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

As you leave the Visitor Centre, do pause to look at the rare Wollemi Pines, Wollemia nobilis, in the foyer and then at the tubs on either side of the entrance. In the tub on the left hand side is Grevillea ‘Excellence’, with only one prominent flower of quite an unusual colour, mauve tinged with blue. In the tub on the right is Leschenaultia formosa, a small plant with bright orange-red flowers. Then wander down the Banks Walk, past Sir Joseph Banks statue, where there are many small plants. One which catches the eye is Zieria formosa [Section 174] sporting grey-green foliage with tiny pink flowers. Then Eremophila nivea [Section 174] has really silvery-grey foliage with large, tubular, purple flowers. Another grey foliage plant is Zieria baeuerlenii [Section 221] and it too has tiny pink flowers, while in the garden opposite is Homoranthus papillatus [Section 223], a low growing, horizontal shrub covered in a reddish haze of buds.

Walk down to the lowest level of the northern car park, to where Acacia cardiophylla ‘Golden Lace’ [Section 170], a graceful ground cover, is showing off by draping its fine leaves to advantage. Another Zieria is Zieria smithii x cytisoides, [Section 170], again with grey foliage and tiny pink flowers. Walking further on, just behind the small shelter is a very big Allocasuarina torulosa [Section 171]. When the sun is on its large drooping branches, the flowers sparkle.

Take a little time to read the interpretive sign about the Tasmanian Garden and while doing so you may also hear the frogs in the pond below. Ozothamnus expansifolius [Section 232] is covered in creamy white daisy flowers in very compact, terminal clusters. Melaleuca squarrosa [Section 236], though not in flower, is covered in woolly looking grey buds which create their own show. Just opposite the Franklin Building is a very large Grevillea victoriae [Section 99f] covered with lots of rusty red flowers in pendulous clusters. Cross to the amphitheatre where children can romp, inspect the waterfall and check out the ducks. A pleasant place to stop awhile. Near the ‘Friends Corner’ is Acacia covenyi [Section 241] with lots of clusters of golden yellow balls, quite spectacular. Grevillea diminuta [Section 239] is another species with pendulous flowers of rusty red while in the garden opposite is Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 239]. It has wonderful prominent orange flower spikes.

Leptospermum polygalifolium ‘Pink Cascade’ [Section 10] is just coming into flower with its tiny pink stars. Acacia podalyriifolia [Section 119] is really a small tree, again with silver-grey leaves and golden ball-like flowers. Close by is a clump of a Grevillea sericea hybrid [Section 117] with its typical spider flowers in clusters, almost magenta in colour.

The Brittle Gum Lawn is another pleasant place to pause awhile and do remember, there is still lots more to see in these Gardens!

Enjoy! Naomi Bell