Colours of the Jarrah Forest
“Australian bush is rarely described as pretty, but the forest floor in spring is a mass of dainty and colourful blossoms” – The Southwest, Australia’s Biodiversity Hotspot – Victoria Laurie Only a few weeks ago orchids were blooming profusely in the metropolitan bushland, but after the first spring heat they’ve vanished like snow before the sun. The same seemed to be the case in the Jarrah forests of the Darling range, where Silky Blue Orchids (Syanicula sericea) were plentiful in the Kalamunda area not that long ago, while none have been seen there on recent walks. Observations like this feed my never-ending hunger to understand the intricate relationship between the bottomless chest of botanical treasures, their respective flowering seasons and habitats, and, above all, have led me to approach nature in a more holistic way rather than singling out its individual parts. It has not only helped me to gain a better understanding of the flora that surrounds us, it has also helped me to find out how to increase the chances of sighting wildlife: the associations formed between …