While not really a secret since anybody can see these, but only if you’re walking in Epcot.  The 2019 Flower & Garden Festival officially opens on March 6, 2019 but even though its Disney……………….the magic doesn’t happen overnight.  We’re good, just not that good.  🙂

It’s a compressed schedule and I would hazard a guess that most (ok, maybe only some) guests walking the park don’t realize the prep-work for the festival is happening days and/or weeks before it opens.  Epcot just looks prettier………..

Since the Festival Of The Arts closed on 2/25/19 gardeners have been extremely busy creating floral magic inside the park.  As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words so this post is mostly about the photos.   Enjoy!

Topiaries –defined as a horticultural practice of training plant material to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes.

They are the star of the show and below are a few of my favorites.  Of course you have to start with the Mouse of the House. 🙂

Along with some of the remaining Fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto & Goofy).

Figment has always been associated with Epcot, since 1982.  While his popularity  comes and goes he’s enjoying a resurgence in his image, being featured in many, many other items besides this topiary.

This is a new location for Lady & the Tramp and I like it. 🙂  Almost feels like I’m back in Venice – kind of.

My favorite all-time Disney movie  – The Lion King – is not forgotten.  Got so say – green topiaries don’t photograph well against a green background, but that’s what I’ve got to work with – can you fix that hon for next year?

Did I mention that July 19, 2019 a new computer-imaged version of the Lion King movie is being released?  Don’t try to reach me that day. I’m watching the movie the day it’s released – just like I did in 1994.

Another popular movie and thus topiaries from Beauty & The Beast were created.

I didn’t grow up with Pooh & family, so while not a big fan of the character, I was drawn to this topiary of Eeyore and piglet.  Great use of plant material!

With Disney’s past collaborations (and subsequent purchase) we are bringing Kermit back into the park.  It was a striking topiary with eye-catching props.

There are non-Disney characters also represented such as this troll in Norway.

I LOVE the flower fields that encircle water.  They only get prettier as the time passes…………then they get changed out before the end.  Different flowers are needed before the end of the Festival.  Yes, Florida is warm (ok, hot!) and has a long growing season, but believe it or not, it can be really difficult to grow things year-around.

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These are very striking trees found in the park and around central Florida.  The pink tabebuia blooms first and quite frankly will be done blooming be the start of the festival.  I had to walk all around the park to find the (last) tree in full bloom.

The yellow tabebuia trees truly stand out.  Thanks to the Central Florida Flowering Tree Society (now defunct, but an interesting story) these trees can be found all over central Florida AND inside the park..

So ‘tabebuia’ is fairly hard for the non-horticulturist to remember (and pronounce).  They are also called yellow (or pink) trumpet trees.  🙂

A lot of times the star of the Festival is the Main Entrance topiary story.  My All-Time favorite entrance was when they featured The Lion King in 1998 – go figure.  🙂  The husband doesn’t agree, but this is my blog, not his – sorry hon.

So………wait for it….……..wait for it………..wait for it……..

 

Yep, you’ve got to wait for the Festival to actually open.  The weekend prior to the festival, the main entrance is full of flowering plants, but not as striking as when the festival opens.

 

I’m ending with a mural painted towards the end of The Festival Of The Arts.  Definitely part of the Disney ‘story-telling’ magic as we blend one festival into the next.  As I write this, I’m regretting I missed an opportunity for a unique photo.  As I was walking around gathering these shots this week, I saw a family in front of the mural.  This little guy (a 4 year-old) showed me which square he painted last week (the pink on Figment’s tongue).  I would have loved to include a shot (parents permitting) of one of our guest artists.  🙂

Hopefully, I didn’t spoil any surprises for those that are coming to the Festival.  For everyone else, maybe, just maybe this is the year you need to visit – just saying.

 

Ginny