In Flower this Week

The golden extravaganza of our wattles throughout the Gardens is at its height. The lower walls in the southern carpark are draped with fluffy balls of gold of the prostrate form of Cootamundra Wattle, Acacia baileyana [Section 227] while the upper wall is draped with the Wyong Wattle, Acacia cardiophylla ‘Gold Lace’ [Section 226] and Acacia cultriformis ‘Cascade’ [Section 226]. The Australian floral emblem, Acacia pycnantha [Sections 223, 224] are small upright trees with dark leaves and bold ball shaped flowers, seen each side of the stairs to the Visitors Informaton Centre.

From Banks’ Walk, the Snowy River wattle, Acacia boormanii [Section 210] has fine foliage and balls of golden fluffy flowers. Above the retaining rocks view the slim upright shrub, Hakea ‘Winter Burgundy’ [Section 210] which presents its dark red startling flower balls tight about the upper stems. Darwinia macrostegia [Section 174], a small and open shrub dangles its almost open red buds from its many branches while a ground cover, Rhodanthe anthemoides [Section 174] is clad with small white daisies. Hardenbergia violacea ‘Mini Haha’ [Section 174 and elsewhere] has trailing stems bright with purple pea flowers, covering any shrub.

The Ellis Rowan garden in front of the café building contains Acacia leprosa ‘Scarlet Blaze’ [Section 131], a small tree with willowy branches clad with large dusky red flower balls (so photogenic!). This walk passes the Queensland Silver Wattle, Acacia podalyriifolia [Section 119] with flowers mixing with the silver-grey foliage, the Rock Garden renowned for its many flowering treasures to view the Cabbage hakea, Hakea corymbosa [Section 20] a well-designed dense shrub with green-yellow flowers mixed with the short sharply pointed foliage. Continue upwards, below the branches of yellow flowers of the Blue Bush, Acacia covenyi [Section 3] to a section below the old nursery site.

Grevillea floribunda - click for larger image

Acacia gordonii [Section 44] is a low heath-like dense shrub with short fine foliage and dark yellow flower balls. On the opposite side of this renovating toilet block, a small shrub, Epacris reclinata [Section 44] is picturesque, covered with small white-tipped pink tubular flowers. Almost opposite, Dracophyllum secundum [Section 44] is an upright plant with lance shaped leaves radiating from the stems and tipped with spikes of pink-white flowers. Edging the lawn Crowea saligna [Section 44] is a dense shrub with many deep pink star flowers. Grevillea sphacelata [Section 44] is an open shrub with interesting pink and grey flower heads.

Edging the Sydney Basin opposite the Eucalypt Lawn, Banksia aemula [Section 191L] is a large dense shrub with greenish-yellow cylindrical flower spikes. Helichrysum elatum [Section 191H] has large white buds now maturing to white papery flowers on long angulated stems. Hovea longifolia [Section 191H] is a medium size shrub clad with purple pea-shaped flowers and Grevillea rhyolitica ‘Deua Flame’ [Section 191H] dangles its lovely reddish flower spikes from its many branches. Edging the Main Path the large shrub, Grevillea flexuosa [Section 26] with large indented leaves is eye-catching with its yellow cigar shaped terminal flower spikes while behind, Grevillea floribunda [Section 26] is a smaller, open shrub with pendulous clusters of rust coloured woolly flowers.

Flowers are bursting out all over …

Barbara Daly.