this year, said, “when we saw the writing on the wall for Floriade we were excited to be involved in this initiative – we jumped at the opportunity”.

“Floriade: Reimagined”, September 12-October 11.