Plants of Melbourne's Western Plains

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.

This book is a valuable guide for people wishing to grow western plains plants in domestic gardens, parks and revegetation projects as well as everyone who wants to learn more about the rich diversity of flora to be found in remaining plains landscapes in Melbourne’s west and throughout Victoria.

A book for gardeners, environmentalists, local communities — anyone who cares about protecting and enhancing our natural heritage.

The contents include:

• Foreword by Neville Walsh, Senior Conservation Botanist at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.
  
  
• 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 include Melbourne’s Western Plains, Victorian Volcanic Plains, geology, rainfall and selected Ecological Vegetation Classes found across Melbourne's Western Plains.

224 pages, paperback, Australian Plants Society, Keilor Plains Group