When the night creeps up, and the land is quiet, and the moon in the only light in the sky. It gets cold! Yes, I break out in goosebumps. But not when I’m wearing my hoodie.
Not that it gets cold all that much around Canberra. Sure, it’s not Darwin (thank goodness for that) but we get some pretty temperate weather. Some of the most temperate. That’s why everyone flocks here for the flower show; it’s the perfect environment to keep all those delicate buds…well, ‘delicate’.
I’ve only been to the flower show once, but I do remember the atmosphere in there being tightly controlled. Fun bit of trivia for everyone, there is a guy fully qualified in air conditioning repairs near Canberra at all times just in case. It’s sort of like the hospital having a backup generator in case the power goes down and all the people in need are left in the lurch.
If the temperature inside that tent is a fraction off, then all the tulips and frangipanes start to die immediately. It happened once in 1979, I have heard tell. Word on the street was that the vermillion ice-berry rose was on the verge of being awarded best in show. The air con guy was sick that day, so they had no one standing by. And alas…in ten minutes, the award-winning flower was a droopy mess. Very sensitive to temperature, as are many very delicate, potential prize-winners.
That would explain why everyone involved in the show takes climate control very seriously. A few minutes of no air con can literally ruin a person’s life, and damage the show’s sterling reputation, so they have to keep on top of things. And so will I, I suppose…I’m the Executive in Charge of Plant Moisture. Finally, that degree in Botany is paying off! Apparently I need to cultivate my connections in Canberra. Air conditioning industry folk know what they’re doing and I trust them completely that they’ll keep the climate tolerable to flowers. Air con is, as it would seem, vital to plant survival and avoiding disaster.