Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

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Tuesday 18 August 2015

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.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Our World Tuesday

Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Agent Mystery Case
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday

36 comments:

  1. All stunning images of flower shots. Love the use of Bamboo with the flowers.

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  2. Lovely blossoms there in Western Australia!

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  3. Hello Jill, your images and post are beautiful. I love the gorgeous flowers and the lovely gallery images. Thanks for sharing your visit. Have a happy day and week ahead!

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  4. Lovely photos - thank you so much for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/double-play-on-way.html

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  5. Such lovely flower shots.

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  6. Looks like you had a 'blooming' good day. Beautiful shots as always! Have a great week~

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  7. Quite a few orchids native to your country Jill, interesting names too. :-)
    I am always fascinated by the simplicity of Ikebana. The Toronto Garden Club is famous for competitions in this style of flower arranging as there are quite a few Asian members who have shared the craft to encourage more competitors.
    Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.

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  8. Jill your images of flowers are so beautiful!

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  9. Such beautiful images Jill. I love flowers and really enjoy seeing flowers from other parts of the world. Thanks for sharing them with us. I dream of visiting Australia one day...

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  10. Oh how beautiful! Loved every frame!

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  11. Fantastic Jill, fabulous flowers in winter, just think what you can show us in spring, bring it on says this Melbourne lass!
    Wren x

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  12. Very nice!
    Please come link up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/double-play-on-way.html

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  13. Having been out of the nature hiking since May (sciatica and then kidney stone) I sure missed getting out and about with my camera. You pictures were wonderful to see. At the end of this month and beginning of Sept the Dahlia festival happens here in Oregon just 10 miles from me and I plan to be there in those miles and miles of fields taking photos!

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  14. Gorgeous flowers! The gallery looks interesting, too.

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  15. Superb floral shots! I don't know all the flowers, but I know they are pretty.
    Have a Beautiful Week!
    Peace :)

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  16. Oh Jill these flowers are absolutely glorious. The orchids are a particular favourite of mine.

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  17. Jill it sounds fascinating going bush walking....and thank you for sharing all these amazing wildflowers....each stunning!

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  18. Your photograph of Pepper and Salt is superb. Photographing flowers must make you feel very happy and positive, especially when you see the results :)

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    1. it really is a very enjoyable passion of mine. I wish I could get out more often.

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  19. Peaceful harmony around the world, now wouldn't that be quite wonderful! The flowers are all so beautiful Jill and I think that I should have some of each and begin a flower garden, oh, but that is why I do not already have much in the way of flowers, too much shade, beautiful! Hugs~

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  20. Such lovely images of fowers, most of which are so different to European blooms. I love Banksias but always think of them of evil after reading Snugglepot and Cuddlepie as a kid!

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  21. Your flower images are gorgeous, Jill. Wouldn't the world be a better place if all the world leaders wandered in a garden and really looked at the blossoms for a day or so?
    I love seeing the interesting flora from your corner of the globe - so different from ours.

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  22. Beautiful wild flowers and it is always interesting to see what people can do and how creative they can be when arranging flowers.

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  23. So many beautiful flowers! I love when you do collages presenting several species. The flowers by themselves are great. Therefore, it is surprising to see how someone arrange them in a way that is more stunning than their natural state.

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  24. Your flower shots are gorgeous, Jill, and I am impressed that you know so many of the names. I love the Japanese ikebana, as well. Thanks for linking up this week. #TPThursday

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  25. I like your entry into last year's Blooming Art. You are a multi-talented woman. Beautiful flower photos as usual, especially that interesting centre piece. I would love to have seen it in person so that I could move around and view it from all angles.

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    1. the centrepiece was really quite spectacular. My photo does not half convey it.

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  26. I enjoyed your images from your walk around Manea Park. I promised myself this year I would seek out the greenhoods which I always seemed to miss in previous years. I forgot they appeared in August.
    The white flower you couldn’t identify (next to the sundew) looks like Bridal Rainbow (Drosera Macrantha).
    Happy hunting!

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  27. thank you so much dear wonderful readers for you lovely comments. I really do appreciate them. I am so sorry I am so slow in replying to you all. Life is just getting far too busy. Whatever happened to slow down and smell the flowers?

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  28. Photographing flowers is always such a soothing past-time for me ... waiting for the right light, waiting for the breeze to stop and then snapping and hoping for the best! But my results are never as lovely as yours Jill! I love your flower images. The orchids of the forest are so beautiful.

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  29. Stunning images of beautiful, beautiful flowers.

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  30. Absolutely fabulous wildflower series!

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  31. Even though it's a few weeks down the track, our orchids are still in the very early stages because it's been very cold. SO ... it's wonderful to see yours and know that ours are not far away :D

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I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my blog. Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to comment. I read and very much appreciate every comment and love hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return.