In Flower this Week

Rhododendron lochiae - click for larger image

Regardless of the searing heat which affected many a flower, many thanks to the team of energetic horticultural staff who maintain healthy and happy flowers throughout the year. Because of the heat this walk is short with flowers all the way.

In the pots outside the Visitor Information Centre door, Rhododendron lochiae presents its rich red bell-like flowers while Goodenia sp. shows off its small yellow flowers. From Banks’ Walk a Flannel Flower cultivar, Actinotus ‘Starbright’ [Section 172] bears its lovely white velvety flowers. Behind Sir Joseph Banks memorial, Old Man Banksia, Banksia serrata [Section 174] is tall and dense with serrated leaves and large grey on pale green flower spikes. Opposite, Goodenia macmillanii [Section 210] has soft pink flowers along its trailing stems.

Notice the variety of Kangaroo Paws flowering beside the path and elsewhere in the gardens. Here they include Anigozanthos ‘Bush Haze’ [Section 210] with green and yellow ‘paw’ flowers on long upright stems, Anigozanthos ‘Bush Dawn’ [Section 210] with flowers coloured bright yellow and Anigozanthos ‘Bush Sunset’ [Section 210] with dusky red flowers. Pelargonium rodneyanum [Section 174] edges the path with trailing stems of magenta coloured geranium-like flowers.

Continue to the Ellis Rowan garden edging the café building where Grevillea rhyolitica subsp. rhyolitica [Section 131] grows taller and denser ablaze with terminal clusters of red flowers. Babingtonia ‘White Cascade’ [Section 131] has a coverage of small white flowers over the neat shrub.

 

Grevillea rhyolitica subsp. rhyolitica - click for larger image

A slow walk uphill where a corner of Anigozanthos flavidus [Section 127] is dense with matt green flowers invaded with honeyeating birds, There too is Melaleuca hypericifolia [Section 127] with soft red bottlebrush-like flowers surrounding its stems. Pandorea jasminoides [Section 124] with large white flowers climbs over a tall shrub while at its base a groundcover, Scaevola albida [Section 124], is prolific with tiny mauve flowers. A patch of Isotoma axillaris [Section 124] bears its blue star flowers on upright stems. Another groundcover, Myoporum parvifolium [Section 119] with abundance of tiny white flowers, trails over the rock wall. An Emu Bush, Eremophila ‘Aurea’ [Section 302] is a small open shrub with slim yellow tubular flowers.

Edging the Brittle Gum Lawn, Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ [Section 109] displays its large terminal red flowers and behind the seat, Hibiscus pedunculatus [Section 109] presents its bright pink flowers. Edging the Rainforest Gully Hibiscus divaricatus [Section 114] has yellow flowers while Hibiscus heterophyllus [Section 114] has white flowers tinted with red. Following the path through the Rainforest, see the brilliance of the flowers of the Dorrigo Waratah, Alloxylon pinnatum [Section 147], a small tree capped with these red flowers, seen at the junction of descending stairs.

And for those who wish to see the Blue Devils, Eryngium rostratum [Section 175], see them throughout the golden Kangaroo Grass, Themeda triandra, in front of the main gates. These ‘devils’ have cylindrical flower heads with electric blue spikes on bare branches … remarkable plants!

Have an interesting 2006… Barbara Daly.