The Gloriosa or Flame lily is one of my favourite plants. I have had one of these growing in a pot in the backyard for the last two years but have never yet seen any flowers from it. Last year everything was going right for flowers. The shoots emerged from out of the ground and it grew to the stage where the buds were starting to develop when a strong wind swept through and snapped the stems! ...So this picture was drawn from a book I have on bulbs... Maybe this summer I will finally see my own flowers.

The Aquilegia as studied at Laurel Bank Park, Toowoomba. Every spring Toowoomba holds a floral carnival. The city's parks are full of flowers and home gardeners open up their gardens to the public. It is a good opportunity for anyone to go and study the plants. My favourite place to do this is at Laurel Bank Park. 
Although the focus of the carnival seems a little grandma to most, these once prevalent floral gardens of Toowoomba have become a novelty due to drought.