In Flower This WeekA weekly news-sheet prepared by a Gardens volunteerNumbers in brackets [ ] refer to garden bed 'Sections'. |
Acacia jibberdingensis [Section 77] from the small WA town, Jibberding, is in flower. It grows up beyond the Nursery, so a longer walk is required. On the way admire the dwarf Banksia spinulosa Birthday Candles [Section 172], brilliant with many golden, upright flower spikes. Edging the Brittle Gum Lawn, Banksia Giant Candles [Section 107] is much taller but not so dense, and displays a few 30 cm long, rich golden flower spikes.
Passing the Rock Garden, which is full of floral surprises, dont miss Dampiera sylvestris [Section 15H], a suckering plant covered with bright blue flowers on its upright stems. Farther on find Hakea laurina [Section 20], an open shrub of medium size, bearing golf ball size deep red flowers with cream styles and some all red flowers and with nectar to attract the Eastern Spinebills and other honeyeaters. In front of the Nursery, Leptospermum squarrosum [Section 44] is a picture, for this erect shrub displays its pretty pink, peach blossom flowers, dense on its old wood beneath the foliage.
Further up where Grevillea lanigera [Section 34] covers its prostrate branches with soft, mottled pink flowers, Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 103] is lush with gold, almost red, flower spikes. Walk around this loop path through the Arid Area Garden. Desert Banksia, Banksia ornata [Section 100], is quite small with squat cream flower spikes dotted with grey and nearby Banksia epica [Section 100] displays its green, maturing to brown, flower spikes on a still smaller shrub. Almost opposite, Hakea ceratophylla [Section 100] is small and rounded and covered with white, lacy flowers, whilst around the corner Lechenaultia formosa [Section 100] is ground-hugging with bright cherry red flowers on the periphery of the circular plant.
Around the corner, the large, dense shrub, Cliff Bottlebrush, Callistemon comboynensis [Section 103] is dotted with red bottlebrush flowers and fresh, young red-tipped growth. Pittosporum rhombifolium [Section 96] is most colourful for this small tree is bright with clusters of orange berries amid the shiny leaves. Then, maybe a stroll around the area of cultivars. Baeckea virgata Howies Sweet Midget [Section 87] is neat and rounded and dusted with small clusters of tiny white flowers. Compare Crowea exalata Austraflora Green Cape [Section 87], bearing small, pale pink flowers, with Crowea Festival [Section 100], bearing brilliant pink flowers, and Crowea Pink Blush [Section 100], bearing pink, almost white, star flowers.
Then follow the mossy green path, passing Boronia floribunda [Section 150] with soft pink flowers, to the top road. Wattles include the tall willowy tree, Acacia saliciformis [Section 77] covered with soft cream, perfumed flowers. Then the intriguing Acacia jibberdingensis [Section 77] with long, contorted trunks hugging the ground or otherwise, terminating with long, fine curved leaves and brilliant golden flower rods.
Worth the walk yes!
Barbara Daly.
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