Taking Time with Tiel of Tsk Tsk - Native plants

As part of this weeks Guest Blog, Tiel has offered a set of 3 prints to one lucky reader - ‘Season Delights” I, II and III are 5″ x 7″ each and are based on Tiel’s original paintings. To go into the draw to win, simply leave a comment on any of this week's posts before 10.00pm Thursday!  A winner will be selected randomly and announced this Friday. - Jenny x

What are native plants anyway? I guess everything is native to somewhere. Australia has so many introduced species from all around the world. But I am drawn to native flowers and plants from the southern hemisphere, in particular African and Australian ones. There is something about their structure. They possess such drama through shape and colour. Spring is certainly an amazing season for all the elements of design within nature. Pattern, shape, line etc and Brisbane offers a smorgasbord of flora. Here are few of my current favs and some images I have been working on.

Protea is named after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form at will. Don’t you love that?

Leucospersium is commonly called the pincushion and is apart of the Proteaceae family. Kangaroo Paw. My current favourite… I must plant some in my garden.

Agapanthus sometimes called the African Lily. As a child my grandfather would take us to the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens and tell us not to stand too close to them because they might eat us. I never took the risk.

Banksia. I think the most striking of the Proteaceae family. I love every element of change this flower has to offer.

- Tiel x