The strikingly brilliant light made the Waratah flower growing at the Robertson CTC seem especially bright. This plant was one of a group planted as part of a "working bee" of young mothers and their kids at the CTC, held 3 years ago.
This was how some of the clouds looked, a few minutes after I took the Waratah photos.
Looking down into the flower, you see the central "florets" (which are technically individual flowers) protected within the surrounding brilliant red bracts.
This is the same flower which I photographed two weeks ago, as the bud was developing. As I had hoped, the flower which looked like it was in danger of burning, has in fact developed its true brilliant red colour. This is a seedling plant which I was given by Paul Nixon, arguably the greatest expert on the NSW Waratah. It is a true representative of the species - Telopea speciosissima.I shall publish some photos of some of the more successful garden varieties of Waratahs, in a few days. They are more floriferous, but the individual flowers are not quite so spectacular. But as garden plants, there is no question which ones work better - in terms of overall display.
4 comments:
A beautiful flower indeed. I wonder if they will grow up here in this district?
Hi Mick
I don't know, to be honest.
They grow naturally on the sandstone plateau, but under forest cover. Yet they adapt well to growing on rich red basalt soil (very well drained). The only thing I know is that they need good drainage.
The hybrids, such as "Red Shady Lady" are very adaptable plants. The white flowered forms burn badly in the sun.
Cheers
Denis
Forget daffodils - If only Wordsworth had known the Waratah:
I Wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw ahead,
A Waratah ablaze with red
:-)
Well done, Mosura.
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You deserve the title "Poet Bloggaureate"
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I like the rhyming of "ahead" with "ablaze with red" for that is indeed how I feel about the flower. The bracts look like leaping flames.
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Cheers
Denis
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