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

There is a wealth of colourful flowers throughout the gardens. View those on either side of the Banks Walk then continue along the Main Path where, because of the variety of flowers, only a few will be mentioned. Start at the far end of the Café building where Micromyrtus ciliata [Section 12], with low arching branches, is covered with tiny mature dark red flowers. A Geraldton Wax cultivar, Chamelaucium uncinatum ‘Purple Pride’ [Section 12] is a small upright plant bearing deep purple waxy flowers. Kunzea cambagei [Section 9] is low, dense and spreading and well covered with woolly cream flower balls. See the small tufted plants Sowerbaea juncea [Section 8] with clusters of purple flowers on upright stems.

Waratah cultivar Telopea ‘Doug’s Hybrid’ [Section 30] has many branches decked with lovely red flowers. This plant is quite spectacular as are other waratahs seen along this path. Grevillea aquifolium [Section 30] is a low, spreading shrub with holly-like leaves and stubby, toothbrush-like pale orange, deepening to red, flowers. A variety of boronias, including Boronia muelleri [Section 30] which is of medium height and covered with soft pink star-like flowers, can be seen along this path.

The path then winds through an area of many flowering grevilleas including Grevillea alpina [Section 30] a low spreading shrub bearing soft lemon flowers, Grevillea willisii subsp. pachylostyla [Section 27] which is quite large and dense and covered with an attractive combination of pink and cream pendent flowers. Across the road, Grevillea johnsonii x wilsonii [Section 24] has fiery red, shining, curvaceous flowers.

Along the path through the Sydney Region Flora, Black-eyed Susan, Tetratheca thymifolia, [Section 191] is a small shrub covered with bright pink downturned flowers with dark centres. White and pink flowering forms can be seen ahead. Splashes of small yellow flowers on rounded ground cover plants are Hibbertia rufa [Section 191]. Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Star’ [Section 191] with velvety green-grey foliage and large velvety white flowers grow here and there. At the road junction Telopea mongaensis x speciosissima [Section 191] is so photogenic. Nearby Isopogon anethifolius [Section 191] shows off its yellow drumstick flowers.

Towards the Rock Garden, a medium-sized wattle, Acacia caroleae [Section 19], has long fine leaves and brilliant yellow rod-like flower heads. The Rock Garden abounds with flowers and along the path Dampiera diversifolia [Section 15R] flows down the slope dotted with deep blue flowers. Above is Boronia heterophylla [Section 15R] brilliant with deep pink fragrant cup-shaped flowers.

Inside the safety of a large cage see and read about the treasured Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis [Section 110]. Then, in the Rainforest, look for Dendrobium kingianum [Section 104], a rock orchid with pink flowers, and Orange blossom Orchid, Sarcochilus falcatus [Section 148], with fragrant white flowers growing on tree trunks.

Such flowers … such colour …

Barbara Daly.