Last week  I glimpsed a flash of purple from the back of an animal track which disappeared beneath the wire boundary fence.   Looking beneath bracken growing right on the inside of the fence line, I found two Common Hovea plants in full bloom.   There were no visible Common Hovea plants on the outside of the fence, so I’m not sure how they managed to grow in this spot.  Possibly seeds brought in by a Wallaby or Kangaroo as I haven’t seen this plant growing anywhere else on our land.

Our cold and wet weather had kept the plants fresh and in full bloom for days until a couple of  warm days seemed to herald the end of the flowering period. I was surprised at the speed at which the flowers faded.

As the name suggests, the Common Hovea is apparently found in a wide range of habitats, and is not considered to be threatened in any way.  As it is a member of the pea family, the seeds are attractive to some animals, and the flowers provide nectar for insects and birds.  All round, a good food plant for wildlife.  Maybe that is why I haven’t seen one before.  Perhaps the absence of Kangaroos might explain why I found these two plants.