Nicola said plants fascinated her and the nine-month project was inspired by the flora and fauna of conservation areas in the Redlands.

Her clever highlighting of a plant's beauty, intricate detail, unique qualities, textures, silhouettes, colours and striking tones create an exhibition that demonstrates the biodiversity of each environment.

"I go out to these sites and walk around for a couple of hours and I'm fascinated by the diversity of plants ? they can be big or small, or ugly or beautiful," Nicola said.

"They're all different and they're all individual and I try to capture those characteristics in the work."

Nicola said the overriding focus behind her work was ecology.

"I'm really interested in connections between species and between plants and animals and part of this exhibition is also looking at how people shape habitat," she said.

Nicola said the project and her interest in ecology encouraged her to join several bushcare groups in the Redlands.

"That interaction was excellent because those groups have a lot of knowledge about the areas and the different species, and you pick up a lot of ideas from them as well and bring that into your work," she said.

"With one of the groups, we visited some beautiful creek edges and a particular one was really an idyllic setting with sunlight on the water and with birds and vegetation.

"That afternoon, when we were doing the water monitoring, a rusty can and a plastic bag floated by and I thought 'Well, somewhere that's been dumped and it ends up somewhere else'.

"It reminds you that activities in one place affect another."

Plant - Life, an exhibition by Nicola Moss, will feature at Redland Art Gallery until August 15.

Gallery opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, and Sunday 9am to 2pm.

Admission is free.