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Beautiful, bright begonias bountiful at Blowes
Sometimes it's nice to take the time to look at flowers.
It's begonia time at Cook Park's Blowes Conservatory.
The Orange News Examiner headed down to enjoy the bright splashes of colour and to take some photos to share with our readers.
We asked a few visitors if they knew whether the smorgasbord of flora before us consisted entirely of begonias, or whether there were any interlopers.
They seemed to know as much about begonias as us, which was to say very little.
One visitor was able to point out something akin to a fern. "I think that's a fern," they said, fondling a leaf.
Our research later revealed, however, that some begonias look like ferns. In fact, there was a Fern Leaf Begonia.
Either way, it doesn't really matter.
Sometimes it's just nice to take the time to look at flowers.
Begonia Background
C.W. Curran, a local storekeeper is believed to have been the first person to introduce begonias to Orange. Alf Blowes, who was Mayor at the time, showed interest in these plants and was instrumental in the building of a conservatory on the western side of the park in 1934.
The central roof ‘lantern’ of the building has the words "Blowes Conservatory" in leadlight across its side.
The first begonias were donated by the City of Ballarat from the Ballarat Gardens and have been supplemented by the purchase of additional varieties.
While begonias make for a colourful display in autumn, the plants also need extra care and maintenance during the winter months.
- Courtesy Orange City Council
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