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March 20, 2006
Commonwealth Games bouquets
... and unlike most posts to this blog, or news items in the media, the title of this post can be taken as a literal interpretation of the subject matter of this post.
As I sat with my fabulous mother watching the Commonwealth Games coverage during the weekend I noted that the floral bouquets presented to medal winners in the swimming competition looked like some kind of hideous weapon. Mum chuckled, but she said she thought they were lovely. We both had a laugh and that was it. But I was curious. I looked more closely and noted that in close-ups, the bouquets actually contained red gerberas. "They're not native," I proclaimed (in total ignorance, but with some sense that I might well be right). As it turns out, gerberas are native to South Africa. Also in the bouquet were the long, red and spiky Birds of Paradise. Mum thought they might have been Kangaroo Paw - and at the distance we were seeing them, they could have been - but I think upon closer inspection they are Birds of Paradise or at least some species of Heliconia. Birds of Paradise and Heliconia are native to South America.
Then the bouquet is surrounded by what has apparently been described as yellow "pom poms". I assume this is some bastardisation of the Australian wattle.
To be honest, I'm outraged that the bouquets presented to medallists at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games are made up of South American, South African and imitation Australian flora.
Am I alone in this, or do others feel that Australian flora ought to be presented at an Australian sporting event?
Posted by jj at March 20, 2006 7:20 PM
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Like you I was amazed to see heliconias in the bouquets, but assumed I must be wrong. The Games website seems not to detail what the bouquets comprise, but on ABC radio today there was mention that due to the devastation of Tropical Cyclone
Larry the local flower industry around Innisfail could no longer supply HELICONIAS for the Games bouquets! They are apparently now being sourced from the NT. There are so many beautiful native flowers this is a real pity.
Posted by: Rob McNaught at March 23, 2006 10:15 PM
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