Western Australia is famed for its wildflowers, which bloom from August to October. Even some of the driest regions put on a technicolor display after just a little rainfall. This month Perth has had more rainfall then normal (it has spit and spat almost everyday since I arrived last week) and so the hills surrounding Perth are covered with an array of colorful wildflowers.
Last Tuesday Magi and I traveled to King's Park to their annual Wildflower Festival. The Park overlooks the Swan River and city of Perth. After stopping at the Cafe so Magi could get his daily hit of banana smoothies, we headed over to the War Memorial where the Eternal Flame was burning brightly.
Although rain was threatening, we decided to walk down the pathway to see all the gardens. King's Park, like many of the other parks I have seen this past week, is a wonderful backdrop for weddings. (This is the 4th wedding I have seen in a park in Australia.)
One of the most unusual wild flower is the kangaroo paw. They come in several different colors.
A Honey eater sipping sweet nectar.
Down the path, Magi pointed out a "Silver Princess" with it's silver nuts.
Everywhere you look on King's Park are beautiful gardens. I really don't know many of the names of these flowers......but I do know, they are just beautiful.
I am sure these are members of the bottle brush family.
Mag with my backpack over his shoulder near a baob tree.
On a lower level, we found the following plants from South Africa.
At this point of our viewing, the rains came. But were we prepared? No, our umbrellas were back in the car. So we took a few shots of the Birds of Paradise and ran back to the car. In the end, we only covered 1/4 of the Park, so we need to go back on a sunny day. There's a tree-walk up high that I want to do....as well as see more of the gardens. Plus, I imagine in the little gift shoppe they might have a Guide to the Wild Flowers of Western Australia and that could prove useful as we hike the hills down south.
Images by Magi and Bob.
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Comments: 82
UNCLE BILL.
NOT elizabeth e. (she is on the underside journeying and sharing this beauty)
"Gather Girl of the Season"....I'm just laughing.
(sounds like someone misses you!)
Spectacular - what a wonderful journey and experience. Sheer bliss to be surrounded by so much natural beauty.
I will be back to look at this again - just too beautiful!
I've scrolled up and down a few times, getting more enamored as I caught the details of each flower. Sigh. Beyooootiful shots!
That Kangaroo Paw is spectacular... but my heart really leapt when I saw that 4th photo below your Baobab Tree picture. I am almost certain those flowers are a variety of my favorite, the exotic Proteas. The ones you captured in your photo could be one of the Protea Caffras or the Protea scolymocephalas.
I love the King Proteas, they are HUGE and quite gorgeous. The Pink Ice and Pink Minks are also on my list of favorites. I wish I could grow a bush or two but the climate here in Illinois would never allow me to raise them. I must settle for ordering stems from my local florist who must special order them whenever I want some on my table or to send as floral gifts.
Please keep the photos coming!
Thank you very much.
Thanks so much for sharing with my group.
Thanks for posting this to River Magic
What is that flower just before the Baobab tree? That's really odd!
We don't know the name of that flower, Roy.
Magi, you are very handsome.
Bob, you are a great photographer and made my day with these photos of wildflowers.
Featured in the Triple Name Club.
Thank you very much for the compliment, my friend .... but did you have your reading glasses on? LOL
One late afternoon, Mag and I saw another wedding at Lion's Lookout...the wind and rain came during the ceremony and the ground turned to mud. Although I thought it was sad, the wedding party remained quite cheerful.
Then we saw another wedding party in Arueun Park and they were having a huge barbecue. I wanted to join them...the food looked delicious...but Magi said we couldn't pass for being Chinese.
wow..Bob, such weddings....
His birthday in the middle of September. I remember Perth's summer - love the heat.
(oh, and the flowers and scenery are lovely too..)
Now, Magi, you just hang on and don't poop out until Bob leaves. Then you can settle in for a long nap. Or, you might be so fit by then you can make the jaunt to America.
I said I'd get back to chores at 11 a.m. It's now past this time.