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

Australia Day – and nothing more Australian than these Gardens, so follow the Main Path to view the 'All Aussie' plants starting at the far end of the Café building. Eremophila glabra [Section 301] is a low shrub with grey-green foliage and fine red tubular flowers. The stout bamboo grass, Stipa ramosissima [Section 8] has long stems of fine flower heads. Opposite, Bracteantha sp. [Section 303] is colourful with large yellow straw daisies mingling with its grey foliage. Edging the path, Brachyscome 'Misty Mauve' [Section 303] is a small cushion plant which displays its yellow-centred pink daisies on upright stems.

The corner garden depicts the diversity of colour of Kangaroo Paw cultivars, Anigozanthos flavidus [Section 8, 7]. There are soft pink, orange or red flowers on short stems or long stems. The dwarf Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 30] is showing the first of its upright green juvenile flower spikes, some already with a touch of gold. At the intersection, Grevillea juniperina ‘Pink Lady’ [Section 24] has soft pink spider flowers dotted over the dense shrub. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Adoring’ [Section 24] edging the path, is prostrate with red spider flowers.

Continue through the area of white and grey mottled tree trunks of Eucalyptus mannifera, to the Sydney Region Gully. Edging the weaving path, Scaevola ramosissima var. ramosissima [Section 191] is a prostrate plant with bright purple fan flowers doted along its small branches. Fringed Lily, Thysanotus juncifolius [Section 191] has frilly flowers of similar shade on upright stems. There is a scattering of Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Star’ [Section 191], with large velvety daisy-like flowers on upright stems throughout this area.

Across the path, at the lookout, Hibbertia diffusa [Section 191] is a dense ground cover bearing bright yellow open flowers. At the next crossroads, Platysace lanceolata [Section 191] is a dense shrub covered with clusters of white flowers. Opposite Acacia linifolia [Section 191] is a tall open shrub with dark green leaves, bearing sprays of fluffy lemon flowers. Dampiera stricta [Section 191] is a low, suckering plant with showy dark blue flowers on upright stems. At the display garden, the Christmas Bells, Blandfordia grandiflora [Section 191] could still be producing large red bell-shaped flowers with yellow mouths on upright stems.

Stroll through the Eucalypt Lawn where magpies, ravens and yellow-tailed black cockatoos all sing 'We too are Australian'. The Rock Garden has a great variety of flowers including Lythrum salicaria [Section 15D] with sprays of pink flowers on long upright stems. Ptilotus manglesii [Section 15V] has conical shaped magenta and silver fluffy flowers along semi-prostrate stems and Hemigenia sp. is prostrate with deep mauve trumpet-like flowers. Room now to view the Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis [Section 110] in its gilt cage and so to the cool, green Rainforest Gully leading to the Café with cool refreshments.

All Australian …

Barbara Daly.