Gilgandra Flora Reserve is another of our waystations or places of pilgrimage. We last visited it in January, and even at the height of summer it provided delights. This time we expected to see some early spring flowerings, and we allowed ourselves plenty of time for a ramble in this piece of rehabilitated natural bushland, 8.5 hectares, managed by local volunteers, and donated by local farmers. We weren’t disappointed. Although I have just been mightily disappointed because a search of my no-fail filing system has refused to turn up the species list I know I have.
I love walking into the reserve off the dirt road and seeing the spires of native cypresses, so different from eucalypt shapes. But before that pleasure we had something to puzzle over: mounds of red dirt around holes burrowed down into the soil. Best guess at the makers was burrowing frogs, drawn out by recent rain.
Corrigendum by comment: Not a frog, a beetle, a Scarabaeidae in the subfamily Bolboceratinae. Thank you, Allen Sundholm.
Before I was even through the gate, J was calling me. He’d obviously found something he was scared he would lose if he moved on. That proved to be a false assumption, because the Blue fingers were everywhere, in clusters and alone. In fact you had to watch your feet very carefully so you didn’t trample them. Indulge me in an excess of orchid photos, please.
There were many other delights. A reddish pink cover on the ground proved to be a plant, rather than the pebbles I thought it was; trunks were varied; leaf-and-bark litter coiled and striated, host to bone, moth case and hardenbergia; mosses collected leaves, bark and seeds.
There were flowers too: wattle; difficult-to-photograph grevillea (I’ve summoned the painterly effect to disguise blur); pink phlebalium, erupting from its buds; and of course the unidentifiable one, white, with grass like leaves, a lily maybe.
Finally, the signature plant of the reserve, graceful grass trees, one of the thirty or so Xanthorrhea species in Australia.
I’d like to share this walk with Jo’s Monday walkers: a taste of Australian landscape and flora.
Allen Sundholm said:
Hi, what a wonderful site, love it! Re the first two photos for the Gilgandra Native Flora Reserve, the mounds of soil you thought might be made by frogs, are in fact ‘push-ups’ made by burrowing adult beetles in the family Scarabaeidae in the subfamily Bolboceratinae. The adult beetles spend much of their lives in burrows they dig, and emerge and fly to find mates generally after rain. Some species are winter-flying, others spring, others in summer. The presence of a visible hole, as seen in the second photo, nearly always means that the occupant has left the burrow. It is not known if the same beetle returns to the same general site to make another burrow the next night. Very little is known about their biology, but it is strongly suspected that the adults feed on underground fungi. The female bears a single giant egg. On the right night, preferably warm, humid and moonless, in bushland locations, the adult beetles will come to a weak light at night, even a torch light, but bright lights generally mean they fall to the ground too far from the light to be readily found. I am a private researcher on these and other Australian beetles and would be very keen to obtain specimens if anybody comes across these beetles anywhere in Australia. My email is entom2@optusnet.com.au Cheers, Allen Michael Sundholm, OAM
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morselsandscraps said:
Thanks so much for this info. Seems to me such communication is one of the things blogging offers – a chance to become less ignorant! Thanks for the visit and for your detailed comment.
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Allen Sundholm said:
Hi Meg, indeed!!! Cheers, Allen
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Ruth Palsson said:
Your grass like plant with cream flowers is a Lomandra but I don’t know which one. I found your post because I was googling “Gilgandra Flora Reserve plant list”
Have you found yours yet please?
Thanks,
Ruth
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morselsandscraps said:
No I didn’t. And never will now! There was a good species list on a panel in the garden with the name of the volunteer group when we visited.
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Ruth Palsson said:
Thanks for your reply. Ruth
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Anabel Marsh said:
Some wonderful textures in these photos – I can almost FEEL them!
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Heyjude said:
I shall have to come back to this to linger longer as I am expecting visitors in a few minutes and it would be rude of me to continue salivating over these wonderful floral beauties. On first quick glance your white flowers remind me of a South African plant – chincherinchee or Ornithogalum thyrsoides or Star of Bethlehem. And like all the other commenters, thank you for our walk in your delightful countryside, and to Paula for noticing the beautiful iridescent bug!
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morselsandscraps said:
My white flowers only have three petals. Is this significant? I’m really annoyed with myself for losing the species list. But I’m always happy to provoke salivation!
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pommepal said:
Spring in Australia is a very magical time when we have had some good rains. Our flowers are surprisingly delicate looking. I love this post Meg and your delicious descriptions, that shy little smudge of purple hardenburgia soon to be a riot of colour. and the orchids, what a beautiful blue, it must’ve been a real highlight of your day to find them. Can’t help you with the white mystery plant, but I did see lots in WA. How exciting about the property contract, yes the grass trees could be a very viable business, they do cost a fortune and of course are protected so can only get them from a registered grower, great potential.
