In Flower This Week A weekly news-sheet prepared by a Gardens volunteer  Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to garden bed 'Sections'.

After enjoying the floral colour on either side of Banks Walk, take time to saunter along the Main Path. Start at the far end of the Café building, where the dense, prostrate Scaevola 'Mauve Clusters' [Section 131] is well endowed with small fan flowers and the graceful bottlebrush Callistemon viminalis [Section 143] has flaming red bottlebrush flowers dangling from willowy branches.

Past the section of grasses and lilies, Grevillea acanthifolia [Section 30] is a large and wide shrub with sharp, divided leaves and toothbrush-like pink flowers. Opposite, the ever-flowering Correa 'Dusky Bells' [Section 30] has pink, pendent, tubular flowers throughout the low, spreading shrub. Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 30] is an old shrub bearing its young, fine flower spikes. Grevillea juniperina [Section 30] is another old shrub with short needle foliage and illuminated with interesting spider-like orange-red flowers. Across the path, the miniature shrub Banksia spinulosa 'Birthday Candles' [Section 30] has quite dense foliage and is laden with cream upright flower spikes. Just down from the path, Grevillea wilsonii [Section 27] flaunts its brilliant red flowers amid the entanglement of finely divided leaves.

Can't help but admire the scattering of mottled grey-white trunks of the Brittle Gum, Eucalyptus mannifera [Sections 24,25 and elsewhere], with their distinctive aroma pervading the area and where birds perch and chatter. Edging the winding path through the area of the Sydney Region Flora Scaevola ramosissima var. ramosissima [Section 191] is a small compact shrub decorated with bright mauve fan flowers. Spyridium sp. [Section 191] is quite unique for this upright, small shrub has clusters of minute flowers encircled by distinctive greyish leaves. Banksia serrata [Section 191] is a tall, dense, dark shrub alight with many bulky cream cylindrical flower spikes (and an abundance of nectar seeking wattlebirds). The small Display Garden shows off the cheery waxy pink starry flowers of Crowea saligna [Section 191] and maybe some velvety white Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi [Section 191].

The path then weaves through the peaceful Eucalypt Lawn and so down to the Rock Garden where the orange glow of the flowers of Chrysocephalum apiculatum [Section 4] edging the path is quite dazzling. Dampiera linearis [Section 15R] is vivid with deep blue flowers over this upright, suckering plant. Nearby Dampiera stricta [Section 15R] is somewhat similar with a paler blue flower. Scaevola striata [Section 15R] has deep violet fan flowers along its prostrate stems. Banksia aemula [Section 16] is picturesque with its many citrus-coloured flower spikes. Eucryphia wilkiei [Section 109], behind the notice board, is still a small rainforest shrub, bearing fragrant white, saucer-shaped flowers. Then a walk through the cool, green Rainforest Gully and down the ramp where the yellow bugle flowers of Eremophila maculata [Section 210] can be seen.

Easy walking, gorgeous flowers …

Barbara Daly.