In Flower This Week

28 November 2003

Eremophila racemosa - click for larger image

The Main Path meanders through many colourful sections of the Gardens, and this walk will follow it, starting at the far end of the Café building.  It is possible to describe only a few of the many flowering plants, so…  Kunzea ambigua [Section 12] is a prostrate shrub with spreading limbs covered with  fluffy white flowers.  Chamelaucium uncinatum ‘Purple Pride’ [Section 12] continues to bear deep purple waxy flowers on this open shrub.  Bottlebrushes are bright red throughout the Gardens, however Callistemon formosus [Section 12] is a dense shrub well covered with lemon flowers.  An emu bush, Eremophila racemosa [Section 302] is a small plant, showy with developing orange flowers opening to reddish purple.  Pass by the self-seeding Bulbine sp. [Section 8, 303] with terminal yellow flowers atop upright succulent stems surrounded by similar leaves.

Most waratahs have finished flowering, however Telopea speciosissima [Section 30] is a small shrub with pale pink flowers spikes.  Easily missed are two prostrate banksias –  Banksia petiolaris [Section 30] has thick leathery leaves and green, maturing to cream, flower spikes sitting erect from the prostrate stems, while Banksia blechnifolia [Section 30] has deeply lobed upright leaves and rust red erect flower spikes rising from the soil.  Grevillea petrophiloides subsp. petrophiloides [Section 30] carries its soft pink terminal cylindrical flowers well above the foliage on long bare stems.  Persoonia chamaepitys [Section 27] is a dense ground cover with bright pine-like leaves dotted with fine yellow flowers.

The path passes through many grevilleas including the yet small shrub, Grevillea wilsonii [Section 26] with conspicuous scarlet flowers above the sharp divided foliage.

Boronia fastigiata [Section 112] is covered with bright pink star-like flowers over the dense dwarf shrub while Boronia ‘Carousel’ [Section 112] has bright pink down-turned cup-shaped flowers over the upright shrub.

Along the curvaceous path through the Sydney Region Flora Section Dampiera stricta [Section 191p] is a suckering plant with upright stems of blue flowers.  Scaevola aemula [Section 191p] has purple fan-flowers on its lateral branches and Sowerbaea juncea [Section 191g] has clusters of mauve flowers on upright stems surrounded by grass-like foliage. Across the path Jacksonia scoparia [Section 191s] is a blaze of gold coloured pea flowers.  A trigger plant, Stylidium graminifolium [Sectio 191m] is a  tufted plant with terminal pink flowers on the upright stem.  Flannel flowers, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Stars’ [Section 191u,l] at this attractive corner, have velvety grey foliage and soft white daisy-like flowers.

Cross the pleasant Eucalyptus Lawn to the Rock Garden where Hakea trineura [Section 20] displays its pendent burnt red flower spikes over a large shrub.  The Rock Garden has many splendid flowers including Dampiera diversifolia [Section 15R], a ground cover with blue flowers along its trailing stems and a Gymea Lily, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 15C], bears its large red flower heads on long upright stems.  Wander through the cooler Rainforest and down the ramp with more colour including Melaleuca  wilsonii [Section 210] which covers its limbs with clusters of pink-purple flowers.

Flowers, flowers, beautiful flowers …                                                             Barbara Daly