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

This walk is along the Main Path and is very easy to follow. Past the Café, in the beds on the right of the path, is Zeiria littoralis [Section 240], a grey-green foliage plant not yet in flower but covered with attractive grey buds. On the same side, Acacia alata [Section 240] is covered in fluffy, cream balls of flowers all over the spiny, flattened stems which do the job of leaves. Further on Micromyrtus ciliata [Section 10], a low growing plant, is a picture in pink and white with its tiny pink buds opening into equally tiny white flowers. Eremophila maculata subsp. brevifolia [Section 302] is a small, slightly rounded shrub with dark red tubular flowers. Admire the grass trees and the self-seeded clumps of cheerful yellow paper daisies in this area.

Next come the grevilleas. On the left of the path is Grevillea rosmarinifolia (Lara Form) [Section 30], a low growing plant with clusters of cream and pink spider flowers, and Grevillea lavandulacea [Section 30], another grey foliage plant with clusters of deep red flowers. On the right is Grevillea alpina (Goldfields form) [Section 30], its dull green leaves offset by bright orange flowers. The reddish stems of Hakea cycloptera [Section 24] set off its clusters of white flowers. Grevillea johnsonii x wilsonii [Section 26] is not in flower, but its lovely orange stems accentuate its bright green foliage. Lots of other grevilleas to see here too.

Follow the pathway to the Sydney Region Gully and Grevillea baueri subsp. asperula [Section 191s] is covered with buds, while Epacris impressa [Section 191p] has small pendant tubular red flowers on rather upright stems. Epacris calverteana var. calverteana [Section 191c] is a larger, thicker foliage plant, with tubular lemon-yellow flowers. Melaleuca capitata [Section 191e] has dark green leaves dotted with grey pom-pom type buds. Still on the Main Path, cross the Eucalypt Lawn with its great variety of barks and trunks. Compare the smooth, slender trunk of Eucalyptus baeuerlenii with Eucalyptus eximia whose trunk is covered in rough, mottled bark. Acacia flexifolia [Section 19], on the left side of the path, has lots of those cheerful, small yellow balls while on both side of the path is Acacia consobrina [Section 19], with a different shade of gold contrasting with its green foliage.

Hakea incrassata [Section 20] has its small flowers clustered between its rigid leaves and Hakea corymbosa [Section 20], tucked away at the very edge of this bed bordering on the Rock Garden lawn, also has rigid leaves with lots of pale green buds in clusters on its upper foliage. Just near the bubbler at the Rock Garden is Guichenotia ledifolia [Section 4], a delicate grey foliage plant with dainty, pendulous, mauve flowers. To return to the car park just keep following the Main Path, or turn off to the left just before the Rainforest Gully if you need a cuppa before you go.

Enjoy!

Naomi Bell