In Flower This Week

28 March 2003

Flowers may not be prolific along the Main Path at present but it is always a pleasant walk. So, starting from the far end of the Café building, notice the yellow lichen, Chrysothrix candelaris [Section 12] splashed down the dark trunk of a red ironbark, Eucalyptus sideroxylon [Section 12]. Callistemon chisholmii [Section 10] is a tall slim shrub which dangles its soft pink bottlebrush flowers from the tips of the arching branches. Pass through the bed of daisies, at present dominated by the yellow flowers of Bracteantha species [Section 303]. Farther along, Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 30] is a dwarf spreading plant bright with its candle-like golden cylindrical flower spikes. Nearby a tall shrub of Banksia integrifolia var. integrifolia shows its lemon flower spikes amid the silver-backed leaves. Young and still small, the Possum Banksia, Banksia baueri [Section 27], is bearing a few soft fluffy pinkish-green flower spikes.

The path then wanders through many grevilleas not yet in flower and numerous stately Brittle Gums, Eucalyptus mannifera, with mottled grey trunks. Correa ‘Marian’s Marvel’ [Section 112] is a low spreading shrub with lime green and pink tubular flowers blending with the foliage.

Banksia spinulosa - click for larger image

Cross the road into the Sydney Region Gully and find Scaevola ramosissima var. ramosissima [Section 191H] edging the path, a prostrate plant with deep mauve fan flowers along the trailing stems. Above, Podolobium aciculiferum [Section 191H] is an open prickly shrub bright with yellow pea flowers. Grevillea rhyolitica subsp. rhyolitica [Section 191S] dangles its rust-red flower clusters amid the compact foliage. Opposite the lookout, Epacris impressa [Section 191P] exposes its small tubular pink flowers along its wiry branches and the dense suckering Dampiera stricta [Section 191P] has blue flowers on upright stems. At the next path junction, Banksia spinulosa [Section 191J] is a large shrub with many golden flower spikes and nearby Banksia oblongifolia [Section 191J] is a smaller rounded shrub with green flower spikes (notice the collection of immature flowers about the base of this plant). A tea-tree, Leptospermum rupicola [Section 191M], has its open white flowers about the lower branches of the small shrub. Crowea saligna [Section 191U], in the display bed, is small and bright with waxy pink star flowers.

Wander down across the Eucalypt Lawn to the Rock Garden, which abounds with many colourful and interesting plants. In this corner are small plants including Lechenaultia biloba [Section 15N], with powder blue flowers, Artanema fimbriatum [Section 15N], with bugle-shaped blue and white flowers, and Halgania cyanea [Section 15N], with deeper blue flowers. Trailing along the ground is Scaevola phlebopetala [Section 15N] bearing yellow-throated deep purple fan flowers. There too is Diplopeltis hugelii [Section 15N] with petite pink open-petalled flowers on upright stems.

Then, passing the Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis [Section 110], in its big green cage, stroll through the Rainforest Gully, so green, so cool, to the ramp where the neat shrub Eremophila ‘Murchison Magic’ [Section 210] shows off its mauve flowers amid the grey foliage.

So much to enjoy…                                                             Barbara Daly.