Plants of Melbourne’s Western Plains

A gardener’s guide to the original flora

The grasslands of Victoria’s Western Plains and similar plant communities in the Northern Plains contain the highest proportion of threatened plant species in the state. Grasslands now cover less than 1% of their former extent on the Keilor-Werribee Plains and less than 1% in Victoria.

The contents include:

– Sections on the geology, soils, rainfall, landforms and history of the Western Plains of Melbourne including the use of the plants by the area’s indigenous inhabitants.

– Covers a range of gardening-related topics such as attracting butterflies and native birds, creating a frog-friendly garden, growing plants in containers, growing ferns, and native lawns.

– Descriptions, cultural notes and colour photos of over 200 plants grouped into logical groupings: trees and tall shrubs, aquatic plants, grasses, low shrubs, climbers and wildflowers.

– A graphic guide to flowering months of each plant described plus symbols indicating bird-attracting and butterfly-attracting plants.

– Appendices include: living models for revegetation, Ecological Vegetation Classes, indigenous plant suppliers, legislation permits, useful plant lists, further reading, a contact list and a glossary.

– Maps of Melbourne’s Western Plains, Victorian Volcanic Plains, geology, rainfall and selected Ecological Vegetation Classes found across Melbourne’s Western Plains.