Australian National Botanic Gardens 
 
ANBG logo

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.

 

8 March 2002

This is a short walk abounding in colourful flowers. The pots outside the Visitor Centre doors include Thomasia tremandroides, a small shrub with closed cup-shaped purple flowers and Commersonia sp., also small, with cheery pink-petalled flowers.

Plants on either side of Banks Walk include Eremophila veneta [Section 221], a low open shrub dotted with fine tubular bluish flowers. Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 172] has upright fine cylindrical flower spikes not yet golden. Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Stars’ [Section 172] continue to produce striking white flannel flowers over velvety grey foliage. The large cycads, Macrozamia moorei [Section 210,174], with dense trunks and arching, dark green palm-like leaves have recently been acquired from a Queensland area being cleared for roadworks. Hibbertia vestita [Section 174] has bright yellow open flowers over a prostrate plant. Behind, Olearia ramulosa [Section 174] is mostly upright, massed with small white daisies. Worth seeking is Lechenaultia formosa [Section 174] with scarlet flowers over a small prostrate plant. Looking down towards the Tasmanian section, the small tree with fiery red calyces, which follow the white flowers, is that of the NSW Christmas Bush, Ceratopetalum gummiferum [Section 142]. Scaevola ‘New Blue’ [Section 174], edging the path, has large blue fan flowers over a prostrate, trailing plant. At the end of this section, Grevillea ‘Flame ‘n’ Beauty’ [Section 174] is an upright, open shrub graced with interesting cream toothbrush-like flowers with dark red styles.

flower image
Photograph of Lechenaultia formosa
(click for bigger image)

flower image
Photograph of Ceratopetalum gummiferum

(click for bigger image)

The next area is in front of the Café building, where numerous croweas can be seen. Crowea exalata [Section 240] bears bright pink star flowers while Crowea ‘Southern Stars’ [Section 240] has finer foliage and smaller pink flowers and Crowea ‘Pink Blush’ [Section 240], of similar size, has white flowers with a blush of pink. Banksia integrifolia [Section 240], at the lower corner, is a dense prostrate plant with upright lime green flower spikes. Grevillea diminuta [Section 239] is quite dense and has fine strands of rust flowers. Callistemon ‘Booroomba Station’ [Section 143] is a small neat tree decorated with short pink bottlebrush flowers. Callistemon viminalis [Section 143], at the corner, is quite tall with deeply grooved trunks and arching branches with deep red bottlebrushes. Scaevola ‘Mauve Clusters’ [Section 131], below the windows, is a dense ground cover well covered with small mauve fan flowers. Opposite, Correa reflexa var. Kangaroo Island [Section 240] is a small open shrub bright with narrow tubular red and yellow flowers.

Another area abounding with colour is the Rock Garden. In front of the waterfall is a small tree, Eucalyptus extrica [Section 15V], with bluish leaves and white feathery flowers. Beside the steps, Crinum flaccidum [Section 15C] has long, thick floppy leaves and upright stems with sprays of white lilies. Edging the path to the Rainforest Gully, Banksia aemula [Section 16] dense with cream flower spikes. Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis [Section 110], flourishes in its cage while a geebung, Persoonia pinifolia [Section 110], has small spikes of yellow flowers on its pendulous branches. Backhousia citriodora [Section 80] is an attractive small tree crowned with clusters of white flowers and across the road is the Rainforest awaiting inspection.

Such grand gardens to explore ...

Barbara Daly.

Return to: Australian National Botanic Gardens  Previous
'In Flower' Weeks

 


Updated March 8, 2002 by, Andrew Lyne (Andrew.Lyne@deh.gov.au)