Flowers that bloom in the spring - tra la!

Melbourne is abloom with blossom and it's divine to discover trees bursting with buds, flowers, perfume and bees!

Soft pink blossom at the Abbotsford Convent

I'm always reminded of the Gilbert & Sullivan opera The Mikado (or its less common name The Town of Titipu) at this time of the year - even though I'm not a great G&S fan (it seems you either are or you aren't!) Written in 1885 it has been a crowd favourite ever since. Setting the opera in exotic Japan and far from Britain, allowed Gilbert to satirise British politics and institutions more freely by disguising them as Japanese. (Would that be politically correct these days!?!)

Cover of the vocal score 1895 (wikipedia)

Of course the names have always been amusing and it's Nanki-Poo, Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, Ko-Ko and Pooh-Bah who sing the song - here is the first verse! (the link is here for the remainder! - there's an awful lot of tra la's!!!)

The flowers that bloom in the spring,
Tra la,
Breathe promise of merry sunshine —
As we merrily dance and we sing,
Tra la,
We welcome the hope that they bring,
Tra la,
Of a summer of roses and wine,
Of a summer of roses and wine.
And that's what we mean when we say that a thing
Is welcome as flowers that bloom in the spring.
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
The flowers that bloom in the spring.

An English spring meadow in Richmond's Burnley Gardens

So enjoy humming along as you look at the photos I've taken in the last couple of weeks. Blossom is everywhere this year and the smell.....heavenly.

Burnley Gardens again

Gorgeous new growth - Fitzroy Gardens

And finally - one of my favourite spring flowers - our very own 'hanging gardens of Babylon'

Wisteria arbour at Burnley Gardens

Tra la, tra la, tra la