Flora-wise – native flora-wise, most especially – Perth is probably the world’s richest substantial city.
This post’s wildflowers are all endemic to southwest Western Australia.
All are in bloom right now, within 30 minutes of the city centre.
This post’s flowers are not rare species.
You do not need a car to reach them.
Good public transport reaches each relevant place.
Once there, the walking is easy.
Donkey orchids – pictured above, in the Shenton Park Bushland – are currently conspicuous in almost all of Perth’s many bushy places.
Almost as ubiquitous at the moment are Cowslips, or Cowslip orchids – Caladenia flava.
Wireless Hill Park is a tiny walk away from Garden City; the park’s southeast corner – just behind the Melville Civic Centre – is particularly rewarding, right now.
Just behind Karrakatta Cemetery is Hollywood Reserve. To reach it, hop off the train at Karrakatta, then enjoy a pleasant walk through one of Australia’s larger and lovelier cemeteries.
Far from pristine, Hollywood is nonetheless precious, and its preservation was a rare victory over “the developers”.
Mottlecah – Eucalyptus macrocarpa – has the largest flowers and fruit of any eucalypt. This is not an unusually spectacular example.
Spectacular as the flowers are, they are not the only living things worth your attention.
Once I had disturbed it, yesterday, this beetle tried to hide.
It had been very evident, moments earlier. (as is true of many images here, the ones below will reveal more if you zoom/enlarge)
