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

Because of the sculpture exhibition by Francine Secretan in the Gardens, this walk will concentrate mainly on flowers in the environment of the totems and amulets.

Sarcostemma australe, in the pots outside the Visitor Centre doors, could not be missed. This strange twiggy leafless plant has an assortment of thick succulent stems with occasional clusters of small, pale green flowers. Edging Banks Walk, Blue Devil, Eryngium plantagineum [Section 210] has globular heads of blue flowers punctured by long prickly spikes on a mass of stems. Ptilotus macrocephalus [Section 174, 210] bears soft fluffy greyish flower heads on upright stems surrounded by velvety leaves.

In front of the Crosby Morrison Building where a warrior stands tall, Scaevola ‘Mauve Clusters’ [Section 242] is a dense ground cover exhibiting small mauve fan flowers. Goodenia sp. [Section 242] contrasts well, having small yellow flowers along its stems. Kangaroo paw, Anigozanthos ‘Bush Noon’ [Section 134] is bright with dusky red ‘paw’ flowers. On the other side of this building, Banksia ‘Giant Candles’ [Section 143] reveals its elongated cylindrical gold candles on top of a large shrub while, at its base, Correa ‘Dusky Bells’ [Section 143] is a low, spreading shrub dotted with dusky pink tubular flowers amid its dense green foliage. Many bottlebrushes continue to flower well, including Callistemon viminalis [Section 143] which is tall and graceful with an attractive dark grooved trunk. The willowy foliage is bright with red bottlebrush flowers.

Walking towards the Rock Garden which is close to other sculptures, view, in the distance, brilliant yellow kangaroo paws, Anigozanthos flavidus [Section 7]. Callistemon sp. [Section 110] is an upright shrub of medium size, presenting its red bottlebrush flowers on open, arching branches while Callistemon ‘Glasshouse Country’ [Section 110] is a dense, rounded shrub dotted with pink flowers.

The Rock Garden has a multitude of flowers to enjoy. Murray Lily, Crinum flaccidum [Section 15C], has rather wide, long leaves surrounding large white flowers on long upright stems. Banksia integrifolia [Section 15C], with silver-backed dark green leaves spreading on to the path, displays soft lemon cylindrical flower spikes over this prostrate plant. Around the corner, Lomandra leucocephala subsp. robusta [Section 15F] resembles a tussock, with narrow grass-like leaves and stems surrounded by irregular clusters of dense woolly flowers. At the top of the steps, Hibbertia kaputarensis [Section 15A] is an attractive small plant bright with cheery yellow flowers. The yellow straw daisies, Bracteantha sp. [Sections 15A, 15B, 15C] are mostly self-seeded and would brighten any garden. Along the top road, Dampiera sylvestris [Section 15H] is a suckering plant clad with deep blue flowers and nearby, Scaevola albida var. albida [Section 15H] is a low spreading plant vivid with white fan flowers.

Continue on to view the sculptures ... and there is always another flower.

Barbara Daly.