‘…in spring, the most delicate feathery yellow of plumes and plumes and plumes and trees and bushes of wattle, as if angels had flown right down out of the softest gold regions of heaven to settle here, in the Australian bush.  

D.H. Lawrence, Kangaroo

 A wonderful image of acacia by May Gibbs.
The lovely art of May Gibbs

I do love the acacias, or wattles…..our country’s national floral emblem.

Austrlia's Floral Emblem. Golden Wattle, Acacia pycnantha.

This piece is about three of my favourites; Acacia pravissima , Acacia pycnantha, known as  the Sydney Golden wattle and the silvery Acacia covenyi.

Acacias
Wattle trees  in  bud……Pravissima and the lovely silver leafed variety.
Silver acacia in bud.
May, and the buds are already swelling on the silver wattle.

Where I live high  in the Blue Mountains  of New South Wales,  the trees come into bloom very early; in  July or August. What a sight to lift the heart in winter.

The photos below were taken on July1.

Wattle almost out.
Pravissima
Silver wattle in bud.
Silver wattle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wattle in bud.
Almost out. Photo taken July 28

Winter Wattle

God bless our Lady Wattle

Who knows not doubt nor fear,

But dons her golden blossom

The first of all the year.

How gallantly she ventures,

All careless of the cost,

To snatch  a stolen Spring-time,

Or fall beneath the frost!

Gold-capped in gown of silver,

She sets the year apart,

Our Lady of the Winter,

With Spring-time at her heart.

ELLA McFADYEN

The Pravissima changes colour quite dramatically as it get closer to flowering;

Acacia Pravissima about to flower.
The Pravissima is about to flower and no longer pink.

 

Wattles
Silver wattle (Acacia Covenyi) flowering in foreground. Golden wattle behind.

Blue sky, gum trees, a kookaburra and acacia. Yes, that’s Australia.

Gum, wattle nd a kooka.
Essence of Oz.
Stump art Wattle bloom
A sprig  for spring.

Nothing complements acacia  as perfectly as a golden chested Eastern Yellow Robin.

Eastern robin in wattle.
Sweet Eastern Robin in acacia  pravissima.
SILVER WATTLE COMING INTO BLOOM

The king parrots are more interested in gorging on seeds. The pods are so beautiful. Maybe I should  harvest some and try my hand at wattle seed bread.

Acacia  seed soda bread
Wattle seed soda bread
Silver wattle seeds
Could serve as a Christmas tree.
Gang-gang cockatoo feeding on acacia seeds.
Gang-gang cockatoos love acacia seeds.
Acacia pravissima seeds
Seed capsules of Acacia pravissima

The king parrots are so acrobatic…..wonderful to watch as they feed.

Wsttle seed for a male king parrot
King parrot feeding on  acacia seeds
A little snack of  seeds.
Golden wattle
Australian Acacias germinated amid the destruction of Hiroshima and were the first flowers to appear.
Wattle about to bloom
Sydney Golden Acacia  in bud.
Acacia in bloom
Framing our studio.

AND HERE IS THAT MUCH LOVED SONG BY COUNTRY SINGER JOHN WILLIAMSON

 

Leave a Reply

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA.