In Flower This WeekA weekly news-sheet prepared by a Gardens volunteerNumbers in brackets [ ] refer to garden bed 'Sections'. Plants in flower are in bold type. |
15 March 2002
There are interesting flowers in and around the Rainforest Gully so come, lets
explore. Edging Banks Walk the display includes the vivid blue fan flowers of
Scaevola 'New Blue' [Section 174] and the magenta flowers
of Pelargonium rodneyanum [Section 174]. In the crescent bed Dampiera
sylvestris [Section 60], with its deep blue flowers, is snug between
the silver grey wiry strands of Leucophyta brownii 'Cape Le
Grand' [Section 60] which is bearing small globular silvery flower heads.
Taking the Main Path into the Rainforest, Syzygium australe
[Section 148] is a small tree, best seen opposite the seat, bearing white fluffy
flowers amid the dark shining leaves. Taking the next path down and across the
gully, the Stream Lily, Helmholtzia glaberrima [Section 147, 159]
has soft fading pink plume-like flower heads seen amid the long flax-like leaves.
Continuing up the stairs, Alyxia ruscifolia subsp. ruscifolia
[Section 125] is an open shrub decorated with colourful orange berries.
Proiphys cunninghamii [Section 114] is one of the lily family
and has large fleshy leaves and sprays of white flowers on upright stems. Edging
the Brittle Gum Lawn, Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa
[Section 110] reveals many upright cylindrical flower spikes, mostly juvenile,
with some maturing to their golden loveliness. Plectranthus graveolens
'Bennelong Frosty Carpet' [Section 110] is a dense ground cover with spikes
of small blue flowers appearing from the soft velvety foliage. Psychotria
simmondsiana [Section 104], next to the king orchids, has a covering
of small white star flowers and soft shiny leaves over an open shrub. Across
the gully there are still a few bright red trumpet flowers of Rhododendron
lochiae [Section 62].
Continuing uphill, Backhousia citriodora [Section 78] is an
attractive small tree crowned with clusters of white flowers. In the centre
of the triangular bed Alyogyne huegelii [Section 17] displays
lovely hibiscus-like purple flowers. Other plants include the Geraldton Wax
cultivar, Chamelaucium 'Cascade Brook' [Section 17], displaying
soft waxy pink flowers, Rulingia cuneata [Section 17] with a covering
of small yellow flowers and Hemigenia pungens [Section 17] with
pink bugle flowers along the trailing stems.
Across the road, Leptospermum amboinense [Section 104] has arching
branches white with flowers. Commersonia fraseri [Section 140]
is a tall graceful shrub with small white multi-petalled flowers on its lateral
branches. Phyllanthus sp. [Section 123] is a small shrub beautified
with cream saucer-shaped flowers. Banksia speciosa [Section 37]
has numerous arching branches with long narrow toothed leaves and flower spikes
of all ages including the mature grey-green flower spikes. Banksias along this
path include Banksia robur [Section 37], with large leathery leaves
and olive green young flower spikes which age to a chocolate colour, and Banksia
media [Section 37], which shows off its large ochre flower spikes. A
waratah, Telopea mongaensis [Section 37] has out-of-season attractive
open red flowers.
Some assortment of flowers ...
Barbara Daly.
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