While I am sitting here with the rain pouring down outside, I know it is wildflower season in Western Australia. I have blogged about wildflowers often, and I know I will soon be out among them too. Friends of ours from Queensland are currently in the north of Western Australia and have just seen the spectacular Sturt Desert Pea - Swainsona formosa
Below is the equally spectacular Green Bird Flower - Crotalaria cunninghamii - which we saw against a backdrop of red dirt at Bullara Station, near Exmouth Gulf, last year.
If you have followed me or know me at all, you will know that I love photographing wildflowers and sharing them with anyone who would like to look.
If you go to my index tab and look under THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH, ANIMALS, WILDFLOWERS AND GARDENS - you will be able to see my previous blog posts about wildflowers, plus more under the main WESTERN AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL index.
Below is the magnificent Wreath Leschenaultia - Lechenaultia macrantha. This photo was taken along the road side north of Pindar in the midwest of Western Australia - during a wildflower trundle
However, you will find you don't have to go far in your local area to find wildflowers. If you live in our capital city in Perth you only have to go up to Kings Park Botanic Garden in the centre of Perth to see a treasure trove of wildflowers.
You can see the green bird flower lower right below - usually only found in the midwest. Kings Park really is a wonderful place to see wildflowers from all over the world.
There are often nature reserves near country towns and along roadways as you travel around our state. If you stop the car and get out and walk a little way into the bush you will see wildflowers you wouldn't see driving along the road.
Seen in the midwest - below clockwise from top left - Lemon Scented Orchid, red Granite Sun Orchid (we had never seen before), Donkey Orchids, and blue Granite Sun Orchid.
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Closer to my home there are a couple of wildflower reserves we visit during spring. Please click on the links to read more - Crooked Brook Reserve near Dardanup, Manea Reserve in Bunbury, a walking track along the coast at Dunsborough to Meelup, and Wellington Dam near Collie.
While we were away in Victoria in April this year I received an email out of the blue from university student Dayna Madaffari who was working on a special interest travel story about native orchids in the south west of Western Australia. She found me on the net and asked if we could meet up. Of course we were away so that was impossible, but I asked her to send me her questions by email and I would do my best to answer them.
Today when I picked up my Saturday copy of the West Australian newspaper, and her article mentioning me was in the Travel section. Wow! So gratifying to see me quoted in Dayna's article. Thank you Dayna, I am so happy that I was able to help you.
Here is some of what I wrote to Dayna -
Originally I was photographing wildflowers in general, but I became gradually intrigued by the rarity, uniquenss and the difficulty of finding wild orchids.
Native orchids are very delicate and often hiding in the undergrowth. You need to be careful walking through the bush to not tread on them, and be on the lookout for their hiding places. A companion who is a good orchid spotter is a bonus (my husband fits this desciption!). Be carefull not to disturb the orchid's surrounding environment, and stay on formed paths if there is one. A cemera lens that enables you to capture the photo without getting too close is helpful. I rarely use a tripod - probably to my detriment!
Sharing photos on social media has perhaps meant that more people are walking through the bush taking photos, potentially disturbing habits. I don't give away locations of endangered species and please never dig up wild orchids as you could wipe out a species and they won't survive after being removed from their natural environment. It is so special to find them in their natural habitat in the bush.
Slow down, be careful, keep your eyes open, and be respectful of country.
Below are just a few of wild orchids to be found in Manea Reserve - (please note I am not a botanist!).
Clockwise from top left - one of the white spider orchids, Forest Mantus, Snail orchids, Purple Enamel Orchid, Dancing Orchid, Hammer Orchid, Leaping Spider Orchid, Slipper Orchid, and the Blue Lady Orchid. There are many more to be discovered in Manea Park.
You might even see a kangaroo!
Social media and the net can be a great resource for identifying wildflowers. And there are many wildflower identification books.
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Down in the West Australian bush - Manea Reserve
Exploring the Bridgetown Jarrah Park
Camping and bushwalking at Potters Gorge, Wellington Dam
Hunting for wild orchids in the Western Australian wheatbelt
The wildflowers are blooming in the Western Australian Kimberley
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