Ronnie in Lonnie.

[drron]

The next Thursday Mrsdrron flew down to stay the next 10 days.The weather had been awful and remained that way for the Thursday and Friday.So it was only going out to dinner those days.Reviews of our meals here-
Launceston Restaurants

But Saturday arrived and I was not on duty and we woke to lovely blue skies.We went to the local Farmer's market,Harvest,which is a recommendation if you are in town Saturday morning.We then walked the short distance to City Park.Lovely to walk around there on a sunny day.

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There is a Conservancy there which always has a great display of plants.

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[drron]

Last of the conservancy display.

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[serfty]

There is a lake with lots of birds around it.

I've skipped a golf ball off the surface of that lake up over the far bank and and up towards the fairway ... (1st Tee).

 

[drron]

The old Barnes Wallis trick.I have done it at Mollymook a few times when I was young.A better example was 20 years ago at the Cairns public course on a par 3.ball headed for the water,a croc surfaced and ball bounced off him onto the green.It was part of my best round ever.

 

[drron]

We continued our walk through City Park.
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The roses are beautiful at this time of year.

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And a surviving iris.

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This little fellow walked right up to us.

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[drron]

We were now at the top of the west edge of the park.We missed the monkeys and instead went to Design Tasmania which is basically just up the hill from the monkeys.Mrsdrron loves Tasmanian wood crafts.Must say we are very glad we bought our sassafras table on one of my first work trips to Tassie.The price has certainly taken off.
We then continued our perambulation around City Park.

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The last wisteria of spring.I know someone who loves it.

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Now why do some people go overseas to see a monkey puzzle tree?

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Some rhododendrons still in full bloom.

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[drron]

As well as the flowers there are some magnificent trees in City Park.

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[drron]

We then set out on a drive down the East Tamar turning off to Windamere.I loved this spot when I came last year so took mrsdrron to see it.We both agree it would be a great place for a summer house if we could afford one.

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Looking south along the Tamar towards Launceston.

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Looking west across the river to Rosevears.

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And looking north in the direction of Low Head.This house looks perfect.

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[drron]

The church is St.Matthias and this weekend is celebrating it's 175th birthday.

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The cemetery has some of the famous names in the history of Launceston buried here.

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The first giving his name to the area across the river and the second the forebears of a man who became known in politics just shy of 46 years ago.

 

[drron]

We continued downriver on the minor road.When we got to the intersection with the East Tamar highway there were motorbikes heading north.We had to wait nearly 10 minutes for them to pass.Once back on the highway there were even more heading south.Must have numbered in the hundreds.
Back in Lonnie we had to park a little way from the Quest.A nice church in the next street to the Quest.

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White roses are all over Lonnie and looking great now.
A building we passed on our walk.

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Dinner that night was at the Seaport.Sunset as we left.

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[drron]

Sunday and off to Woolmer's Estate for their Rose Festival.Great views as we were waiting for the gates to open at 0900.

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The rose garden here is the National Rose Garden which began in 1999.however their had been a rose garden here since the early days so a lot of old varieties of roses as well as the modern varieties. So now 460 varieties and 6000+ individual plants.

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Some of the older roses.

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[drron]

There are other plants scattered amongst the roses.

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This rose was bred by Meilland in France and named after one of the women of Woolmers who did a lot of work with roses.

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The rose arbour with 72 plants of Westerland.

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[RooFlyer]

Now why do some people go overseas to see a monkey puzzle tree?

The settlers on the east coast of Tas liked their Monkey Puzzles - there are some enormous ones, 120, possibly +150 years old, in the gardens of a couple of them.

 

[RooFlyer]

Great weather, considering we on the usually dry east have had rain for the past 4 days (very welcome of course).

 

[drron]

The roses in the walkway are beautiful.

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But there is a ring in.

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And now we leave the rose garden.

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[drron]

Great weather, considering we on the usually dry east have had rain for the past 4 days (very welcome of course).

With mrsdrron here the only good days were Saturday,sunday last weekend and Saturday this weekend.Very cloudy today but dry so reasonable.

 

[drron]

Leaving the rose garden the first stall was a fellow selling iris-as you would at a rose show.

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Some however where just a little too out there.

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[drron]

The house garden was a little less organised.

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A little folly perhaps?

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[drron]

Great views from the side of the house-

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From here there is now apathh to Brickendon another heritage estate that is a white dot in those pics.2.8KM but if you start at Brickendon you get discounted admission at Woolmers.
Now some of the buildings.

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[drron]

One of the features at the Rose show was a cooking demonstration by Ben Milbourne.He is one of the few I remember from that series of Masterchef.I especially remember the time that they were at the Stanley hotel.He seemed a nice guy. That opinion didn't change with this demonstration.He was given a mystery bag of produce but did cheat a little as he had brought along some extra stuff.
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I got to taste some of the food and it was pretty good.
Also some of my favourite flowers on sale-peonies.But no point decorating a hotel room.

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