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The wildflowers of Western Australia have been erupting down the coast and across the state for the past two months, and now it’s Perth’s turn. September is the peak time to see carpets of colour around the state capital, and masses of everlastings (pictured) and kangaroo paws will be putting on their displays at Kings Park and Botanic Garden. For more wildflower wonder and other news, see over the page. WILD ABOUT FLOWERS! If you’re heading to Western Australia’s south-west to experience wildflowers, plan your trip around these key festivals: the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show (September 7–19); Great Southern Bloom Festival (September 12–October 11); Everlasting Kings Park Festival, in Perth (September 18–October 4); and the First Nations-led Djilba Wildflower Festival Esperance (September 19–23). Details at: wavisitorcentre.com.au/wildflowers Botanical Brisbane Congratulations to Prue…

The new Carnival Lights Anisodontea collection has three members, each happiest in full sun or part-shade, where they’ll reward with masses of flowers in spring and autumn. ‘Whirlygig’ (above) and ‘Candy Apple’ are compact, growing to 80cm by 60cm, and require minimal pruning. The former has large, deep-magenta flowers; the latter, wine-red blooms. The largest of these hardy perennials, ‘Cotton Candy Pink’ (right), reaches 1m by 60cm, making it ideal for mass planting, low hedges or containers. All three are low-maintenance and tolerate frosty, dry and coastal conditions. pga.com.au Here’s a trio of sun-loving Leucadendron to plant this spring. Each is drought and frost tolerant, and looks stunning – whether planted en masse or as a single feature specimen in a pot or garden bed. L. ‘Yellow Countess’ (top) grows…

THE VERANDAH Simon Griffiths, Thames & Hudson In this sumptuous coffee table book, photographer Simon Griffiths presents some of his favourite verandahs from around the country. In his introduction, Simon describes the verandah as a “cultural and climatic response to how Australians live in this vast country” and the book charts its evolution in words and images. But the book, like the verandah itself, is really a place to sit back and enjoy the view. The standouts include The Lawns, in Kyneton, Victoria, where the verandah incorporates a heated orchid house, and a contemporary house in Yallingup, Western Australia, with a wraparound deck that enjoys spectacular scenery in all directions. See our Father’s Day gift guide on page 66 for a chance to win one of five copies of The…

BOUNCING BACK The threatened rufous bettong (left) has been reintroduced to the wild in a New South Wales first, with 17 animals released into the feral predator-free Ngambaa Nature Reserve on the state’s Mid North Coast. The release, led by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Aussie Ark and the University of Newcastle, marks the first of around 30 bettongs to be returned over the next 18 months. An important ecosystem engineer, the nocturnal marsupial digs and turns over soil, helping disperse fungi and nutrients that support healthier forests and woodlands. CARE FOR CRITTERS No Spray Spring is a national campaign by Invertebrates Australia that urges gardeners to rethink their use of pesticides and adopt a more sustainable approach to pest control. While a small number of insects can…

The first thing you notice about Abbie Hopkins’ garden isn’t the plants. It’s the path. It slips through a steep 2000m² block in North Lambton, a leafy suburb of Newcastle, NSW, on Awabakal Country, disappearing around bends and low stone walls before revealing another pocket of wildflowers, another unexpected shrub, another reason to slow down. Nothing feels forced. The garden unfolds gradually, as though it has always been here. That’s exactly how Abbie wanted it. The idea came to her in 2018, during a short stay in hospital. Lying in bed, she imagined a winding path that worked with the contours of the land. Rather than carving the hillside into terraces, she pictured a gentle journey through the garden, with plants spilling over rock walls and wrapping around every corner.…

A walk through Kay Foley’s Darwin garden feels more like snorkelling through a coral reef. No, there aren’t any clownfish or electric eels swimming by, yet it feels vivid and alive. Layers of colourful leaves in all shapes and sizes, hanging, jutting and swaying in the breeze, create this magical feel. But Kay’s garden holds some secrets that are key to its success. When Kay first came to Darwin 38 years ago from Kempsey, New South Wales, her stay was meant to be temporary. But she fell in love with the city’s warm, close-knit community vibe and never left. “When you go to the shop here, everyone knows you, they stop to have a chat,” she says. “It’s a lovely feeling.” In 1995, Kay and her husband, Mike, moved to…

Flowering plants are the joy-givers of the garden. While many bloom for a few happy weeks or months, there are some long-flowering species that keep on keeping on for most of the year. These power players typically bloom for at least six months, rewarding gardeners with an extended display of colour while providing a reliable source of nectar and pollen for wildlife. While some flower continuously over that period, others have a peak flowering season followed by intermittent blooms. Whether your garden is large, small or on a balcony, these easy-to-grow, versatile plants will keep the colour coming month after month. POTS AND HANGING BASKETS 1 Banksia spinulosa DWARF FORMS Dwarf forms of hairpin banksia include ‘Birthday Candles’ (left), ‘Stumpy Gold’, ‘Honey Pots’ and ‘Cherry Candles’. All are frost-tolerant and…

Let’s hear a drum roll, please, for Aussie drumsticks, also known as coneflowers – a unique, colourful and floriferous group of plants that can light up the garden. Ranging from small-to medium-sized shrubs, their long-lasting, spherical flower heads perch atop upright stems above attractive, sometimes prickly, foliage, bringing both ornamental appeal and structure to the garden. Like many members of the Proteaceae family, drumsticks (Isopogon spp.) offer exceptional habitat value. Their nectar-rich flowers attract pollinators, seed-filled fruits provide food for wildlife, and their dense, prickly growth offers valuable shelter. With species flowering throughout the year and thriving in a wide range of well-drained soils, coneflowers are a versatile choice for adding year-round interest, tone and texture. The unique flowers come in shades of cream, bright yellow, pink, purple and mauve:…

About a year ago, a friend gifted me an orchid. And not just any orchid – it was the almost mythical Medusa orchid (Bulbophyllum medusae). I say ‘almost mythical’ not only because it’s named after the fearsome Greek figure Medusa, but also because it’s hard to find for purchase. Native to the wet tropics of South-East Asia, the Medusa orchid is a slow-growing, creeping species with narrow leaves up to 20cm long and small storage organs called pseudobulbs. Over time, these can form a dense clump. From autumn to early winter, flower heads rise above the foliage. Each has tightly clustered cream flowers with 10–15cm long filaments hanging from each bloom. Unlike the mythical character, these are elongated sepals (the outermost part of the flower), and not snakes, so you…