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| Everlasting |
They're not for everyone.
If you like gentle colours, traditional shapes and beautiful scents you might be disappointed ...
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| Sturts Desert Pea |
Like Australia itself they can be a little bit wild and untamed.
Strong and hardy, like the land they live in and its people ... especially its mothers!
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| Porcupine Grass |
With bizarre shapes, an amazing spectrum of strong colours, weird forms.
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| Glossodia |
Then an unexpected flash of colour in the strangest places!
And a delicate bloom amidst the bark, leaf litter, rocks and twigs at the base of a tree in the bush ...
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| Golden Wattle |
It's no surprise then, that the vivid colour, unusual flower and the ability to survive Australia's harsh conditions made us Aussies choose the Golden Wattle for our National floral emblem!
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| Banksia |
Spikes, serrations and sharp edges are common characteristics of Australian flowers.
Some would say of its people too!!
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| Grevillea |
They're unpredictable and often grow in the most inhospitable conditions.
But the colours, shapes and textures fit the landscape in which they bloom ...
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| Parakeelya |
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| Honey Grevillea |
Long droughts.
Monster floods.
Killer heat.
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| Moss Flowers |
They grow in rocks.
On sand dunes.
On the plains and in the snow.
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| Correa |
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| Eucalyptus |
Australian wildflowers are particularly apt for Mother's Day.
Their strength, resilience and beauty epitomise the qualities we love and appreciate in mothers.
Always reliable, always surprising, never predictable, never dull.
Colourful and amazing.
Happy Mother's Day to all!
One special mother will be receiving a calendar of these Aussie Wildflower photos this year - Happy Mother's Day, Mum!! I hope this gift of virtual flowers will bring joy that lasts right through until next years Mother's Day!!
Hello Red:
ReplyDeleteWild women and wild flowers, a brilliantly blooming display for Mothers' Day!
The tenacity of these plants to grow in these most hostile of conditions is truly amazing and does, as you say,in many ways mirror the strongly spirited natures of Australians.
A wonderfully colourful tribute to your mother of whom you clearly are terrifically proud!
Great variety of flowers!
ReplyDeleteFantastic pictures for the day.
Beautiful and exotic flowers abound in a beautiful and exotic land! Truly amazing!! Happy Mother's Day to you, too!
ReplyDeleteKathy at Oak Lawn Images
I think that what you find with Aussie flowers is that they're suited for out in the bush and not picked and placed in a vase. LOVE the desert peas!
ReplyDeleteI am sure your Mum is thinking "That's my girl" with your virtual flower display. Just lovely and thanks for sharing. A real pleasure to peek at your treasury of "strength, resilence and beauty". You - Red; are "always surprising, never predictable, and never, never dull". Cheers, Lilly
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of wildflower shots! Hope you enjoyed Mum's Day!
ReplyDeleteLoving all those beautiful flowers. I have never seen anything like the Sturts Desert Pea. Very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI have always loved wildflowers, I think they look fantastic with all there different colours, and they brighten up the open areas as well.
always enjoy the wildflowers; a bonus when bushwalking or sight-seeing. I guess my favourites might be the wattle and correas
ReplyDeleteGetting out and seeing Australia is the best present a mum could get! Love the photos, fantastic post as always Red.
ReplyDeleteFlowers and Mother's Day nicely tied together. I like the grass photo.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous spread of blooms!
ReplyDeleteI noticed that the Golden Wattle looks very similar to our Huisache tree, with the little yellow balls of pollen. It would be interesting if they were related in some way!
Best Mother's Day Flowers I ever got! Thank you!
Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums! I liked looking at your flowers, wild flowers are always spectacular!
ReplyDeleteCiao
Alessandra
I really enjoyed the wild flowers when I visited Australia many years ago. It was good to become reacquainted with some of them.
ReplyDeleteTW Hickman, you are absolutely on the scent- the wattle and huisache are both members of the acacia family.
ReplyDeleteThanks red, now I know what one of the flowers I took a photo of near King's Canyon is called.
As for the desert pea - that photo looks like a poster for a B Grade movie sequel to attack of the killer tomatoes. Or some kind of alien thingy.
Hope everyone had a good day as or with mothers in mind.
@Jane & Lance - Haha, never thought of the 'wild' connection between women and flowers - maybe we're on to something there ...
ReplyDelete@Indrani - Thanx! I don't often photograph flowers - so I was surprised at how many different varieties I had!
@Kathy - HHHMMMmmm... nothing much wrong with being beautiful and exotic, huh?!
@Kath - Absolutely correct!! And the peas are my faves as well. The original ones, not the wishy-washy pink, white and pale hybrids!
@Saucy Kod - I hope my Dad has shown my Mum - she's even more technophobic than I am!! I think if I though I was 'dull', I'd just go out and shoot myself!!
@NixBlog - I'm not anyone's mamma, but I enjoyed the day nonetheless!
@MJWC - It's at its best flowering in great profusion on the ground in the desert. We tried to grow a plant in the garden once and it always looked a little out of place!
