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

There are many autumn floral treasures in the Rock Garden so this walk will identify a selection, starting at the waterfall and walking in an anticlockwise direction. Hemigenia sp. [Section 15V] is prostrate with soft pink bugle-shaped flowers on long lateral stems. Dampiera salahae [Section 15R] has deep blue flowers, as does the dense groundcover, Dampiera diversifolia [Section 15S] seen below the rocks. Eriostemon gardneri (now Philotheca gardneri) [Section 15R] is a dwarf rounded shrub bright with pink buds and white star flowers. Correa pulchella ‘Pink Mist’ [Section 15S] is a shrub of medium size, with pendent pink tubular flowers. Brachycome multifida ‘Evan’ [Section 15S], snug at the base of the rocks, has small mauve daisies sprinkled over the dwarf dense foliage.

Hakea myrtoides [Section 15P] is a dwarf sprawling plant beautified with dark red flowers clustered around the long stems. Scaevola phlebopetala [Section 15P] is another prostrate spreading plant exhibiting rich purple fan flowers with yellow throats. Another fan flower, Scaevola sp. [Section 15P], differs from most scaevolas for this plant is dwarf and upright, with light mauve flowers amid the greyish thorny foliage. Opposite, the blaze of yellow is Leptorhynchos nitidulus [Section 15L] is low and dense, covered with button-like flower heads. At its base, Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 15L] shows off its candle-like golden flower spikes.

The flowers along the top road include Dampiera sylvestris [Section 15H], a suckering dense plant crowned with deep blue flowers. At the steps, Hibbertia kaputarensis [Section 15A] has open yellow flowers and greyish foliage and the bright straw daisies of Bracteantha bracteata [Section 15A] can be seen throughout the Rock Garden. Grevillea ‘Mason’s Hybrid’ [Section 15H] is a dense large shrub laden with large orange-red terminal flowers — and many nectar seeking birds. The lower garden slope is colourful with the pinkish-red spider flowers of Grevillea lanigera [Section 15W]. Close by Ptilotus nobilis [Section 15H, 15W] is attractive with fluffy cylindrical grey-green flower spikes.

Alyogyne huegelii [Section 15F] stands upright in the centre of this bed. The bright purple hibiscus flowers are really attractive. Guichenotia macrantha [Section 15F] is another upright, open shrub with pale pink bell-like flowers among the grey foliage. Sheltered between these rocks, Brachycome tatei [Section 15F] has sparkling yellow-centred white daisies blending with the lovely blue flowers of Dampiera altissima [Section 15F].

Along this path Crowea ‘Pink Blush’ [Section 15C] is well named with white, with a dash of pink, star flowers showered over an open shrub. Banksia integrifolia var. integrifolia [Section 15C], with upright lemon flower spikes, spreads its prostrate branches over the path.

Always another beauty ...

Barbara Daly.