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.

7 December 2001

Opposite the Visitor Centre doors the Wedding Lily, Dietes robinsoniana [Section 210], presents its white lily-like flowers with yellow centres on long stems surrounded by long flax-like leaves. The flowers each side of Banks Walk are so colourful, however the Rock Garden is also very colourful so ... come up and see.

Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Star’ [Section 15C], with soft white velvety daisy-like flowers, blooms at the foot of a tea-tree, Leptospermum ‘Aphrodite’ [Section 15C], with open pink flowers. Opposite, a plant prostrate over rocks and footpath, Guinea Flower, Hibbertia pedunculata [Section 15D], is bright with open yellow flowers. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’ [Section 15D] cascades down the rock fall, its dense foliage lightened with red toothbrush flowers. Snug between the rocks, Scaevola ramosissima [Section 15C] has large purple flowers along its prostrate stems. The lovely coral-coloured flowers of Copper Cups, Pileanthus sp. [Section 15D] cover rounded dwarf shrubs.

Alyogyne huegelii ‘West Coast Gem’ [Section 15F] stands tall in this bed, its deep purple hibiscus-like flowers so prominent. At its base, amid the forest of the yellow flowers of Bulbine bulbosa [Section 15F], are the rich blue flowers of Halgania anagalloides var. preissiana [Section 15F] and the paler blue flowers of Lechenaultia biloba [Section 15F]. On the other side, behind the rocks, Ptilotus manglesii [Section 15F] has picturesque fluffy silvery-white, with a dash of pink, flower balls. Dampiera altissima [Section 15F] has hairy grey foliage accentuating the blueness of the flowers. Banksia repens [Section 15F], with limbs below ground level, has a few brownish flower spikes emerging amid the tough green upright foliage.

Verticordia pennigera [Section 15W] is a small plant with soft pink frilly-edged flowers, seen sheltering against a rock face. Opposite, there is a mix of Bulbine sp. [Section 15A] with yellow star-like flowers on long upright succulent stems and the equally bright yellow straw daisies of Bracteantha bracteata [Section 15A]. At the top of the stairs Bracteantha bracteata [Section 15H] is a large shrub displaying terminal clusters of lemon and red flowers with long curved red anthers. Along this top road Pimelea ferruginea [Section 15H] has a covering of pink flower heads while Scaevola albida [Section 15H] has a profusion of white fan-flowers and Dampiera sylvestris [Section 15h] has a canopy of heavenly blue flowers over this suckering plant.

This corner has a mix of soft pink daisies, Rhodanthe anthemoides subsp. rosea [Section 15P]. Eremaea beaufortioides [Section 15R] has low arching branches of vivid orange fluffy flowers tipped with yellow. Look back to see the grandeur of the Gymea Lily, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 15C], with a large cluster of red flowers on elongated upright stems. Then find the ACT Floral Emblem, Wahlenbergia gloriosa [Section 15V] packed with bright bluebells.

Certainly a grand area of the Gardens ... Barbara Daly.