In Flower This Week

28 June 2002

With the winter solstice past (and only 4ºC this morning!) a brisk walk following the Main Path is suggested. Start at the far end of the Café building where Crowea ‘Cooper’s Hybrid’ [Section 240], covered with deep pink star-like flowers, can be compared with Crowea ‘Pink Blush’ [Section 240], a more open shrub bearing pale pink, almost white, star flowers. Acacia alata [Section 240], in the small bed, has a spreading habit and produces fluffy cream flower balls along its flat angular stems.

Chamelaucium uncinatum ‘Purple Pride’ [Section 12], a Geraldton Wax cultivar, is a dainty open shrub with deep pink waxy flowers. Eremophila maculata subsp. brevifolia [Section 302] is a small open shrub dotted with maroon tubular flowers while, in the daisies section, the yellow flowers of Bracteantha sp. [Section 303] are tightly closed until the sun shines. Philotheca (previously Eriostemon) verrucosa ‘J. Semmens’ [Section 30] is an open shrub with arching branches covered with pink buds and few multi-petalled, almost white, flowers. Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 30] is a large old shrub radiant with upright cylindrical golden flower spikes. Grevillea lanigera [Section 30] has a covering of red spider-like flowers over the prostrate plant while nearby is Grevillea alpina (Goldfields form) [Section 30] with orange, often single, flowers over a fairly dense shrub.

Banksia pilostylis [Section 25], yet a small shrub, has lovely yellow-pink flower spikes. The path passes through many grevilleas, most of which are heavy in bud, however Grevillea irrasa subsp. didymochiton [Section 26] is quite dense with red spider flowers dangling from its branches. Correa pulchella (variant 10) [Section 112] is an upright shrub with reddish leaves and dull red tubular flowers, while Correa ‘Marians Marvel’ [Section 112] is a spreading shrub with multicoloured tubular flowers.

Along the path through the Sydney Region Gully, Grevillea baueri subsp. asperula [Section 191s] has a covering of dark red flowers. Below, Acacia terminalis [Section 191s] is a small spreading tree bearing cream flower balls and Bursaria spinosa var. spinosa [Section 191s] is an erect shrub clad with white flowers. Opposite the lookout, amid the various shades of greenery, Epacris impressa [Section 191p] has slim red, or pink, tubular flowers along the upright stems. Scaevola ramosissima [Section 191p] is a prostrate plant with purple fan flowers along its many stems and Dampiera stricta [Section 191p] is a suckering plant adding its blue flowers on upright stems. At the road junction, Tetratheca thymifolia [Section 191j] is a neat rounded shrub dotted with down-turned pink cup-shaped flowers. Later, Crowea saligna [Section 191u] displays its attractive deep pink flowers above the rocks and Hibbertia saligna [Section 191u] is bright with large yellow open flowers.

The Main Path winds through the Eucalypt Lawn, down to Hakea laurina [Section 20] bright with maroon flower balls, some with cream styles, over the tall open shrub. The Rock Garden abounds with flowers including Scaevola calliptera [Section 15R], dense with purple fan flowers, and Prostanthera magnifica [Section 15R], an upright plant with interesting pale mauve and tan flowers. The path wanders on through the Rainforest and so down the colourful ramp where Banksia spinulosa [Section 210] is heavy with gold flower spikes ribbed with dark styles and Leptospermum ‘Pink Cascade’ [Section 210] drapes its prostrate branches clad with pink open flowers over the rocks.

Cold day, many flowers …                                                               Barbara Daly.