A stroll through the beautiful Biodiversity Garden of the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden prompts reflection on Australia’s amazing biodiversity.
Australia is home to more than 20,000 plant species (not including algae) and roughly 17,700 of our vascular plants are exclusively native to Australia. Australia is so rich in plant species that there are more plant species (2500) native to Sydney than the whole of the British Isles.
The Biodiversity Garden displays a selection of the roughly 1,000 plants native to the Dubbo region.
Australian wildflowers are often smaller than the highly cultivated exotic species readily available in garden stores but they are extremely varied in colour and shape, and exquisitely beautiful. A good example is Melaleuca thymifolia (Thyme Honey Myrtle) which has just come into flower.
Melaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae known for its natural soothing and cleansing properties. There are well over 200 recognised species, most of which are endemic to Australia.
Melaleuca thymifolia has clusters of attractive, rich, mauve, feathery flowers from November to autumn. New growth is spicily aromatic when bruised.
Melaleuca thymifolias are growing near the billabong of the Biodiversity Garden.
Also just coming into flower are Dianella caerulea (Blue Flax-lily) and Dianella revoluta (Black-anther Flax-lily). These robust perennials with long narrow leaves are very popular especially for water wise gardens. The beautiful blue star-shaped flowers with six yellow, thickened stamens are followed by attractive, blue or purple pea-sized fruits. The plants will continue to flower through summer. Dianella caerulea and Dianella revoluta were used by traditional Aboriginal people.
These Dianella sp. may be found growing along the paths in the Biodiversity Garden.
Designed as an educational resource, the Biodiversity Garden displays the major ecosystems that thrived in the Dubbo region before European settlement. Students of all ages regularly visit the garden to study the plants and their habitats. A visit to this “wild oasis” is always worthwhile.
By Ian McAlister & Karen Hagan