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

This relaxing autumn season is just right for a longer walk up above the Nursery with flowers awaiting discovery all the way. Find the small Hemigenia sp. [Section 174] with pink flowers along trailing stems intertwined with the grey foliage of Anemocarpa calcicola [Section 174]. Behind the seat, a mint bush, Prostanthera sp. [Section 210] bears pink bugle flowers of a similar shade.

Bottlebrushes and banksias are in flower throughout the Gardens. Callistemon subulatus [Section 10] is low, dense and covered with bright red bottlebrush flowers. Nearing the Rock Garden, Callistemon 'Glasshouse Country' [Section 110] is a medium, open shrub with deep pink bottlebrushes.

While browsing through the Rock Garden, view Scaevola phlebopetala [Section 15P] which has rich purple fan flowers along trailing stems. Over the path, Banksia spinulosa 'Birthday Candles' [Section 15L] is a dwarf plant presenting upright, cylindrical golden candle flowers … time to check watches with the Armillary Sphere Sundial presented by the Friends of the Gardens before strolling uphill, towards the Nursery.

Eremophila glabra [Section 100], with fine tubular salmon-red flowers amid the soft grey foliage, leans over the road. See the long stamens protruding from the mouth of these flowers. Along the loop path in the arid area, Eremophila bignoniifolia x polyclada [Section 100] is an open shrub with disorderly branches beautified with wide white bugle flowers tinted mauve with the throats spotted deep purple. Further along, Lechenaultia formosa [Section 100] is a small ground-hugging plant, brilliant with red flowers. Nearby, Hypocalymma strictum subsp. longifolium [Section 100] is a small shrub with small clusters of feathery pink flowers along its branches. In the centre bed Banksia ornata [Section 100] is a small shrub bearing greyish-yellow flower spikes.

Along the road, Pittosporum rhombifolium [Section 96] is tall and graceful with shining leaves and bunches of bright orange berries … really an eye-catcher. There are numerous correas edging this road. They include Correa alba 'Western Pink Star' [Section 106], a low, spreading shrub with tubeless pink-tinted star flowers, and Correa 'Dusky Bells' [Section 106], an old favourite, also low and spreading and endowed with dangling pink tubular flowers. Along this loop path, the low and lovely Crowea exalata 'Austraflora Green Cape' [Section 87] is covered with fine, pink star flowers and Crowea 'Coopers Hybrid' [Section 87] is a much larger shrub with larger, dark pink star flowers. Bottlebrushes include Callistemon viminalis 'Hannah Ray' [Section 87], tall with red flowers, and others of many shades. The shrub with white bottlebrushes is Callistemon citrinus 'White Anzac' [Section 87]. Although not in flower, Leptospermum 'Copper Crest' [Section 87] has colourful foliage and is an ideal screen plant.

More to enjoy, with the company of many birds … Barbara Daly.