Wildflowers of South Western Australia

As the old adage goes, " August showers bring September flowers", or something like that.  The southwest is well known for it's riot of colour from September to November with several thousand species of wildflowers.  But, it's not just flowers that bloom, the eucalyptus trees, acacia (wattle trees), bush shrubs and hakeas also have their share of colour.  We have very little clue as to what each of the following flowers are called so we'll just create a collage and call it good.  Some of these pictures are taken behind the Harvey Dam and some on our camping trip in around Wave Rock, Dryandra Woodland, Albany, Esperance, Cape Le Grand and Fitzgerald River National Parks.  Below are grass trees with their tall spire of white flowers.

Esperance (Cape Le Grand) and Fitzgerald River National Parks.

Even trees in the Harvey Supa IGA parking lot are in bloom.  Below are two ground cover shots of the aptly named Wildflower Picnic area near Harvey.

Above is a Harvey Dam photo shot.  Below isn't canola, it is golden everlastings in a wheatbelt pasture.

Didn't see too many of the heavily sought after orchids; it is hard to know what and where to look.  Some flowers come out year after year, some only after a fire, some after a drought or a wet rainy spring, some lie dormant for years, and others are just plain rare.  Below is our grand find, WA's State flower, the Kangaroo Paw.

Some wildflower bouquets in Wave Rock and Margaret River areas.

And one picture of a pest, the feral white calla lily.  It is nasty, because it chokes out other native species and competes for water.  

All in all, there was lots of colour in the past month.