The following photos were all taken at Blackheath, mostly in my garden or on the walk up to the village via Memorial Park or Robertson Lane. The scene that follows appeared in the Blue Mountains Gazette, when Blackheath had a bumper season a few years back. It was taken in Memorial Park during a local festival of fungi.

TOADSTOOLS ARE BELOVED BY ELVES AND GNOMES
THE MAGIC CIRCLE

Autumn is always stunning here in the Blue Mountains, but  instead of looking up at the changing leaves I often find myself enchanted  by all manner of beautiful fungi. They appear on tree trunks and stumps, and pop up through the leaf litter. I must confess  I know very little  about fungi, so I can’t identify many.

I think these tiny red ones are my favourite, especially contrasting with the green lichen.

ELFIN MAGIC

Mind you, there are some red ones I certainly don’t like.  They emerge from creepy ‘eggs’;

The ‘blooms’ smell like rotting flesh to attract blowflies and thus spread the spores via the feet of the flies….truly horrible! I have banned my husband from putting wood chips on garden beds, because they thrive in it. I passed this information on to my rather grumpy dentist, who had a big problem with them. He was so grateful he became positively warm and friendly.

My deadly enemy.. Aseroe rubra.

However, the smelly ones are in the minority. These have an ethereal beauty;

There are some that look like perfectly cooked pikelets, I haven’t tried them yet though.

WHERE’S THE BUTTER?

These strange brown ‘toasted’ ones popped up in the lawn, which to be honest is mostly moss.

TOASTED HAMBURGER ROLLS?

Sometimes I come across a whole bank of fungi in the laneway outside our property.

Fungi at Blackheath NSW
EMBEDDED IN MOSS

This one was growing all alone  in the leaf litter, reaching for the sky in the morning sunshine.

Shining in the light.

As the daylight faded one day I even experimented using the flash on my little camera. The tiny red ones are sweet too; like miniature garden lights..

Fungi shining through.

 

Glowing crimson  fungi.
NIGHT LIGHT

 

The next image is of scallop shell fungi, well that’s what I call them.

SO PRETTY

 

FOR THE PAN

The fungi hunter's delight.
DINNER….PLUS SHELTER FROM THE RAIN!

Above and below  are pine mushrooms. That’s the common name, because they grow under pine trees. I’ve tried these, but I can’t say I’m impressed. They are also known as saffron milk cups. People pickle them, make pesto from them and fry them up. Maybe I should give them another go.

SAFE TO EAT, BUT I DON’T BOTHER

Look, these are the ‘storybook’ red toadstools with white spots. They  were growing under an oak tree. I wonder if this is their preferred location?  I managed to capture their entire life cycle in one grouping.  The white scales on the immature one will separate and form the white spots. Isn’t that interesting? I even know the correct name for these; Amanita muscaria. Just quietly, I think they are the ‘magic’ mushrooms that play with your mind.

Up it comes. Not much red yet.
Red peeping through the next day.
OH YES, AT THEIR MOST QUAINT!

Good grief, it’s that gnome again.

Fungi in the Blue Mountains
Fungi
THE LARGE ONE MAKES MY PHONE LOOK SMALL

 

 

                 

Such a delicate shade of mauve.

                                  

Delicate yellow fungi
FOUND DOWN BY THE DUCK POND


My associate  Editor Des has been studying fungi for some time. He likes to work ‘in the field’  so to speak.

Editor Des making nature notes. on his fungi desk.
MAKING NATURE NOTES AT HIS ‘DESK’
Editor Des in Autumn  studying fungi.
THE ESSENCE OF AUTUMN

And just to show my affection for these curious creations of nature;

A dear little heart growing on a stone.

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13 Comments
  1. What magical illustrations these could become for a children’s fantasy tale.

    • Pauline

      I found lots more today, Heather. I’m becoming obsessed!

      • A very beautiful and healthy obsession unless you extend to random taste samples 🙂

  2. What an unusual collection of fungi and mushrooms you have in the Blue Mountains. It’s a wonderland of colour i the forests woodland near you. Your photograph was a very attractive portrait.

    • Pauline

      Yes Heather, and all in our garden or just outside in the lane. Thanks for your kind words re my new pic. Oh dear, getting on a bit though.

  3. Thank you so much for sharing these. I’ve enjoyed the last half hour on your blog and love your pictures. I found you via Marketing for Creatives.

  4. Thank you for sharing your journey and insights on mushroom. This is very educational.
    Thank you!

    • Pauline

      I’m glad you found it interesting, David. Thanks for taking the trouble to leave a comment.

  5. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos! I can not stop to be in awe always with nature on how magical it is. I love these shots!

  6. “Pauline”
    I am speechless in front of mushrooms benefits.it is very useful as well as healthy. Thanks for sharing….it’s very helpful for mushrooms lovers.

  7. AWESOME photos Pauline! thank you for sharing them! It’s crazy to think that out of millions of identified mushroom species we have only studied (and found the physical and psychological benefits of) a few hundred species.

    • Pauline

      Thanks Jeff. Nearly time to go looking for them again up here in Mountains.

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