first day of summer

Welcome to Summer!  

Today also marks the first day of the indigenous season known as Birak, one of six seasons in the year.  Birak is a time of flowering for many plants, as a response to spring rains and warmer weather.  

Visit Federation Walkway in Kings Park to learn more about indigenous culture

It seems to make more sense to me that we should follow the indigenous seasons, as these describe our natural surroundings much better than the northern-hemisphere-focused four seasons.  But I digress...

The next few weeks will see an explosion of yellow and white flowers in our bushland.  My garden, too, boasts a riot of fluorescent orange flowers, namely Morrison Featherflower (Verticordia nitens).   

Morrison Featherflower (Verticordia nitens) in bushland

This gorgeous verticordia should be the emblem of the northern suburbs.  It has distinctive umbrella-shaped flower heads, and the stunning colour is echoed in the flowers of the WA Christmas Tree (Nuytsia floribunda).  A great place to see these wildflowers is Whiteman Park, and the drive along Lord Street or Beechboro Road is often a richly rewarding experience.

Once upon a year, such flowers existed by the acre and were collected for Perth's flower markets, as were many other native species across the South West.