Wascally Wabbits Upon The Roof

The Rideau Centre is a shopping mall downtown. Its rooftop is a green one, with skylights and paths mingling with flowerbeds, bushes, and grass. Tulips happen to be there in May.

This overlook on the east side looks over towards the campus of the University of Ottawa. The buildings in the background include the historic courthouse and former prison, the Carleton County Gaol. Today they house Arts Court and a travel hostel. Land beyond them has been developed to include a hotel-condo tower, space for the University's theatre program, and expanded quarters for the Ottawa Art Gallery. I really have to take you into the OAG sometime.

Along with the plants up here, there are a few resident rabbits (wascally wabbits to the esteemed Mr. Elmer Fudd, Esquire and 33rd Degree Master Mason Of The Order Of The Scottish Rite) who keep the lawn trim.

I leave off with one more look at rooftop tulips. Tomorrow is the theme day, and of course pink tulips must be part of that mix. We'll have another location for tulips after that.

Dazzling Shades Of A Festival

I left off yesterday with another view from here. The artist in that last shot was working at a new painting.

I continued on with my walk, taking more shots of the south end of the park. I will be back to Commissioners Park when I wrap up the series (and some tulips from here will feature in the theme day post), but I have other flowerbeds to come in the days ahead.

The Flow Of Tulip Beds

Carrying on with where I left off, there is a pathway that curls around the far side of this first tulip bed, and allows for a view of the ribbon of tulips beyond it.

Here we have that ribbon, flowing between bushes on either side to the bed of tulips on the other side.

I came towards that set of tulip beds apart from the main path, with Dow's Lake in the background.

Splashes Of Colours

I seemed to leave the crowd behind during this visit on Victoria Day, as this part of the park was a bit quieter than the north section. This area runs along the length of a low wall, with the street beyond it curving away from the park.

Beyond that point, the flowerbeds continue.

The Crowded Park

The two people in this shot haven't just strode into a bed of tulips. There are certain spots at Commissioners Park where a walkway has been inserted into the bed, giving space for photo ops.

Hence this shot, taken where they were positioned.

On the weekends, and a day like Victoria Day when I took these shots, the tulip sites get busy. I prefer weekdays when it's quieter. And we get the sort of photographer who has to have their family standing in front of the tulips. And take a couple of dozen shots. Or four dozen shots. As opposed to just photographing the tulips.

Have I mentioned I don't like that sort of photographer? I've said it before, but it's the same kind of numbskull who goes to the Grand Canyon and insists on having their spouse and ill behaved brats posing in front of scenic splendour for every single shot. "Isn't this beautiful, honey? We can only improve it by having you and little Waldo and little Hilda blocking everything."

It's not that I mind photographing people around tulips, particularly if they're in the background. But that kind of photographer is the sort I'd like to throttle.

Some of the beds, such as this one, are less densely planted than others.

The lake itself features into the background here. We'll pick up here again tomorrow.