The name Telopea is from the Greek and literally means “seen from a great distance”. The bright crimson to scarlet flowers of this plant contrast vividly with the dark green of the foliage and the generally sombre backdrop of the sub-montane forests and shrubberies in which it mostly occurs. The waratah belongs to the Banksia and Grevillea family - Family Proteaceae. It is confined to Tasmania where it is quite common on most mountain sides, in wetter areas. There are about four other species of Telopea, found in Victoria and New South ‘Wales, The New South Wales species T speciosissima is perhaps the most spectacular: indeed, it is that State’s floral emblem! Each waratah “flower” is actually a tight bunch of 20-30 small, individual florets, packed into a dense head, 60-100mm across, rather in the form of a truncated cone, hence the specific name. Each floret produces copious nectar. The fruiting follicles that follow very much resemble miniature “stalked” bananas in bunches. The follicles turn from bright yellow to brown before splitting along one side to release numerous winged seeds. Whilst the bright red forms are the most common, there is also a form with bright yellow flower heads, ranging from a dusky to bright canary yellow in hue, and always a surprise and a delight to encounter growing amongst its red relatives.

Edition Six Telopea truncata, 2005
Maker Les Blakebrough
Medium Southern Ice Porcelain, ceramic enamel decals & burnished gold lustres
Dimensions 300mm dia.
Illustration Lauren Black
Medium Watercolour and pencil on Arches 300gm paper
Dimensions 375mm x 360mm, Magnifications 130mm x 340mm

This remarkable shrub or small tree is found only in the highlands of western Tasmania. It is the only cold adapted winter-deciduous plant occurring in Australia. Most commonly it is a small to medium shrub of crooked and twisted appearance. It usually forms a small trunk with widely spreading and often closely intertwined branches which form nearly impenetrable thickets. Hence the alternative common name “Tanglefoot”. In summer, the bright green leaves are distinctive. Rounded or somewhat ovate in shape, and with the veins deeply and evenly impressed on the upper surface, their vibrant green stands out amongst the duller more subdued green tones of other sub-montane vegetation. At the onset of our southern autumn, in April to May, the leaves begin changing colour, usually from delicate shades of lemon yellow to a rich burnished orange. A few may take on a rich crimson hue. The fall of the leaves often coincides with a late autumn snowfall. The sight of the coloured leaves sprinkled on the snow like confetti, is unforgettable. Nothofagus gunnii was named in honour of Robert Campbell Gunn, a 19th century Tasmanian plant collector who roamed over much of Tasmania including Mt Olympus, near Lake St Clair, where the first collection of this exquisite little plant was made.

Edition Four Nothofagusgunnii, 2004
Maker Les Blakebrough
Medium Southern Ice Porcelain, ceramic enamel decals & burnished gold lustres
Dimensions 300mm do.
Illustration Lauren Black
Medium Watercolour and pencil on Arches 300gm paper
Dimensions 375mm x 340mm, Ma1nfications 100mm x 340mm

This fine and famous tree forms an important component of the Tasmanian rainforest vegetation, usually in association with the Tasmanian myrtle beech and sassafras. Leatherwood occurs from sea level to sub-montane levels. At lower elevations the tree may reach 30 to 40 metres and, as altitude increases, a more dwarf form is more common. In late spring, through summer, the trees produce masses of large white flowers with four petals and very numerous stamens; the whole flower may be up to 4cm in diameter, forming a spectacular contrast with the deep green, oblong leaves. The flowers produce copious amounts of nectar and it is for this reason the leatherwood is famous. Bees produce a distinctly flavoured dark honey from the nectar and this honey is an economically important export for Tasmania. The pink-flowered form is very rare in the wild. The picture on the plate is from a horticultural cultivar, first collected from the wild and given the name “Ballerina”.

Edition Two Eucsyphia lucida, 2003
Maker Les Blakebrough
Medium Southern Ice Porcelain, ceramic enamel decals & burnished gold lustres
Dimensions 300mm dia.
Illustration Lauren Black
Medium Watercolour and pencil on Arches 300gm paper
Dimensions 330mm x 370mm, Magnifications 80mm x 360mm

Found on the slopes and summit of Mount Wellington, the Tasmanian Snow Peppermint is widespread in plateau country throughout much of Tasmania. It is regarded as an alpine tree, and usually flowers from late spring into summer. At the lower limits of its altitudinal range Euaclyptus coccfera is a fine tree up to 40 metres tall. With increasing exposure to fierce weather above the snow line, the trees become stunted and are finally reduced to small, almost prostrate shrubs. The greatest development of the species occurs on mountains at altitudes above 1500 metres, where on bolder slopes of dolerite the trees form pure stands. In such situations climatic conditions are severe, and it is not unusual to see leaves and branches encased in ice. A distinguishing feature of Euclyptus coccfera, clearly visible on the plate, is the small curl at the end of leaves.

Edition One Escalyptus coccfèra, 2002
Maker Les Blakebrough
Medium Southern Ice Porcelain, ceramic enamel decals & burnished gold lustres
Dimensions 300mm dia,
Illustration Lauren Black
Medium Watercolour and pencil on Arches 300gm paper
Dimensions 375mm x 410mm, Magnfications 6Omm x 340mm