Wildflower Season - Pictures Galore!

So, for those of you who aren't into flowers, gardening or growing things prepare to discover some of the most intricate wonders that this land has to offer. Every year from mid August through to late September Mother Nature puts on a pretty spectacular show for us. Some of the wildflowers in my area are so well camouflaged you almost stand on them! Others are bright and stand out from the roadside. All of them are beautiful, and some of them even provide great enjoyment. If you're an orchid fan you'll know what I'm talking about when I mention Trigger Orchids..

Orchids in general have three petals and three sepals. When looking at them it basically looks like they have 5 petals and a 'tongue' to attract insects for pollination. The designs they have on this 'tongue' are delicate, striking, and enticing. All to aid with attracting the pollinators! They usually begin from a leaf on the ground, just a single leaf, and they stem up from that. So if you go for a wildflower wander be careful not to step on the ground leaves and the only tip I have is this. Move slowly and get down on a different level, you'll be surprised what you notice from a different vantage point.

So, let me introduce a few of my favourites! :)

The Spider Orchid - There are countless variations in colour and size and each have their own name. If I'm lucky I'll get to show you the Blood Spider Orchid.

The Dwarf Pink Fairy Orchid - These come out in very different soil types to the Spider Orchid (which can usually be found beneath White Gums), generally in slightly gravelly areas. Unlike some orchids these often come out in tens at a time in one area.

Ordinarily I would have called this a Donkey Orchid. As I discovered today it is actually a Purple Pansy Orchid, always pays to do your research! They do look very similar, their colouring is quite different though.

This is a Silky Blue Orchid. Before today I had never seen one of these but I stopped to take a walk through a patch of bush I'm not near very often. Always pays to live on the land and get off the beaten track. These were everywhere and absolutely stunning!

The Cow Slip Orchid, these are a little more like the Dwarf Pink Fairy Orchid in that they come out in droves.

The thoroughly entertaining Trigger Orchid. These can be white or pink and anywhere from the size of your little fingernail to the size of your big toe. Why are they called a Trigger Orchid you may ask? Any child can tell you the answer, when you take a small twig and poke it into the centre of the flower it 'triggers'. Many of the orchids are designed to trap insects and the intricacies of their traps provided great amusement as a kid. Waiting for them to reset so we could have round two, not so much fun...

If you like these then stay tuned. I can guarantee I will take far to many photos to add to my ridiculously large library of orchid shots. ;) With any luck I will be able to show you some of the following: Jug Orchid, Donkey Orchid, Purple Enamel Orchid, Dragon Orchid, some other variations of the Spider Orchid, Sun Orchid, and if it decides to let us find it the Hammer Orchid. Not to mention the Kangaroo and Cat Paws that WA is known for. Hopefully I get to go for an adventure into the Stirling Ranges and look at a completely different cross section of orchids. Either way, you can look forward to an inundation of orchid photos! Life on the Land - It never fails to provide me with a wonderous beauty.