It was bottoms up as thousands of people participated in the first Great Big Bulb Dig on Monday, creating a new Floriade tradition.
Anyone who bought an official dig bag for $15 had a ticket into Commonwealth Park the day after Floriade closed, and were able to fill the bag with some of the 1 million bulbs that were part of the festival of spring.
And they did. Carrying pitchforks, spades, gloves and their golden-ticket bag, keen gardeners streamed into Commonwealth Park, to take home a piece of Floriade.
Parvaz Aiyubi, of Torrens, knew just where he was going to plant the tulip bulbs he dug up from the bed, just near the ferris wheel.
"I have a small garden bed where these are going to bloom and to remember the hard work of Floriade and all the happy memories of 2022," he said.
Claire Perry, of Wanniassa, said it was a great way to spark joy.
"A lot of people probably can't afford to spend money on things like flowers and bulbs at the moment," she said.
All the money raised by the sale of the dig bags will go to two local charities, nominated by Floriade's presenting partner Synergy Group - SEE-Change (a grassroots sustainability group) and Raw Potential (which helps to empower disadvantaged youth).
Only 5000 bags were available for sale, with the bulb dig taking place between 2pm and 6pm.
Events ACT executive branch manager Ross Triffitt said the bulb dig would return next year, adding that more than 4000 bags had been sold by mid-afternoon, most people buying them during Floriade.
"It was actually better than we expected," Mr Triffitt said.
"In the past, we've held bulb digs for community groups and they have been a bit of a free-for-all. Organising it for the public, we had a lot more controls in place and it seemed to go pretty well."
Those lucky enough to bag some bulbs should keep them stored in a cool, dry, bag or container, then they will be ready to plant out in March or April next year to create a little Floriade at home next spring.
The big dig meant that visitors were allowed to tiptoe through the tulips.
Gabrielle Adams, of Richardson, brought her children Matilda, three, and Spencer, 18 months, and her 88-year-old grandmother Clare McTernan, of Mawson.
The children loved to get in and help.
"It's so much my thing," Gabrielle said.
"It's so good for the children. We do a lot of nature play and this is great."
Mr Triffitt said the official crowd figures for Floriade this year would be released on Wednesday.
"We're really very happy considering it was a La Nina period," he said.
"It is a shame the last couple of weeks received so much rain, not just in the ACT, but the surrounding regions which is really where we draw a lot of our audience from."
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