This year, Canberra's month-long celebration of spring pays tribute to the Anzac landings at Gallipoli, with designs including a wattle sprig, medals and a slouch hat.

From the top of the Ferris wheel, the grounds below unfold in waves of patterns and pictures, revealing the precision of the planning.

Head gardener Andrew Forster called it the "eagle eye view" and being up in the air is the perfect way to see how the individual displays fit into the overall layout.

Mr Forster said the scheme depended on simplicity and broad brushstrokes for its dramatic effect.

Because the largest floral festival in the southern hemisphere runs for 30 days, the finer details of the arrangements change, with more than a million blooms coming into flower at different stages.

"This is a good time to come down for the hyacinths, early jonquils, English daisies, pansies, poppies and chrysanthemums," Mr Forster said.

"We plant a mix of annuals and bulbs, with over 70 types of tulips.

"You'll always find something to see," he added, pointing to a red heart emerging in the middle of the Love Letters display.

The colour is picked up in the Reflection Wall, where at least 450 poppies were stuck to the black background in Floriade's first three hours.

Mr Forster gave a donation to the Returned and Services League of Australia before placing a pair of symbolic flowers on the wall in honour of his paternal grandfather's two brothers.

"Dad has a folder on their story: one came back and one got a bravery award," he said quietly.

RSL ACT branch president Peter Eveille said the Reflection theme allowed many to think about what the organisation does.

"We very much appreciate the generosity of the public," Mr Eveille said.

According to Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA, who opened Floriade, last year's event attracted over 480,000 visitors and contributed in excess of $47 million in direct expenditure to the ACT.

For more information, visit www.floriadeaustralia.com.