Digital Art :
Australian Wildflowers
Australia’s flowering plants, also known as angiosperms, a number some 21,000 species, 93% of which are endemic – compared globally that around 7% of a total of 268,600 species. Although not entirely, my focus has been Western Australia which represents over half the total of Australia’s species, around 12,000 species. And so, if wildflowers excite you, Western Australia, especially the southern areas, is your place to be. The Wildflower Society of Western Australia lists the reasons for such diversity as being a combination of isolation, climate, pollination abundance and the stability geologically over time. Collectively we photo artists are in for some pretty joyful times. Flowering plants offer a smorgasbord of artistic elements, of course, the colours being predominant.
‘Heart to Heart’
Above – A low viewpoint and subtle, subdued use of colour helped convey how I felt about this moment spent down in the dirt on a skywards journey to light. Daisies close their petals at night and open them as soon as morning arrives, so this idea of ‘reaching towards the light’ is what I wanted to say. That’s phase one, the second phase, within the space of the digital darkroom, comes the words and the image and the original idea.
A wild bushland in bloom
is nature’s way of saying,
‘Let’s make art!’
Steve Parish
Spring Rain
Spring rains bring arid mulga woodland into a blaze of colour. Morawa, Western Australia.
Kangaroo Paw III
Kangaroo paw is the common name for a number of species of these striking plants that are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. These perennial plants are noted for their unique bird attracting flowers. The tubular flowers are coated with dense hairs and open at the apex with six claw-like structures: from this paw formation the common name “kangaroo paw” is derived. They are, indeed deserve to be, the floral emblem for the state of Western Australia.
Winged Wattle II
There are some 1350 species of Acacia found throughout the world and close to 1000 of these are to be found in Australia. Commonly known as Wattle, Acacia is the largest genus of vascular plants in Australia. Australia’s national floral emblem is Acacia pycnantha, the Golden Wattle.
Wildflower Celebration
Boronias, peas and acacia flowers – a collage of colour and design to celebrate the world of Australian wildflowers.
Desert Bloom
When rain fall comes to the desert the transformation can be breath taking. Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, World Heritage Area, Northern Territory.
Heralding Spring
Fuchsia heath, is a plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with egg-shaped, pointed leaves and red tube-shaped flowers which give the plant its name longiflora and are usually present throughout the year. Its native range extends from the central coast of
New South Wales to southern Queensland.
Summer Rain – Bower of Beauty
Above: ‘Grevillea after summer rain.’
Below: ‘Bower of Beauty’ – The bower of beauty is a climbing vine in the family Bignoniaceae. It is native to New South Wales and Queensland with evergreen leaves, and in spring and summer produces trumpet-shaped flowers. I have had this beautiful flower in my life for decades now and they accelerate joyfulness when in bloom.
Swap Orchid – Rainy Day Waratah
Above left: Southern Swap Orchid’ – Swamp Orchid is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. Found in near-coastal swampy forest between Cooktown in Queensland and Lake Cathie in New South Wales. Listed as “endangered” under the Australian Government.
Above right: ‘Rainy Day Waratah’ – The Waratah is the floral emblem of New South Wales, a large (10-12cm across) and spectacular scarlet flower growing in the bush in clumps of tall stems. The name waratah comes from the Eora Aboriginal people, the original inhabitants of the Sydney area.
‘Celebrating Sunshine’ – ‘Celebrating Orchids’ – ‘Reaching Out’ –
Left: ‘Celebrating Sunshine’ – The wildflowers of Australia are cause for major annual celebration and, depending on the rains, we certainly have that event in the springtime right across Australia, especially the southern states. Here, in the woodlands of south-west Western Australia, two of my favourites brought together in celebration,
the exquisite Cranbrook Bell and Yellow Kangaroo Paw.
Centre: ‘Celebrating Orchids’ – Lower image butterfly orchid, a spider orchid from south-west Western Australia, and Queensland’s floral emblem, the Cooktown orchid, a tropical beauty from north Queensland.
Right: -‘Reaching Out’ – Wee Jasper grevillea and yellow paper flower in the Australian Botanic Gardens, Canberra.
