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.

31 May 2002

Grevilleas are just bursting into flower and banksias are in full bloom, like so many other beauties to be seen along the Main Walk. So start at the far end of the Café building, where Acacia alata [Section 240], with spreading habit, is massed with fluffy cream flower balls along its flat angular stems.

Following this path, Melaleuca steedmanii [Section 10] is an open shrub dotted with warm red flower spikes. Emu Bush, Eremophila maculata subsp. brevifolia [Section 302], has almost scarlet-shaded bugle flowers over the small, open plant. Brachycome ‘Misty Pink’ [Section 303] edges the path showering the soft mat-forming plant with yellow-centred mauve daisies.

Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 30] flaunts its many brilliant golden cylindrical flower spikes over a large shrub while opposite, Banksia burdettii [Section 30] proudly displays its one woolly orange flower spike on a small open shrub. Grevillea petrophiloides subsp. petrophiloides [Section 30] also displays one pink cylindrical flower on top of an upright branch while Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 30] is a dense, dwarf spreading shrub flooded with gold flower spikes tinted red. Banksia integrifolia var. integrifolia [Section 30] is a small slender tree well covered with silver-backed leaves and lemon flower spikes. At its base the prostrate form bears similar flowers on branches spread along the ground. Hakea cycloptera [Section 24], across the road, is a neat open shrub with terminal branches pretty with fine needle foliage mixed with pink lacey flowers which age to white.

Just before the road, a group of correas includes Correa ‘Marians Marvel’ [Section 112], which has long lateral branches with pendent pink and lemon tubular flowers. Along the winding path through the Sydney Region Gully Grevillea baueri subsp. asperula [Section 191S] is dense with tight red buds and some open red and cream spider flowers. Scaevola ramosissima [Section 191P] has purple fan flowers along prostrate stems and Epacris impressa [Section 191P] bears slim red, or pink, tubular flowers along the upright stem. Dampiera stricta [Section 191P] is low and suckering, adding its blue flowers to this colourful area. Sowerbaea juncea [Section 191G] has upright stems with clusters of purple flowers amid the grass-like foliage. Hibbertia saligna [Section 191L] is bright with open-petalled yellow flowers. Crowea saligna [Section 191U], beside the rocks in the display bed, is pink with bright star flowers.

After the Eucalypt Lawn, the path wanders past Hakea laurina [Section 20], a low tree attractive with its many globular red flowers with lighter stamens, and Hakea purpurea [Section 20], an upright shrub with branches coloured red with flowers. Along the path edging the Rock Garden with so much to offer, Dampiera stricta [Section 15R] and Dampiera juncea [Section 15R] both have lovely blue flowers. Then view, in its olive green cage, the Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis [Section 110] before a walk through the Rainforest, so green so fresh. Down the ramp, Leptospermum ‘Pink Cascade’ [Section 210] has a covering of open pink flowers along its low lateral branches.

Just a few of the many flowers along this path …                                   Barbara Daly.