What's Flowering in our patch in Birak (December / January 2019/2020)
The fourth in a series of blogs where I share what's flowering in our patch. With a deep respect for the traditional custodians of this land, I'm sharing what's flowering during each of the 6 Indigenous seasons, as these are the true season of this land. We are currently around the middle of the Birak, traditionally known as the season of the young and associated with dry, hot weather and cultural burning time.
Our aim here is to give a majority of our land back to nature and one way we do this is by having an abundance of food in the form of flowers for all endemic fauna - from the tiniest native bees to the largest foraging mammals and birds and everything in between. From trees to groundcovers, natives to edibles, here's our list of plants that are in flower. We hope you find some inspiration from this list for what you could plant in your own garden. (Note: some are only flowering for parts of Birak and some are flowering throughout the whole season:)
Native Hibiscus
Native Trees (only some endemic)
Jacaranda
Eucalyptus macrandra
Marri
Eucalyptus preissiana
Spotted gum - Corymbia maculata
Mahogany Gum (Woollybutt) - Eucalyptus botryoides
Lemon scented gum - Corymbia citriodora
Blue Mallee Eucalyptus
Showy Honey Myrtle - Melaleuca nesophila
Golden Gum - Corymbia eximia
Fuschia gum
Lilly Pilly
Jacaranda flower with a resting (albeit awkwardly) hairy flower wasp
Native Shrubs (only some endemic)
Verticordia plumosa
Banksia ashbyii
Native Rosemary - Westringia fruiticosa
Cut leaf banksia - Banksia praemorsa
Grevillea carramar
Grevillea Supreme
Grevillea Robyn Gordon
Native Hibiscus - alyogyne huegelii
Kangaroo paws
Robyn Gorden flower covered in Hylaeus species bee and a large Amegilla native bee
Native Groundcovers & Climbers (only some endemic)
Boobialla - Myoporum parvifolium
Grevillea 'Gin Gin Gem'
Scaevola purple fanfare
Banksia blechnifolia
Snakebush - Hemiandra pungens
Snakevine - Hibbertia scandens
Boobialla ground cover with large Hylaeus native bee
Medicinal/Edible/Weeds
(This list varies each year to what annual edibles we are growing)
California Poppy
Elder flower
Calendula officinalis
Borage
Cats Ear
Thyme and lemon thyme
Cape Gooseberry
Clary sage
Parsley
Comfrey
Basil
Lemon verbena
Jerusalem artichokes
Galangal
Echinacea
Mint
Chicory
Self Heal
Lemon balm
Anise hyssop
Fennel
Chamomile
Wormwood
Tansy
Oregano
Catmint
Chives, garlic chives
Eggplant, tomato, chilli,
Pumpkin
Watermelon
Zucchini
Cucumber
Basil, silverbeet and a few lettuce plants beginning to flower
Ornamental (or non-native) Shrubs/Trees/Groundcovers
Magnolia little gem
Leucaspermum cordifolium - orange and yellow
Viburnum Tinus
Buddlejia yellow, purple, pink
Osteospermum White Daisy With Purple Center
Tibouchina 'Jazzie'
Mexican marigold
'Hot Lips' Salvia
'Wendy's Wish' Salvia
Purple and white trailing lantana
Convolvulus sabatius purple ground cover
Pelargoniums
Geraniums
Lippia
Hebe
Begonias
Agastache
Sunflowers
Water Hibiscus
Mexican sage
Agapanthus
Gaura
Hollyhock
Cosmos
Bougainvillea
Geisha Girl
White Daisy with an interesting Hoverfly - I call it Spiky Bum Hoverfly
And that's a wrap from our patch for December/January 2019/2020.
Garden Blessings
Trac x
