I read recently about a Victorian flower farm called Ducks Landing Native Flower Farm that promoted the idea that native Australian flowers in season are an excellent choice for a bunch of flowers.
The flower farm is in Buninyong is almost due south of Ballarat, about 11km away from the rural city. It is here at Ducks Landing Native Flower Farm that the magic of growing Australian natives happens. They encourage the philosophy of giving locally grown Australian native flowers rather than buying imported exotics.
Some people may decide that buying Australian natives is for them. Especially when you consider that the alternative might be to buy non-native flowers that have travelled from overseas or interstate to you. Not to mention, had umpteen chemicals sprayed on them before you receive them, to keep them fresh enough for you to be interested in buying them.
Now, to a Melbourne florist making it their goal to sell only Australian natives. According to its website, the Bush Florist, an online delivery model, is “a passion project by the team from Azalea Flowers in South Melbourne who after years of stocking the largest range of Native Flowers in Melbourne thought it was time to let these beauties take centre stage”.
Bush sources rare and unique blooms of Australian natives from independent growers around the country. They deliver flowers within metropolitan Melbourne.
To more on Australian natives. Who’s curious about what’s in flower right now within Melbourne and in the coming months of spring? Who would like to know more about a particular Australian native or two?
The Austral Indigo tree or large shrub (Indigofera australis) is a plant belonging to the legume family that is in flower right now. It will flower throughout spring. It is an evergreen flowering Australian native that grows up to two metres. The Austral Indigo tree is native to every state of Australia. So, of course, they grow well in Melbourne too. In fact, they grow in poor soils in almost any climate here in Australia.
The Austral Indigo tree has lovely pink or purple flowers that bring lots of beneficial insects into the garden. It’s probably best to enjoy the flowers on the tree as they lose their vibrancy quickly in a vase of water. The flowers will be on the tree from early to late spring as long as the air remains cool.
One of the smart things about this plant is that it helps nearby plants in the garden by increasing the nitrogen levels in the soil. One of the many smart things about Australian Aboriginal people is that they used the crushed leaves of Austral Indigo to add them to water to kill or stun fish, like eels and Murray cod.
So, what native Australian flowers can people buy this spring? I’d recommend banksias in these early days of spring. They can have beautiful flowers from autumn through to spring. This is when many banksia species will be covered in nectar rich flower spikes. Banksia ericifolia, a dwarf form of banksia, is an early flowering species that flowers from throughout three out of four seasons with attractive red flowers that transition into orange shades.
Maybe you’d like to be growing your own Australian natives to pick bunches of flowers from. Maybe you’re already growing them. Maybe you’d like to buy Australian native flowers for yourself or to gift them onto someone else. If you’re able to get out and about, see if you can spot some flowering Australian natives around Melbourne and beyond this spring. Go well in your Australian native experimentations and appreciations.
