logo
WA's top botanist goes to ‘heaven' and wins gold at Chelsea Flower Show with local flower

WA's top botanist goes to ‘heaven' and wins gold at Chelsea Flower Show with local flower

West Australian26-05-2025
As Queen Camilla walked around the Chelsea Flower Show in London this week, she was particularly taken with the sight of a striking blue sun orchid, attributed to renowned Perth botanist and Waroona local, Kingsley Dixon.
Its appearance at the world-famous flower show was remarkable for a number of reasons.
It was the first time native Australian bushland orchids had been displayed at the show, and it was only possible due to a months-long international collaboration which nearly came unstuck at the last minute.
Professor Dixon played an integral role in the Orchids in the Wild – The Orchids of Asia and The Pacific exhibit which won a gold medal at the prestigious show.
The exhibit, a partnership of more than 25 global institutions including the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens and the University of WA where Professor Dixon is professor of Botany, displayed orchids from Hong Kong, South China, Singapore, Hawaii and Australia.
The blue sun orchid flowers in Australia between September and December, meaning months of planning and help from a contact of Professor Dixon's in Germany were required to make the display possible.
While the plants couldn't be transported from Australia due to the differing seasons, his friend in Germany happened to have some on hand and after months of paperwork and preparation, they were flown to London late last week.
'It was on a knife edge, there was paperwork and road blocks, it wasn't for the faint-hearted. It was like the plant Olympics,' Professor Dixon said.
'The display looked beautiful, it was amazing, we managed to get hold of some native plants and sand, and it looked just like WA's landscape.
'It was wonderful to win the gold, and Camilla was quite taken with the West Australian plants, she spent quite a lot of time looking at them.'
Professor Dixon said the blue orchids which 'bewitched' the British public with their dazzling colour were a fairly common sight when travelling through the jarrah forests near Waroona and Harvey.
'We take our extraordinary bushland for granted, we take our plants for granted; even simple things like this orchid are bewilderingly wonderful to the world,' he said.
Alongside the impressive orchid, the display showcased banksia cones opened by the terrible bushfire which ripped through his renowned garden at Cypress Farm in Waroona last year.
'They were a smash hit, people thought, 'what are these?' and then you tell the story and even the relic of a terrible fire was absolutely fascinating,' Professor Dixon said.
'They are sitting on centre stage, being looked at by the king and queen — from Waroona to Royalty.'
It was the professor's first time exhibiting at the prestigious event, and only his second time at the show overall.
For a botanist being around the displays was akin to 'going to heaven,' he said.
Waroona shire president Mike Walmsley said he was deeply impressed with Professor Dixon taking the gold at the competition.
'We're very proud he's been able to put little old Waroona on the global stage,' Cr Walmsley said.
'It's lovely that there's some small parts of our bit of the world have made it onto the world stage and managed to get gold.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Destination weddings: should you still buy a gift after forking out on travel?
Destination weddings: should you still buy a gift after forking out on travel?

The Advertiser

time5 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Destination weddings: should you still buy a gift after forking out on travel?

A close friend or relative spends an average of $288 on a gift. A young couple at their beach-side wedding ceremony. Picture: Shutterstock By Anna Houlahan Updated July 28 2025 - 9:56am, first published 9:01am After forking out for flights, accommodation, and a new outfit, a destination wedding guest might start to wonder. Is my presence present enough? Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other in your area Millennials across Australia are in the thick of their wedding guest era and discovering the steep cost of attending celebrations. And destination weddings are the most expensive of them all. So, what is gift-giving etiquette when international travel is involved? Wedding planner Natalie Hagopian said that cash was "always preferred" at a destination wedding, so couples weren't lugging home heavy crystal bowls in their carry-on bags. "While it's still customary to offer something, the expectation for a large or extravagant gift at a destination wedding is significantly lower," she said. "Many couples will explicitly state 'your presence is our gift!' on their wedding website or invitation, acknowledging the substantial financial and time commitment involved for guests." Guests at a wedding. Picture Canva A close friend or relative will spend an average of $288 on a wedding present, while other guests tend to spend $159. Close friends and family are spending around $50 more on a gift in 2025 compared to the year before, the report found. One frequent wedding attendee from Geelong said he's stopped giving gifts in favour of cold, hard cash. "Most couples who get married already live together, so they don't need to be bought random stuff for the house," he said. "I think the unspoken rule for cash is usually to pay for your seat, meal and drinks, so [he and his wife] give $250 to $300 for the two of us." More than ever, couples are asking for cash instead of gifts, the wedding industry report found. A whopping 90 per cent of couples had a wishing well for cash gifts at their reception. Only one per cent of couples were prompting guests to buy a present from a gift registry, while nine per cent set up a honeymoon registry. Wedding planner Sharon Munro. Picture Kayla Martin But she said couples were starting to "think outside the box" when requesting gifts from their guests. "Some couples set up experience funds where guests can contribute to things like cooking classes, scuba diving, or guided tours during the honeymoon," she said. "Others opt for charity donations, asking guests to donate to a cause that's meaningful to them in lieu of gifts." How much is the couple spending? Most Australian couples spent around $8,000 more on their wedding than they intended. The average original wedding budget is $27,455, and this figure ballooned to $35,315 by the big day. Couples planning a destination wedding saved some money, with the average cost reaching $29,391, the report found. Part of the reduced cost could be the smaller guest list, with 74 people attending an average destination wedding, as opposed to 88 guests at a domestic celebration. The majority of Australian couples, 91 per cent, got married at or near home. Just two per cent got hitched overseas, and seven per cent got married in another state or territory, according to the report. Couples are travelling the world to tie the knot, with the top wedding destinations being New Zealand, the United States, Fiji, Italy, Indonesia, Greece, the United Kingdom, India, and South Africa. While couples may expect to receive an influx of cash on their wedding day, Ms Munro said most couples were not "counting on gifts of money to cover costs". She said it was "risky and could lead to financial stress if expectations aren't met". Instead, couples tended to plan their wedding based on what they could afford. "Wishing wells offer couples the freedom to use the contributions however they choose - whether it's for items they genuinely need, specific brands they prefer, their honeymoon, or even putting money toward their rent or mortgage." Words by Anna Houlahan Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM's Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to

