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

Because flowers are many in the vicinity of the buildings, this walk will go further afield to view many banksias, grevilleas and hakeas. Start at the end of the Café building where the attractive Acacia alata [Section 240], with cream fluffy flower balls springing from its unusual angular flattened stems, can be seen. Banksia robur [Section 13], Swamp Banksia, displays its interesting juvenile olive green flower spikes along its long leggy trunks. Grevillea diminuta [Section 178] has many rust-coloured flowers in grape-like clusters, while Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 143] is ablaze with an abundance of gold-red flower spikes.

Moving to another area, Banksia spinulosa var. collina [Section 28] is a dense rounded shrub laden with flower spikes a few shades lighter than the previous species. Hardenbergia violacea [Section 27], False Sarsaparilla, is a prostrate, trailing plant with violet pea flowers along upright stems above the mass of long narrow leaves. Banksia aemula [Section 28], in the centre of the bed, has squat greenish-yellow flower heads which brighten the dark foliage. Cross the road before continuing onward, to view Hakea cycloptera [Section 24]. This small open shrub has branches covered with pale pink lacy flowers.

Continue along the narrow path where Grevillea rosmarinifolia sens. lat. [Section 27] is showing many lemon buds and a few lemon spider flowers. Beside is Grevillea dimorpha [Section 27], a small shrub with deep red flowers attached to its upright stems. Banksia integrifolia var. compar [Section 27] is a lovely old shrub with grooved trunk and lemon flower spikes among the foliage. Not far back on the other path, Banksia occidentalis [Section 28] is long and upright with the most picturesque flower spikes, coloured lemon covered with sparkling red hooked styles... should not be missed!

At this corner there is a planting of Crowea exalata [Section 191h], each plant radiant with large pink star-like flowers. Nearby Grevillea rhyolitica [Section 191h] is also attractive with pendent clusters of red flowers. Returning, Hakea orthorrhyncha [Section 21] has long branches, some reclining along the ground, with long wavy fine foliage and red flower clusters on the older wood. Hakea bakeriana [Section 21] is another fascinating shrub which bears its large flower clusters, now cream but maturing to pink, clinging to old wood hidden behind the foliage.

Hakea cristata [Section 23] has ovate, sharp-toothed leaves and branches massed with small clusters of white flowers. A planting of wattles, Acacia podalyriifolia [Section 206] with grey-green foliage, is bright with soft yellow flower balls. Tis worth the walk up to see Hakea laurina [Section 21]. This small tree is absolutely stunning with its covering of large red globular flowers. Bursaria spinosa var. spinosa [Section 4] is a tall slim shrub dusted with small white flowers while, down the road, Thryptomene saxicola ‘Pink Lace’ [Section 10] is low and spreading and clad with tiny pink flowers.

Such colourful, interesting plants ...

Barbara Daly.