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

The bright red waratahs at the Main Gates are Telopea ‘Doug’s Hybrid’ one species of many flowering throughout the Gardens. Waratahs are only one of a multitude of plants clad with a variety of colours so, after gazing at the colour along Banks Walk, take this walk which touches on many other areas of colour. Be dazzled by the climber falling over the wall opposite the Visitor Centre. It is Hardenbergia comptoniana [Section 210] with sprays of purple flowers.

Entering the Rainforest on the Main Walk Zieria arborescens [Section 148] is of medium size with dark foliage and dotted with small white flowers. Growing on many tree trunks are numerous orchids. The Orange Blossom Orchid, Sarcochilus falcatus [Section 148] has many bright white flowers. Leaving this lovely green area, the Pink Rock Orchid, Dendrobium kingianum [Section 104] is in clusters with small pink flowers on upright stems. The King Orchid, Dendrobium speciosum [Section 104] with much larger leaves bears many sprays of buds which develop into fragrant cream sprays of flowers.

This area is carpeted with buttercups, Ranunculus collinus [Section 78], brilliant with shiny yellow flowers. In the opposite bed, Grevillea alpina (Goldfields form) [Section 17] is a dense, long-flowering shrub dotted with pale orange flowers. Eriostemon myoporoides subsp. myoporoides (name change to Philotheca) [Section 78] is a dense, rounded shrub covered with white star-shaped flowers.

The Rock Garden has a stunning array of flowers. Along the top road, Telopea ‘Braidwood Brilliant’ [Section 15H] is ablaze with red, open waratahs and at its feet, the Swan River Myrtle, Hypocalymma robustum [Section 15H] is pretty with small pink and white beads of flowers along the fine entanglement of branches. Telopea speciosissima ‘Corroboree’ [Section 15J] is alight with bright cherry red flowers.

Continue uphill where waratahs include Telopea mongaensis x oreades [Section 37], quite a large shrub covered with red flowers and the white Telopea speciosissima ‘Wirrimbirra White’ [Section 37], attractive with greenish-white flowers. Beside the steps Pomaderris elliptica [Section 37] bears many cream buds opening to clusters of fluffy yellow flowers. Grevillea confertifolia [Section 37], is a low, spreading shrub with many pink spider flowers while Grevillea stenomera [Section 37] is an open medium shrub with loosely arranged cream flowers with red styles. Around the corner Hakea coriacea [Section 37] is tall with many trunks with long fine leaves and the striking pink poker flowers… so attractive as they wave in the breeze. Grevillea iaspicula [Section 37], from the nearby Wee Jasper area, has pink and cream flowers and Grevillea victoriae [Section 37] reveals its rust-red flowers in pendent clusters.

So many other areas of colour up here. Come up and wander. Find Section 47, so colourful with yellows of wattles, pinks of boronias and … no more room, have a look for yourself!

Barbara Daly.