In Flower this Week

This refreshing autumn walk is along the fringe of the Sydney Region. But first view few floral jewels on the way. Edging the ramp off Banks Walk Pityrodia teckiana [Section 210], seen at the base of a column of rocks, is a small open shrub with conspicuous bugle shaped mauve and white flowers. Homoranthus porteri [Section 210] is a dwarf shrub, here, sheltering below a rock shelf. The flowers are cherry-red with long curved stamens. Scaevola ramosissima [Section 210] displays its purple fan shaped flowers along its trailing stems.

Proceed now, to the far end of the Café building where Callistemon viminalis [Section 143] bears deep red short bottlebrush flowers amid the foliage on arching branches of a large shrub. Follow the Main Path, passing Grevillea humifusa [Section 25] a prostrate plant with short red toothbrush-like flowers along its trailing stems. Grevillea lanigera [Section 25], also prostrate, is dense with many pink and white spider flowers. Take any path, now, to the fringe of the Sydney Basin. A most pleasant walk is along the narrow path through dappled white tree trunks, an assortment of shrubs shared with magpies, crimson rosellas and other vocal birds, ending under the fresh green foliage mixed with an abundance of lemon flower spikes of Banksia integrifolia subsp. compar [Section 27].

Grevillea parallelinervis - click for larger image

Following the road, on the far side, correas include Correa ‘Candy Pink' [Section 112], a dense medium shrub with prominent pink star flowers dangling from the branches and Correa reflexa var. reflexa [Section 112] a taller dense shrub with green tube flowers. At the next intersection, Correa pulchella - variant 10 [Section 112] is a smaller upright shrub with red tube-flowers. Beside it is Crowea exalata [Section 112] bearing pink star flowers over this prostrate plant.

Continuing along this road, now opposite the Eucalypt Lawn and edging the Sydney Flora Section, the road is edged with Scaevola ramosissima [Section 191H] with its attractive purple fan shaped flowers. Behind is a grouping of Crowea saligna [Section 191H], upright dense shrubs clad with deep pink star-flowers. Grevillea rhyolitica ‘Deua Flame' [Section 191H] is there too, with many pendent terminal rust-red flower clusters. Here and along this stretch of road are Sydney Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Stars' [Section 191H] with soft white daisy-like flowers on stems rising above the dense velvety grayish foliage. Another flannel flower, Actinotus forsythii [Section 191H] is a low spreading plant with green foliage and small white daisy-like flowers with large pink centers on bare branches . Grevillea parallelinervis [Section 191G] is an upright shrub with narrow stiff leaves mixing with its pink flowers . Banksia aemula [Sections 191G, 191L], are generally large, dense shrubs exhibiting lemon flower spikes mixing with ageing chocolate flower spikes. Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 191E], yet small, displays its rich gold flowers.

Across the road Leptospermum squarrosum [Section 44] shows off its terminal branches blanketed with pink open flowers while Epacris longiflora [Section 44] dangles its slim red and white flowers from its scrambling branches. On returning Pincushion Hakea, Hakea laurina [Section 20] is just stunning with a coverage of globular red and yellow flowers.

Flowers, beautiful autumn flowers …

Barbara Daly.