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Postcards from the Kings Park Botanic Garden (Perth, WA)

WA Botanic Garden 50-year commemorative sign

The WA Botanic Garden in Kings Park is 50 this year. And ABC said the floral show would be spectacular, so of course we went down. It was a lovely high-20s day, the sun was out, some of the plants smelled like candy, we saw ducklings, and it was just fabulous.

Here, enjoy some pictures!

various types of Kangaroo Paw in a garden bed

Kangaroo Paw (Angiozanthos x). I love ones with fingers that go from one colour to another. They remind me of the old Rocket ice creams.

Kangaroo Paw flower bud

Flower bud from what I think is a Tall Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos flavidus).

Light pink waxflower bush in bloom

White waxflower bush in bloom

Saw heaps of waxflower (Chamelaucium x) bushes. So many that it was starting to get weird. Then I realised we were in the waxflower section, and everything would be all right.

Everlastings looking up at the sky

a field of Everlastings

Paper daisies (also called Everlastings). I love these flowers. Sitting in a field of them was delightful. And watching bees bumble around, even moreso.

a bee gathering pollen

Bush Flame pea

This is a Bush Flame pea (Chorizema varium), an endangered native legume.

leaves of the Woolly Wattle

This is a Woolly Wattle (Acacia lanuginophylla). It's listed as vulnerable, threatened by vegetation clearing, grazing and salinity. It's such a strange plant. You could easily mistake it for a fake because the leaves feel like crafting felt. Touching it hit home for me what a shame it would be to lose our native plants. There's a lot of weird shit in Australia, which I think makes us quite special.

seed pod from a Melaleuca or Callistemon tree

This weird thing is a seed pod from a type of Melaleuca or Callistemon shrub.

bee gathering pollen from a green flower

This is a bee enjoying his summer holiday. Well, no, but it looks a bit like it, don't you think? :) I was walking past this very low-growing prostrate bush, thinking it was just a boring bunch of groundcover leaves, when a bee landed on it and started feasting. Then I realised the flowers were green. Are they just young, or did this species evolve to have flowers that match the leaves? What made this a desirable survival trait? What animals preferred green sources of food? All these questions, just from seeing a flower that wasn't a pretty colour.

scented Boronia flowers

This is a Scented Boronia (Boronia megastigma), and it smells delicious. Like the fake fruit flavours in Japanese candy. There is a hipster café in Maylands (Mrs. S) whose table display sometimes has Scented Boronia. If you can't make it to Kings Park, go to this café and sniff the flowers there.

Swamp Star Flower in Kings Park

The Swamp Star Flower (Calytrix breviseta subsp. breviseta) is cute and pretty, and very endangered. :( The Garden doesn't even have a full plant. The tiny specimen they have is grafted onto a hardy rootstock.

a Banksia flower bud

I may have gone a bit mental photographing Banksias. They are just too cute.

fuzzy round flower bud of a native Australian shrub

(not sure if this one is a Banksia, though)

another Banksia flower bud

big pinecone looking Banksia flower bud

Banksia seed pod shedding petals

Banksia in flower

Hee hee, looks like it's wearing a cardigan.

Balga grass gum tree

This is a Balga (Xanthorrhoea pressii), also known as a grass tree or, in antiquated times, a blackboy. Fun fact: flowering can be stimulated by fire.

photographer taking a photo

Ah, a wild photographer in his natural habitat!

large artificial pond and stream

The Garden is well designed. Lots of nooks and crannies. Even with people wandering about, it's pretty easy to find a quiet spot and feel like the crowd is ages away.

native Australian plant, late in flower

I'm not sure what type of plant this is. Looking at the leaves, maybe another Banksia? It looked very cool though.

top down view native Australian shrub flower

Cray cray, huh?

puffy yellow wattle flowers

A type of wattle. I'm not sure which type, but aaaaaa~ so cute.

Cranbrook Bell flowers

A Cranbrook Bell (Darwinia meeboldii).

ducklings at Kings Park

And some ducks. ^___^