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.

25 January 2002

This walk will follow the Main Path, but first, along the colourful Banks Walk, view the beauty of the small tree, Eucalyptus ficifolia [Section 174] all covered with lovely coral-coloured flowers. Then, starting from the far end of the Café building, Backhousia myrtifolia [Section 10] is a small tree well covered with cream fluffy flowers. Melaleuca fulgens ‘Hot Pink’ [Section 11] has colourful short bottlebrush-like flowers, dotted with yellow anthers, on the open shrub. The small tufted herb, Xyris operculata [Section 8] has fine foliage and small three-petalled yellow flowers on upright stems. Kangaroo paws cultivars seen throughout the Gardens have a range of colours. Here the yellow and lime flowers of Anigozanthos ‘Bush Glow’ [Section 7, 8] can be seen on long upright stems.

Baeckea ramosissima [Section 30] is a large graceful shrub, white with peach-blossom flowers. Baeckea virgata [Section 30], also tall and graceful, has small white flowers in clusters. Edging the path, Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 30] is a spreading, dwarf shrub already with its juvenile flower spikes changing from green to gold. Stroll on through the area of grevilleas, few of which are flowering.

Crossing the road, walk beneath the large old shrub of Banksia serrata [Section 112] with an abundance of old grey flower spikes heavy with rounded fruits and with fresh grey-green large cylindrical flower spikes. Entering the Sydney Region Gully, the brilliant tall straight ochre trunks capped with crowns of white flowers are Angophora costata [Section 191]. Scaevola ramosissima var. ramosissima [Section 191h, 191p] is prostrate with purple fan flowers along its trailing stems. Also edging the curvaceous path, Dampiera purpurea [Section 191h] has a scattering of blue flowers on upright stems.

Opposite the lookout, the colourful bed includes the short-stemmed white daisies of Helichrysum adenophorum [Section191p], the pale blue flowers of Dampiera stricta and Thysanotus juncifolius [Section 191p], with interesting fringed, three-petalled purple flowers on bare upright stems. The small yellow flowers are those of Goodenia decurrens [Section 191p] ... all quite a picture. Then, past the large area of white flowered Platysace lanceolata [Section 191e], Melaleuca thymifolia [Section 191e] is a small shrub colourful with mauve feathery flowers. Flannel flower cultivars, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Star’ [Section 191u], with soft velvety flowers amid green-grey foliage, grow here and there.

Stroll through the Eucalypt Lawn, where Saturday evening concerts are held, to the Rock Garden, which contains a multitude of flowers. The yellow flowers of Hibbertia pedunculata [Section 4] dot the dense prostrate plants and Pityrodia sp. [Section 15R] has soft pink bugle-shaped flowers on ground-hugging stems.

Pass by Banksia aemula [Section 16], with many a green-grey flower spike on the large shrub, to the cool, relaxing Rainforest Gully with many shades of green and where bird calls are many.

Pleasant walking ... marvellous flora ... Barbara Daly.