Found this relatively large spider in my garden yesterday. I suspect it's one of the orb spider group, but I have not been able to work out what it is. For scale, it was at the base of a dwarf Iris, so I estimate that its abdomen would be a little over 1cm.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Perhaps a member of Deinopidae (Net-casting Spiders). most likely Female common net-casting spiders (Deinopis ravidus)

Thankyou, Tofi. I think you are right that it's a female member of the Net-Casting Spider group. I spotted it again after I posted and it had its legs brought together in pairs, much like the photos of a resting net-casting spider.

I'm not certain that it's Deinopis ravidus, but that seems to be in the right ballpark. You've certainly given me something to go on.

Net-casting spiders are real sketchy-looking, at least to me. I like pretty much all spiders, but bolas spiders and net-casters can stay away from me.

Johannian, I'm not much of a fan of spiders, but at least I don't suffer from arachnophobia. The net-casting spiders actually don't look that bad, in my opinion; it's the huntsman and wolf spiders that are really disturbing. Orb spiders can look quite impressive, although I'd hate to walk into one!

My poor sister had a real fright when she was younger - we lived on a farm growing up and she put on one of her gumboots (not sure what they're called in the US - Wellingtons?), only to have a mature huntsman crawl up her leg out of the boot!

Your sister's experience is definitely not my definition of a good day. I think spiders are cool, but they can keep their distance with me.

Never heard of a huntsman. It may not live around here, because I know of most spiders that live in the Black Hills; don't want a mystery bite showing up.

I just looked up web images of huntsman and they actually look pretty familiar. Maybe we had them back in CA (I just read that huntsman stay in tropical/warm regions, so they definitely wouldn't be here).

I think it is funny perhaps but over the years, I seem to now appreciate spiders more and more! There is a lot to admire there and they seem to be quite industrious and interesting. Such variety!!

Snakes on the other hand seemed very cool when I was younger but now, no way! If I never see a snake again, it will be too soon!

When I was a little girl I collected spiders. There seemed to be so many kinds! I think that was the beginning of me becoming a collectoholic.

@pardalinum
I agree, collecting spiders isn't a half-bad hobby. I have a hole in the ground about two feet deep and maybe three feet in diameter. It's where I keep five funnel-web spiders (no roof or anything, they like it in the hole so they stay there). I feed them grasshoppers, and it's quite fascinating to see how viciously they attack their prey, placing their strikes extremely carefully, so as to disable the creature as quickly as possible.