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morselsandscraps said:
Must tell my grandson that to curb his capitalist, land-exploiting leanings before they really take hold.
I think I’ll hire you and Paula as ghost writers: you’ve both created wonderful phrases to describe my treasures. I’m surprised the orchid photographed so well – blue has a habit of resisting the camera.
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pommepal said:
Ghost writer is certainly not needed for your delightful posts Meg…But thank you for that vote of confidence in our writing.
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Paula said:
How cool is that green bug bridging two yellow bonnets! The portrait shot of a wild orchid is so beautiful!
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morselsandscraps said:
I wish I’d thought of that description. The wattle was crawling with green iridescence. I’m always delighted by orchids – don’t know why they’re so special. After all, they’re just another wildflower!
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Paula said:
Wildflowers are the best flowers.
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Tish Farrell said:
I can only echo Sue and Gilly, Suzanne and Jo. This is a wonderful walk, and it’s fascinating that in this dry land, your photos/words still give a sense of spring bursting through. And yes those lovely little orchids…
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morselsandscraps said:
The countryside was extraordinarily green, almost Irish. Not always like that, I can assure you. Although I’m always surprised at how undelicate orchids are. I’m glad you enjoyed a taste of my world.
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Sue said:
What a lovely walk, Meg! All those wonderful little flowers, the rich colours of the barks etc, wonderful finds, all…. Thanks for taking me there 😀
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Lucid Gypsy said:
Of course the orchids shine out and are my favourites but what lot of treasure you’ve brought to us! The bark, the tinies and the pink pretties, wow, could the white mystery be a chive of some kind? I have a friend who would love the Xanthorrea and it may be possible to buy them here at an extortionate price. Your posts recently have been amazing Meg 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
Thank you my dear appreciator. It’s easy to be amazing from a foreign place: but I’ve also invested a fair bit of time in writing, partly because I have readers I value, and I sort of know what you might like. My country is good at providing it.
The grass trees cost a lot here too: there are heaps on the block my son was looking at (signed a contract last week, not that he trusts that altogether – he and his mob are in Bali for a wedding and he fears gazumphing) and my grandson, all of twelve, had a marketing plan!
Chives? I’m often startled by the range that comes under one species heading, but the flowers don’t look chive like I don’t think – not from a quick scan of google images, at least. But I could be very wrong. It has happened, once or twice!!
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restlessjo said:
Quite magnificent, Meg! My cup of joy is definitely overflowing right now 🙂 Looking over your shoulder is such a pleasure. I was bowled over by the orchids but then you went on to further bedazzle me. 🙂 Thank you so much!
I’m sitting here beside 2 big vases of lilies, gladioli, gerbera and all kinds of lusciousness feeling very spoilt indeed. (yesterday was our 26th 🙂 )
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morselsandscraps said:
Happy 26th. That is something worth celebrating. We managed twenty the first time, and we’re up to sixteen for the second attempt. I love gerberas particularly, and the thought of you feeling suitably spoilt.
I’m glad you enjoyed looking over my shoulder. It’s a special place. Suitable for a Monday walk? I’m always a bit doubtful. No buildings and no food and not on Monday – does it qualify??
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restlessjo said:
Of course! Who needs buildings? I’m just completing a ballooning extravaganza and I’m excited all over again just looking at the photos. 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
I am eager!!!
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Suzanne said:
How wo derful to see photos of the dry interior. Your words and images transported me there.
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morselsandscraps said:
I am nothing without J! Most of the treasures we encounter are of his discovering. This one we need to cross paths with in full spring again, but it’s a bit far for a Sunday drive. The dry interior was actually very green this time, astonishingly so in fact. We were planning on heading west, but cold got into our bones and so did the longing for home after three months away and cohabiting.
Have you moved properly yet? Unmitigated pleasure, I hope.
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Suzanne said:
This mysterious J. I often wonder who he is. He doesn’t seem to be your husband so I assume he is a new love. How wonderful to meet such a companion later in life.
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morselsandscraps said:
Not a new love. The very oldest. Father of my children, and friend before that. We separated for ten years in the 90s and still live separate lives in separate abodes, but combine skills when it comes to offspring and their offspring, animal or human.
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Suzanne said:
How wonderful. That makes more sense than what I had assumed. Thanks for sharing. I hope you don’t mind me prying.
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morselsandscraps said:
Not prying at all. He’s featured so much in the three months we cohabited, and it’s a bit of a strange relationship in the eyes of many!
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Suzanne said:
Not moved yet. The furniture van comes 8.30 am Monday. I should be packing but life had been so intense this week I need a short break before getting into it. Thenew place is good – much better than this cold dark dump.
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