In Flower this Week

Banksia serrata - click for larger image

A variety of flowers can be seen on this walk. From Banks Walk, Saw Banksia, Banksia serrata [Section 174] stands tall and dense bearing grey-green cylindrical flower spikes. Kangaroo Paws are fading now but Anigozanthos ‘Bush Dawn’ [Section 210] is still bright with its green-lemon ‘paw’ flowers on long bare stems. At the corner Crowea ‘Festival’ [Section 174] continues to brighten the shrub with lovely pink star flowers.

On the far side of the Café building, in the Ellis Rowan Garden, Chef’s Cap Correa, Correa baeuerlenii [Section 131] blends its green tubular flowers with the shiny green foliage. The calyces, resembling chef’s caps, can be seen among the leaves. Across the path Correa ‘Dusky Bells’ [Section 131] displays its dusky red bells over a smaller shrub. Grevillea rhyolitica subsp. rhyolitica, marketed as ‘Deua Flame’ [Section 131], is so dense and so bright with the red pendent flower clusters. Opposite, a group of Crowea ‘Cooper’s Hybrid’ [Section 240] has an abundance of pink star flowers. At the corner, Callistemon viminalis [Section 143] is tall with deeply grooved dark trunks and gracefully arching branches containing red bottlebrush flowers.

Walking up towards the Rock Garden Callistemon chisholmii [Section 10] is a smaller upright plant with arching branches covered with smaller powder pink bottlebrushes. Closer to the Rock Garden Ptilotus drummondii [Section 4] is a dense ground-cover covered with small globular fluffy white flower heads which followed the pink colouring.

 

Syzygium australe - click for larger image

This walk is through a small section of the Rock Garden taking the path up the stairs lined with a field of daisies, Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea [Section 15C] erect annuals now coloured white with areas of fresh pink flowers. Patches of Garland Lilies, Calostemma purpureum [Sections 15B, 15F] are still bearing heads of pink trumpet shaped flowers on upright stems. The path to the right is now chosen for the variety of colour. Isotoma axillaris [Section 15G and elsewhere] bears blue star-like flowers over a small plant. Commersonia sp. [Section 15G] displays pink petalled flowers over a small upright shrub and Solanum sturtianum [Section 15G] is much taller with deep purple flowers mixing with its grey-green foliage. Halgania cyanea [Section 15G] has deep blue flowers over the small plant while, at the corner, the prolific blue fan shaped flowers of Scaevola ‘New Blue’ [Section 15J] trail towards the path.

Returning along the upper road, Artanema fimbriatum [Section 15J] is an erect small plant displaying its lovely mottled blue bugle shaped flowers. Dampiera sylvestris [Section 15H] bears blue flowers on short upright stems beside Scaevola albida [Section 15H] with white fan-shaped flowers over the spreading shrub. At the far end, Persoonia linearis x pinifolia [Section 15H] has soft pine-like foliage mixing with its terminal sprays of yellow flowers. Opposite, a wattle, Acacia subulata [Section 3] is prolific with soft yellow perfumed flower sprays.Time now to return via the Rainforest joining the Main Path. Near the long seat Syzygium australe [Section 144] displays its white fluffy flowers amid the shiny green leaves of this small tree while opposite, a Plumwood, Eucryphia moorei [Section 148] of similar size displays its open white flowers some seen close to the boardwalk.

Always a great variety of flowers … Barbara Daly.