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

This walk is along the Main Path, commencing at the end of the Café building. However notice, along Banks Walk, Templetonia retusa [Section 174] exhibiting large burnt orange pea flowers on a medium size upright shrub. At the far end of the Café building you will find an unusual wattle, Acacia alata [Section 240], still with cream flower balls on this low growing plant with flattened stems and sharp spines.

Beyond the Gymea Lily, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 8], with tightly closed buds on top of elongated stems surrounded by long, arching sword-like leaves, is Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 30] ablaze with bright gold cylindrical flower spikes. Along this path there are many grevilleas, most of which are in bud awaiting warmer spring days. However, behind Grevillea rosmarinifolia [Section 30], well covered with red buds and red spider flowers, Grevillea sens. lat. [Section 30] is yellow with spider flowers and buds. Banksia integrifolia var. integrifolia [Section 30] is a tall and graceful shrub with silver-backed leaves and soft lemon flower spikes. At its base is a prostrate form bearing one or two upright flower spikes.

Amid the greens of the surrounding shrubs, Banksia spinulosa var. collina [Section 27] is brilliant with orange flower spikes. Crossing the road, Hakea cycloptera [Section 24] is an open shrub with needle foliage and white lacy flowers with a tint of red crowded along its terminal branches. Grevillea paniculata [Section 26] has interesting sharp three-pointed leaves amid clusters of white, tinted yellow, perfumed flowers. Banksia conferta var. penicillata [Section 26] is large and rounded. Its flower spikes are green, dotted grey, with nectar favoured by many birds. On leaving this area, Grevillea sp. aff. miqueliana ‘Nullica’ [Section 26] is neat and rounded with soft pink pendent spider flowers mixed with the soft grey-green foliage.

There is little in flower along the winding path of the Sydney Region Flora. However Acacia terminalis [Section 192] is bright with cream flower balls. In front, Grevillea baueri subsp. asperula [Section 191] is quite showy with a heavy covering of dark red flowers. By the seat, in the rock wall, are fossils of the seed-fern Glossopteris. And the view over the gully is green and varied and relaxing. Then, in the top display bed, the lovely Crowea saligna [Section 191] shows off its pink, starry flowers.

At the other end of the Eucalypt Lawn, Hakea laurina [Section 20] has deep red, globular flowers and, across the path, Hakea sericea [Section 20] bears pink lacy flowers along its terminal branches, shared with many closed grey fruits. Acacia flexifolia [Section 4], at the entrance to the Rock Garden, is low growing and well covered with yellow flower balls. At the other end, Hakea sericea [Section 16] is yet a small plant covered with white lacy flowers. The Rainforest is cool with its many shades, and shapes, of green. Down the ramp, Grevillea ‘Poorinda Tranquillity’ [Section 210] bears its soft pink spider flowers.

Cool – but still colourful… Barbara Daly