@Magsx2 - The more you look, the more you find! So many colours, shapes and sizes, I'm still overawed by them!
ReplyDelete@Carole - This correa is the only one of its kind in the world - it only grows in one place as I'll spell out in a future post!
@Explore Australia - You're WAY too kind!! I actually thought this post would be a quick no-brainer, but I got caught up in it!
@Andrew - I guess the grass isn't technically a wildflower, but I couldn't resist it! I prefer the technically incorrect name 'spinifex', but then I've always been a sucker for the letter 'x'!
@TMWH - Thank god for FruitCake who has saved me some web searching! We have the acacias in common, but there it ends - I have no kids!!
@Alessandra - Should be a good season in the Red Centre when you get there - that's where the Honey Grevillea was taken!
@John - So glad you enjoyed them then and now - I'll certainly be looking out for more now that I've broken the ice with my wildflower shots!
@FruitCake - Thanx for those impeccable research skills ... you've saved me a bout with Dr Google! I think its weirdness is the reason I love the SDP - that, and the fact it's RED!
I am devotee of wildflowers ... I heard my sister say to my sister-in-law "I think it is like train spotting". I gather she thinks i am a little eccentric.
ReplyDeleteA great roundup.
Wonderful post Red, it really is an amazing and unique country that we live in, I have a feeling that your Mum would have been thrilled with her pressy!!
ReplyDeleteI know that your Mum was thrilled! I loved the desert flowers back when we spent winters there -- they are such valiant survivors! Much like Oz flowers. Thanks for sharing -- a great post. I hope I have some of those traits.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Mother Nature sure knows how to deliver a stunning bouquet! Awesome photos, Red! Sure hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteI love the desert wildflowers, they're so beautiful and a welcome contrast to the red sand. Beautiful shots Red!
ReplyDeleteI love all of these wildflowers! Sometimes I think they're nicer than the blooms you get in the store. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful and thoughtful tribute to Mothers, Australia and the wildflowers. What a co-ink-ke-dink.... I'm becoming re-acquainted with the higher altitude flowers and grasses again at the ranch. Just yesterday I was looking at clumps like the porcupine grass and thinking how interesting it is. I wonder if it's the same as it looked exactly like it. The birds are different, too.... lots of blue birds.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice present for your Mum and I hope you had a loving day with her (and every day).
Hello ! It was a pleasure to see you visit our humble blog, thank you !
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flower photos as if they came out perfect timing for Mother's day. I love the comparison of flowers with our mothers ... always reliable, surprising, never predictable, never dull !
It was so interesting to me I had to translate every name quickly :)))
ReplyDeleteFirst I thought this is our Papaver on second photo :))) but now I see there are much more exotic flowers.
I like the Red ones the best... Hey, was that a set up? The rest seem down right unfriendly or difficult to put in a vase. One I think made me sneeze through the computer. Of course now I'm thinking of trying the macro setting on my new lens and see how the South Florida beauties stack up against those down under.
ReplyDelete@Joan Elizabeth - If that's all it takes to be eccentric, bring it on! Maybe we can start up the weirdo's wildflower wander or something like that??!!
ReplyDelete@PDP - Thanx! She's seen the blog - now she's awaiting the calendar!!
@Sallie - The desert is full of surprises! Not least its incomparable flowers!!
@Courtney - Sure did, even though I'm nobody's mamma!
@darlin - You've joined the elite club of Aussie desert wildflower devotees if your blog's anything to go by!
@Halcyon - MUCH nicer! But then, if you cut them they wouldn't look any good - they're made to be admired in the wild!
ReplyDelete@Manzanita - I much prefer the technically incorrect name 'spinifex' for porcupine grass - we have the spinifex pigeon that's a cute little fella downunder in the desert!
@Salitype - It was a pleasure to visit - thank you so much for following! Look forward to seeing you again!!
@Ken G - If you have something similar to my 2nd photo, please send me a picture! I'd love to see it!!
@SFlaGuy - Vases, schmases. These wildflowers are FAR better in their natural, wild habitat! So you're going to outdo my shots, huh? Well, let the games begin!
I love our wildflowers, they survive under the harshest of conditions and the variety is amazing. Even the wattles have so many different varieties in the genus.
ReplyDeleteA calendar of these is a lovely gift for your mother.
Your photo journey is really great! I've admired "Sturts Desert Pea" flowers on an Australian insignia long time ago... but your picture impressed me and I will look for some seeds now...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tribute to the unique Aussie Flora. I especially like the Parakeelya. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWow, this post is great!
ReplyDeleteSo many fantastic flowers!
Many greetings
Yvonne & Raphael
@River - I also love that our wildflowers are not for the fainthearted!!!
ReplyDelete@Scented Leaf - Good luck! We tried to grow them once, but only one plant survived. It flowered, but it looked a little lonely by itself!!
@Diane - Yes, it's one of my favourites too! There are many more wondrous OZ wildflowers - I just don't have photos of them!
@Yvonne & Raphael - Thank you!! All this - and much more - awaits downunder!!!