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.

22 February 2002

Storms continue - a few trees are uprooted but flowers are still plentiful. The walk this week is along an established area through the Sydney Region Gully. On the way take heed of the NSW Christmas Bush, Ceratopetalum gummiferum [Section 142], covered with fiery red calyces, which can be seen below the car park. Edging the top car park, Eucalyptus ‘Wildfire’ [Section 174] is a neat small tree radiant with red fluffy flowers. Further on, Telopea ‘Doug’s Hybrid’ [Section 30], a waratah hybrid developed from parents Telopea speciosissima and Telopea mongaensis, displays its large red open flowers.

This corner of the Sydney Region Gully is very colourful. Crowea saligna [Section 191] displays its bright pink star flowers over a low dense shrub, Grevillea rhyolitica subsp. rhyolitica [Section 191], of similar size, has red pendent flowers and Goodenia heterophylla subsp. montana [Section 191] is prostrate and displays small yellow flowers. Epacris longiflora [Section 191F] has an entanglement of branches bright with narrow tubular red and white flowers.

Along this path on the far side of the gully, Hibbertia diffusa [Section 191K] is a ground cover bright with open yellow flowers. Leptospermum petraeum [Section 191F] is an open tea-tree bearing white flowers and Dampiera stricta [Section 191F] is a low suckering plant with violet flowers. Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa [Section 191K] has pencil-thin green buds while another shrub has maturing golden flower spikes. Below are many lovely tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica [191K], which mostly conceal the stream. Baeckea linifolia [Section 191J] is quite a dainty shrub with open pendulous branches of tiny white flowers.

Across this path, past an area of lemon flowering wattles, the Blandfordia swamp continues to produce the lovely Christmas Bells, Blandfordia grandiflora [Section 191C], with large funnel-shaped red and yellow flowers on bare upright stems. Edging the path encircled by short fine foliage, Stylidium lineare [Section 191C] presents its tiny pink flowers on upright stems. A small trailing plant, Boronia polygaligifolia [Section 191C] has tiny pink star flowers along the ground-hugging stems. Higher up on the bank, a stand of Christmas Bushes, Ceratopetalum gummiferum [Section 191C], with pink calyces mix well with the yellow pendent flowers of the Geebung, Persoonia pinifolia [Section 191C].

Following the path around the stream, a display bed contains Crowea saligna [Section 191U] covered with bright pink star flowers, Christmas Bells, Blandfordia grandiflora [Section 191U] with yellow flowers and the velvety white flannel flowers of Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Stars’ [Section 191U] ... another picturesque spot.

Following the lower path, Baeckea brevifolia [Section 191M] is prostrate with lateral branches of small white flowers while, around the corner, Banksia aemula [Section 191G] is quite an old shrub dense with dark serrated leaves and laden with bright, stout, lime-coloured flower spikes.

Leisurely walk, much to admire ... Barbara Daly.