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My morning walk is usually spent finding a variety of wildflowers and birds. But, this morning I was attracted to this beautiful Cootamundra Wattle, at the peak of it's flowering season, covered in large soft blossoms. (Wattle is a much loved flower, and adopted as one of Australia's national flowers) Bees were loving it, scurrying in and around the fluffy yellow flowers, attracted mostly to those touched by the sun. Acacia baileyana (Cootamundra Wattle) is arguably the most beautiful and popular of the Acacia genus. It's large gold blossoms are contrasted with grey-green leaves. It is indigenous to a small area of Southern New South Wales, but it is easily grown and widely cultivated throughout Australia. Propagation is accomplished with normal seed raising methods, following pre-treating the seeds by soaking in boiling water, or scarification. Propagation from cuttings is also possible.

_________   Featured Video   _________ _______    An Inspiring Trip To Mudgee     _______ The first thing I noticed, on a recent drive out to Mudgee, was the amazing sepia colours of the landscape after passing through Lithgow. The winter grass was a distinct light straw colour in the foreground, turning to a darker brown in the distance. I promised myself I would get out the watercolours when I got home from this two day trip. Mudgee has continued to evolve into a contemporary town, while still retaining the look of it's past. This is mainly due to an influx of young families over the past ten or so years, and it's reputation as a successful wine region. I'm looking forward to an interesting and inspiring couple of days here. Advertorial _____   The Mudgee Homestead Guesthouse        _____ The Mudgee Homestead Guesthouse sits comfortably on a hillside just steep enough to afford sweeping views of the Mudgee Landscape. It is Australian Federation Style, and pai