Western Australia is renowned for the glorious bursts of wildflowers that paint her landscape in sweeping vistas of colour in spring. Regrettably, most of us must make do without sweeping vistas in more modest back yards, but there’s no reason why we can’t create our own mini wildflower garden to enjoy the intricate beauty of these unique plants!

Western Australian wildflowers are both famous… and notorious. The postcard-perfect plants we see growing effortlessly in the desert without special fertiliser, water, mulch or pruning, all too often languish when given extra care in our own gardens! And there, of course, lies the rub. Understanding the unique conditions to which Western Australian wildflowers are adapted is the key to success with these plants in your own garden. Trick them into thinking they’re home, and they’ll thrive!

Climate

The microclimate in Western Australia does, of course, vary from area to area, but most regions share certain characteristics. In the south and central zones, much of the year is dry, with a cool, wet winter and a hot - often bakingly hot - summer. Not surprisingly, desert wildflowers from the south of the state do best in temperate climates in the eastern states as well. Inland gardeners can also succeed with WA wildflowers if they can provide the right soil. In most cases, you’ll do best if you give them as open a site as possible, with plenty of air circulation to minimise fungal diseases. With their thickened, waxy, hairy, grey or spiky leaves adapted to bright, dry conditions, most also prefer full sun. Woodland species prefer dappled or part shade.

Soil

Much of Western Australia is comprised of leached, acid sands. Plants growing in such sands are accustomed to excellent drainage, and loathe the alkaline soils of South Australia and the clays and deep loams of much of the eastern states. However, in certain regions of WA, the topsoil overlies limestone, and plants native to these areas tolerate more alkaline conditions - some eastern states enthusiasts even place a layer of limestone chips in the pot, bed or planting hole!

Luckily, like the enthusiasts, you can usually recreate conditions at home. Add sulphur to mildly to moderately alkaline soils, or grow in pots filled with native tub mix if your region has highly alkaline soils. Add gypsum to clay soils to improve drainage, and raise beds to improve it further. Avoid rich fertilisers, especially those high in phosphorous and nitrogen: slow release, native formulations or light dressings of old compost are best. Mulch should be coarse and slow to decompose, rather than fine and high in nutrients.

Plants to try:

Anigozanthos spp. (Kangaroo Paws)

These glorious plants are justly famous for the unique furry blooms that flaunt themselves above the green, strappy leaves. The Red and Green Kangaroo Paw (A. manglesii) and the common Yellow Kangaroo Paw (A. flavidus) are widely available and hardy. All Kangaroo Paws prefer well drained sandy soils and thrive in full sun rockeries, but if you have slightly heavier soils, start with A. flavidus, which is less fussy than most of its relatives.

Boronia megastigma (Brown Boronia)

The irresistible perfume of this little shrub has made it a favourite of gardeners around Australia. When not in flower, it’s unremarkable: a plain shrub to about 1.5m high and 60cm wide. But when the small brown bells open, they will scent an entire suburban front garden. Brown boronia prefers dappled shade, excellent drainage and a heavy mulch for a cool root run. Trim plants lightly to encourage compact growth, and look for the varieties "Lutea’ (yellow) and ‘Chandleri’ (dark brown). Not all people are lucky enough to be able to smell the perfume, so check with a sniff at your garden centre before purchase!

Dampiera species

For those gardeners partial to blue and purple shades, dampieras are hard to beat. Of the 60 or so species, most are endemic to the southwest of WA. These small shrubs and groundcovers generally prefer full sun, sandy soil and good drainage, making them ideal for rockeries. Some are less picky than others: D. sericantha tolerates most aspects and conditions, D. linearis will be happy in any sunny, sandy spot, whereas many of the rarer species need perfect drainage to survive. Check with your nursery at purchase time to see which will best suit your garden.

Rhodanthe chlorocephala ssp. rosea, R. manglesii (Paper daisies)

These two species of paper daisy are annuals which easily rival the common European bedding plants in their spectacular display. They grow to 40 cm, and the flowers are not only produced in a variety of pink, white and almost red shades but also fade with time, so there is a range of colours on a plant at any one time. They grow reliably from seed sown in late autumn in frost-free areas. Choose a well-drained, sunny spot, prepare the soil well with old compost, protect seedlings from snails and wait for the spring display!

Lechenaultia biloba (Blue lechenaultia)

Our very own incarnation of the Himalayan Blue poppy, this 50cm bush is the holy grail for many gardeners for its intense electric blue flowers, unique among all Australian plants. They are difficult to maintain in the garden, but give them those classic Western Australian conditions - full sun, perfect drainage and sandy soils, and you’ll have a good chance of success. A rockery situation is ideal, or try them in hanging baskets or pots filled with native tub mix.

Thomasia species

These small woody shrubs are grown for their beautiful bell-like papery flowers, often mottled or speckled in shades of pink, mauve and white. T. macrocarpa, with its large pink blooms, is one of the showiest. Thomasias need good drainage in full or part sun. The flowers are shown to best effect from seen from below or at eye level, so are ideally suited to retaining walls or bank cultivation.

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