In Flower This Week

19 July 2002

Many plants are tightly in bud awaiting warmer days to flower. Many banksias are still colourful, grevilleas are starting to show some colour while croweas and others continue to produce flowers. Banksia ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 174], edging Banks Walk, continues to be a delight, so well covered with upright golden cylindrical flower spikes over the dwarf plant. Leptospermum ‘Pink Cascade’ [Section 210], clad with soft pink open flowers, cascades over the rocks both sides of the side path.

Queensland Silver Wattle, Acacia podalyriifolia [Section 126] is a small tree gracefully clad with silver foliage and soft yellow fluffy flower balls. Nearby, Grevillea ‘Poorinda Diadem’ [Section 126] bears apricot-coloured spider flowers, while around the corner a Wombat Berry, Eustrephus latifolius [Section 127], reveals its bright orange fruits on the rather vigorous climbing plant. Acacia alata [Section 240] is unusual with flattened angular stems and bright globular cream flowers. Banksia ‘Giant Candles’ [Section 143] shows off its elongated gold flower spikes while Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 239] is a large compact shrub glowing with a somewhat shorter golden spikes. Eucalyptus caesia [Section 239] grows stately against the wall of the Crosbie Morrison building. The brown flaky trunk leads to silvery stems with some large pink and yellow fluffy pendent flowers, silvery buds and fruits … nice!

Continuing along the upper road, Calothamnus quadrifidus [Section 12] has soft, pine-like leaves mingled with feathery red flower clusters. Down the side path Grevillea diminuta [Section 178], of medium size, is prominent with pendent rust-coloured flower clusters. Opposite, Banksia robur [Section 181] is a tall shrub with large leathery leaves and a selection of interesting young olive-coloured flower spikes and maturing lime-coloured flower spikes, as well as old chocolate-coloured spikes.

Walk up to the area where Olearia microphylla [Section 29] has white daisies over the quite ragged plants and opposite, a small planting of Micromyrtus sp. [Section 9] has open arching branches covered with dark red buds and few white flowers over the small shrubs. Grevillea ‘Pink Pixie’ [Section 28] is attractive with deep red buds and a few paler spider flowers covering the low spreading shrubs. Banksia spinulosa var. collina [Section 28] is quite large and bright with yellow flower spikes… the Gardens too, are alive with the tiny Superb Blue Wrens moving about the garden litter …

Following the narrow, winding path, pass under the branches of the grand old Eucalyptus mannifera [Section 27] to where Grevillea lanigera  [Section 27] is a dense ground cover sprinkled with its attractive pink and cream spider flowers. Near the seat, Banksia occidentalis [Section 27] is tall and spindly possessing numerous attractive red flower spikes. Banksia integrifolia subsp. compar [Section 27] is just laden with pale yellow flower spikes amid the dense foliage. Further on, a corner of the Sydney Region Gully is a sight with the colourful bright pink star flowers of Crowea saligna [Section 191H].

Great walking, spectacular flowers …                                       Barbara Daly.