Home and Away is coming to WA: Hit soap to film in the west this October
Home and Away is coming to WA: Hit soap to film in the west this October

West Australian

time8 hours ago

  • West Australian

Home and Away is coming to WA: Hit soap to film in the west this October

Home and Away is heading west for the first-time. Australia's number one television drama will film an 'ambitious, high-stakes storyline' in WA this October. Details are still unknown at this stage, with filming preparations a closely guarded secret. But pre-production is underway for the five special episodes, which will see Home and Away visit this side of the country for the first time in its 37-year history. 'In partnership with Tourism Western Australia, this special Home and Away event will see the show trade the familiar sands of Summer Bay for the vast and varied landscapes of WA,' an official release states. Filming is set to take place 'at several locations' across the State, with producers promising Western Australia will be showcased in all its stunning glory, 'from cosmopolitan Perth to its rugged coastline and expansive red outback.' The WA Government claims the episodes will showcase the State to audiences beyond Australis and New Zealand to almost 50 other international markets. The UK has a strong Home and Away fan base, with 250,000 UK-based viewers per episode, presenting a huge opportunity to promote WA as a tourism destination. Home and Away series producer, Lucy Addario, said the cast and crew were 'beyond excited' to be packing their bags and heading to Perth to begin shooting in two months' time. '(Western Australia's) awe-inspiring beauty, diverse landscapes and sheer scale make it the perfect backdrop for this huge storyline,' she said. 'Working with the Tourism Western Australia team has been an absolute joy and we can't wait for audiences to fall in love with WA like we have.' Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said he was thrilled to welcome the iconic show here. 'Home and Away has been a staple of Australian television for close to 40 years, and this special WA storyline presents a great opportunity to showcase the State to millions of viewers across the country and around the world,' he said. 'When our pristine coastline and diverse tourism experiences are broadcast to homes across the country and overseas next year, we encourage viewers to come and see these spectacular locations for themselves.' Home and Away, which has been on air since 1988, famously films its outside locations at Palm Beach in NSW's northern beaches. The special Home and Away event will premiere in 2026 on Seven and 7plus. Home and Away airs Monday-to-Thursday at 7pm. The show's stars, Lynne McGranger and Hailey Pinto, are nominees for the 65th TV WEEK Logie Awards, broadcast exclusively on Seven and 7plus from 7.00pm on Sunday August 3. Click here to vote.

Home and Away is coming to WA: Hit soap to film in the west this October
Home and Away is coming to WA: Hit soap to film in the west this October

Perth Now

time8 hours ago

  • Perth Now

Home and Away is coming to WA: Hit soap to film in the west this October

Home and Away is headed to Western Australia to film in October. Home and Away is headed to Western Australia to film in October. Credit: Supplied Home and Away is heading west for the first-time. Australia's number one television drama will film an 'ambitious, high-stakes storyline' in WA this October. Details are still unknown at this stage, with filming preparations a closely guarded secret. But pre-production is underway for the five special episodes, which will see Home and Away visit this side of the country for the first time in its 37-year history. 'In partnership with Tourism Western Australia, this special Home and Away event will see the show trade the familiar sands of Summer Bay for the vast and varied landscapes of WA,' an official release states. Filming is set to take place 'at several locations' across the State, with producers promising Western Australia will be showcased in all its stunning glory, 'from cosmopolitan Perth to its rugged coastline and expansive red outback.' The WA Government claims the episodes will showcase the State to audiences beyond Australis and New Zealand to almost 50 other international markets. The UK has a strong Home and Away fan base, with 250,000 UK-based viewers per episode, presenting a huge opportunity to promote WA as a tourism destination. Home and Away series producer, Lucy Addario, said the cast and crew were 'beyond excited' to be packing their bags and heading to Perth to begin shooting in two months' time. '(Western Australia's) awe-inspiring beauty, diverse landscapes and sheer scale make it the perfect backdrop for this huge storyline,' she said. 'Working with the Tourism Western Australia team has been an absolute joy and we can't wait for audiences to fall in love with WA like we have.' Camera Icon Hailey Pinto joined Home and Away a year ago, and is nominated for a Logie this year. Credit: Scott Ehler / TheWest Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said he was thrilled to welcome the iconic show here. 'Home and Away has been a staple of Australian television for close to 40 years, and this special WA storyline presents a great opportunity to showcase the State to millions of viewers across the country and around the world,' he said. 'When our pristine coastline and diverse tourism experiences are broadcast to homes across the country and overseas next year, we encourage viewers to come and see these spectacular locations for themselves.' Camera Icon Tourism Minister Reece Whitby. Credit: Ross Swanborough / The West Australian Home and Away, which has been on air since 1988, famously films its outside locations at Palm Beach in NSW's northern beaches. The special Home and Away event will premiere in 2026 on Seven and 7plus. Home and Away airs Monday-to-Thursday at 7pm. The show's stars, Lynne McGranger and Hailey Pinto, are nominees for the 65th TV WEEK Logie Awards, broadcast exclusively on Seven and 7plus from 7.00pm on Sunday August 3. Click here to vote.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store