In Flower This Week

9 August 2002

The sun shines, the birds sing and plants are covered with buds … and flowers. Plants along Banks Walk include Woollsia pungens [Section 174] a slim upright shrub with terminal stems crowded with small white flowers. Nearby, the Victorian floral emblem, Epacris impressa [Section 174], has similar habit with cherry-red tubular flowers pendant from the long stems.

In the bed opposite the far side of the Rainforest Gully, Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Rosy Posy’ [Section 182] is a small shrub bright with dangling pink flower clusters while Grevillea ‘Pink Pixie’ [Section 124], of the same parentage, is a dwarf plant crowned with spider-like flowers of similar colour. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Queen’ [Section 124] is a sprawling old shrub with apricot-coloured spider-like flowers. Over the road, Banksia spinulosa [Section 126] has many cylindrical golden flower spikes ribbed with reddish styles over a neat dense shrub. The Queensland Silver Wattle, Acacia podalyriifolia [Section 126], is radiant with soft yellow flower balls mixing with the silvery-grey foliage over the small tree. Melaleuca fulgens ‘Hot Pink’ [Section 126] continues to bear its bright pink bottlebrush-like flowers on the open shrub.

Around the corner, Grevillea ‘Scarlet Sprite’ [Section 119] is neat and rounded and bright with the first of many scarlet flowers. A Geraldton Wax cultivar, Chamelaucium uncinatum ‘Murfit Rose’ [Section 117] is a small upright plant displaying the first of its attractive mottled pink open flowers. Before entering the Rock Garden, it is interesting to view the rare Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis [Section 110], in its green enclosure. This small tree has just produced its first male cone, seen on the upper left tip.

In the Rock Garden, Hakea myrtoides [Section 15P] is a semi-prostrate sprawling plant bearing deep red terminal flower clusters. Hakea corymbosa [Section 15P] is a neat, rounded shrub with dense clusters of lemon-green flowers with prominent cream styles … and nectar-feeding birds. Dryandra fraseri var. fraseri [Section 15P] displays its individual short gold and brown flower heads amid the long, narrow toothed leaves over the dwarf plant. Isopogon cuneatus [Section 15P] is really spectacular for this shrub of medium size is conspicuous with many frilly pink-purple flower heads. Returning to the lower path, Dampiera juncea [Section 15R] is a small spreading plant covered with vivid purple flowers. Edging the path, Acacia flexifolia [Section 4], is a small dense shrub covered in profusion with perfumed fluffy flower balls.

In the hakea section, Hakea purpurea [Section 20] has bright red flowers crowning the rather woody shrub. Hakea bakeriana [Section 21] is denser and rounded and conceals its large pink-red flower clusters on old wood beneath the outer foliage. Note also its large fruits. Hakea sericea [Section 21] is a straggly old shrub with limbs covered with almond-size fruits and small lacey pink-white terminal flowers while Hakea cristata [Section 23] is a medium rounded shrub covered in profusion with small clusters of white lacey flowers.

There’s always another flower to admire …                             Barbara Daly.