Harmony through flowers

Last Sunday I enjoyed two thoroughly different experiences with flowers. 

In the morning we went out to Manea Park on the edge of our town. This is a 206 hectare conservation reserve which shelters over 200 species of wildflowers including 35 species of orchids and a variety of birds and fauna including the Western brush tailed wallabies. A two kilometre loop trail enables you to enjoy the bushland and help prevent the spread of die-back disease which is threatening our bushland.

We are nearing the end of winter and there was a burst of spring weather on the weekend, perfect for bush walking. 

The bees were enjoying it too. This is Banksia ilicifolia - holly leaved banksia - which flowers all year round. It is the only banksia that doesn't produce flower spikes.

One of my favorites, the beautiful Pepper & Salt - Philotheca spicata.

And yes we did find some orchids. Though I think we might have been a little early for them. We will go back in a few weeks time. 
 Below you can see - clockwise from top left, Donkey orchid, Silky blue orchid, Bee orchid, Banded Greenhood orchid, Snail orchid and the Jug orchid.

  And a few more wildflowers from Manea Park. I will name those I know for you - 
from top left - platytheca, not sure of this white one - could be Swamp paperbark, the red is Dwarf sheoak, Blue Squill, 
back to the left - one of the wattles, Hibbertia or yellow buttercup, the white stary flower is Curry flower, Bull Banksia, 
then back over to the left -  a sundew - a trailing sticky carnivorous plant which traps small insects, I don't know what this white flower is, 
Along the bottom row -  one of the Hoveas, Orange stars, Skinner's Pea-pultenaea skinner, and the red Mangles kangaroo paw (our state's floral emblem).

In the afternoon I went to the Golden Jubilee exhibition of Blooming Art at the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries presented by the Flower Designer's Club of Bunbury. I was privileged to be an invited exhibitor at their exhibition last year.  You can see last year here - 
Blooming Art 2014

The Art Gallery is housed in the old convent buildings and the main exhibition space is the chapel. It is such a beautiful space for exhibiting art work.  Below you can see this years centre piece. A truly amazing piece of floral art. Below the tubes was placed a large round mirror which you could look down into and see the reflection of the piece.

I also attended a Ikebana demonstration, the art of Japanese flower arranging, presented by visiting guests from our sister city in Japan, Setagya. The introduction included a talk about the culture of Japan and traditions of Ikebana, a craft passed on down through the generations in families. 

"It's such a wonder, deep connection made through flowers, we join together, in the journey, To become masters of the art, we walk together"             Riho Miyamoto.

I came away with such a feeling of quiet contemplation and a wish for peaceful harmony around the world. 

"May these flowers touch you
As they consumer their life
And blossom in your gentle heart"                 Rishun Hattori 

For more images from Blooming Art, please visit The Flower Designers Club on their Facebook page here - Flower Designers Club of Bunbury

My entry in Blooming Art 2014

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

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