Take a walk through Western Australia’s floral landscape

SPRING has well and truly sprung. And while the East Coast’s entry to warmer months may have been marred by yet another La Niña, over in Western Australia, the season is blooming.

Throughout the lockdowns of the past few years, many have gained a greater appreciation for the magnificent sites to travel to on Australian shores. And let it be known, wildflower season in WA is a spectacle you’ll be sure to add to your Antipodean bucket list.

WA has the world’s biggest collection of wildflowers. Each season, over 12,000 species of flora (more than half of which are found nowhere else on the planet) burst into bloom. The state’s wildflower season lasts for six months, beginning in June in the north before sweeping throughout to end in the south coast in November. Accordingly, you have ample time to book in your annual leave and make your way over to take in the magnificent sites.

But if you’re a little pressed for time and have your sites set on a specific spectacle, fret not. Three of WA’s top floral experts have offered their guidance. Below, regional Western Australian artist Helen Ansell, floral designer Matthew Landers and Creative Director of Perth’s ‘Fox and Rabbit’ florist, Rebecca Const, weigh in on their personal favourite flowers in the state and where (and when) to find them.

The most magnificent wildflowers to seek out in Western Australia

The resplendent Wreath Flower (Leschenaultia macrantha) is totally unique to WA. They only grow in a few select locations in the state’s Wheatbelt region, specifically near the towns of Pindar, Mullewa and Perenjori.

“I love that they look like colourful wreaths, laid as tributes to the desert around them. I am lucky to have these beauties only a stone’s throw from my backyard,” says Ansell.

Another favourite of the artist is Native Blue Cornflowers (Brunonia australis). The delicate flowers, which bloom in a spectacular lilac colour, do grow across the entire continent, though Helen notes they are particularly captivating against WA’s red desert backdrop.

Const’s current favourite is the Yellow Feather Flower (Verticordia Chrysantha), a vibrant treasure that grows in low shrub. She’s also a fan of the Heart-leaf Flame Pea (Chorizema cordatum), which can be found in forests in the state’s South West. “Not a cut flower, but this beautiful bright orange and hot pink pea cannot help but turn heads,” she explains.

A third and firm favourite is the flowers of the Eucalyptus Macrocarpa, which bloom in glorious red and yellow bursts. “Statement branches can usually be purchased year-round, but this plant only flowers for a very short time in spring,” Const explains.

Landers, who has been a veteran of the floral industry for almost 20 years, favours Boronia (Boronia heterophylla). The fabulous pink flower, which blooms throughout Kings Park and the Botanic Garden during Spring, is particularly special.

“The intoxicating fragrance and short season makes it such a unique natural treasure,” Landers says. 

Discover more about the wildflower landscapes of Western Australia here.