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

The Gardens continue to be a kaleidoscope of spring colour. Banks Walk is looking wonderful and so is the Rock Garden, which this walk will concentrate on.

The small bed in front of the waterfall contains a very small ground-hugging plant, Scaevola ‘Pink Perfection’ [Section 15V] with open fan flowers flowering along the stems. Nearby, Ptilotus sp. [Section 15V] displays its upright woolly silvery pink flowers on extended stems. Walk up the steps to the left of the waterfall to view the Gymea Lilies, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 15C], each with a large cluster of red flowers topping an elongated spike surrounded by large sword-like leaves. The sea of Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Star’ [Section 15C], with soft white velvety daisy-like flowers is punctuated by a splash of large yellow paper daisies, Bracteantha bracteata [Section 15C], and the deep blue flowers on upright stems of Dampiera purpurea [Section 15C].

Nematolepis phebalioides [Section 15C, 15E] is a low, open shrub lit with small, bright red, tubular dangling flowers with yellow throats. Hibbertia stellaris [Section 15F] has interesting orange flowers covering the small shrub and Pimelea spectablis [Section 15F] is neat and rounded and covered with large heads of pinkish-white flowers. Continuing up the steps to the left towards the top road, a mint bush, Prostanthera staurophylla [Section 15A,] bears soft mauve trumpet flowers. Bulbine sp. [Section 15A] displays yellow star-like flowers, so bright, on top of long, upright succulent stems.

Along the top road compare waratahs Telopea ‘Braidwood Brilliant’, [Section 15H], Telopea ‘Corroboree’ [Section 15J] and, nearby, Telopea speciosissima subsp. speciosissima [Section 15L] all with lovely red flower heads of differing designs on large shrubs. Leptospermum ‘Miranda’ [Section 15H] is showy with bright pink open flowers on low, lateral branches and close by, also with low, lateral branches, is Leptospermum scoparium ‘Horizontalis’ [Section 15H] covered with stark white flowers.

A native iris, Patersonia umbrosa [Section 15R], displays deep purple three-petalled flowers on upright stems surrounded by strap-like leaves. Nearby, another member of the iris family, Diplarrena moraea [Section 15R], shows off white flowers on upright stems. Lasiopetalum involucratum [Section 15R] is quite dense with hairy foliage, downturned pink flowers and tan-coloured seed cases. Boronia heterophylla [Section 15R] is a taller shrub with its renowned deep pink bell-shaped flowers, so fragrantly perfumed, lined along its branches. Opposite, Dampiera diversifolia [Section 15S] is a dense ground cover massed with deep blue flowers. Nearby Lechenaultia formosa [Section 15S] is quite small, displaying its lovely blue flowers. Leptospermum polygalifolium [Section 15S], crowded over the rocks, is enveloped with mottled pink flowers.

Just a few of the floral wonders of this area …

Barbara Daly.