Planting of one million bulbs and annuals began on Tuesday for a Floriade festival with a difference, reimagined for life under COVID-19 rules.

Due to coronavirus restrictions imposed on large gatherings, the 33-year-old floral festival was among many Canberra traditions cancelled in recent weeks. The 2020 event Floriade: Reimagined will see parts of the city come alive with colour in September.

Head gardener Andrew Forster and his team will be planting bulbs around Canberra for the next eight weeks and preparing portable flower boxes, pots and wheelbarrows to be delivered to hospitals come spring.

"Instead of being in Commonwealth Park it will be in people's backyards," he said.

"People who go to Kambah shops to do their Woolies shopping will be able to see the sheep with the flowers while they're driving past."

Bulbs will be planted in garden beds or portable flower beds in Belconnen, Gungahlin, Canberra City, Woden, Tuggeranong, Kingston, Manuka, Braddon, Dickson, Kippax, Condor, Mawson, Hall, Kambah, Nicholls, Weston Creek and Molonglo.

Community organisations can also get involved in the adapted festival by applying for an allocation of bulbs and annuals to grow in their own communities.

Mr Forster said while it was disappointing the festival won't be going ahead as usual it would be "exciting" to create a "kaleidoscope of colour" across the city.

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"We're trying to keep people safe but still be able to enjoy the flowers in the springtime."

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said this was the biggest change in Floriade's history but will ensure the tradition continues.

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