Well, after yesterday spending some time looking for orchids near our coastal lakes, it was inevitable that we would venture out to Helm’s Arboretum (Helm’s Forestry Reserve) to check out what is still flowering in this amazing location. (Mud Map SE35)
We do not have to venture far before we stumble across some orchid beauty. In the section near the entrance, we find the following orchids:

Common bee orchid (Diuris decrementa)


Esperance king spider orchid (Caladenia decora)


Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp.flava)


Common mignonette orchid (Microtis media)


Shy sun orchid (Thelymitra graminea)

Time is a moving and so must we, so onwards into the Arboretum we go. At the first road to the right, we turn off and slowly drive along looking out the windows. As soon as we spy something new, we pull over for a closer inspection. Along this track we find the following different orchids:

Little pink fairies (Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)


Un-named Hybrid orchid (Caladenia flava x C. reptans)


Pink fairies (Caladenia latifolia)


Lemon-scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera)

Moving further into the Arboretum we stop at a specific spot to find the Rattle beaks and we are not disappointed. Other orchids our found across the track from the Rattle beaks.

Rattle beaks (Lyperanthus serratus)


Small mantis orchid (Caladenia attingens subsp. gracillima)


Purple enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunonis)


Heberle’s spider orchid (Caladenia heberleana)

Now to check out some further areas of this large reserve. We come across some more varied spider and sun orchids which may be different species, hybrids or just colour variants. Other orchids new for the day were also found and I will list these first.

Red beaks (Pyrorchis nigricans)


Zebra orchid (Caladenia cairnsiana)


Common spider orchid (Caladenia varians)


Esperance white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa)

Now for pics of the varied spider and sun orchids found.




























Helms Arboretum rarely disappoints.