Australian National Botanic Gardens

In Flower this Week

A weekly news sheet prepared by a Gardens' volunteer.
Numbers in square brackets [] refer to garden bed Sections. Plants in flower are in bold type.

24 August 2007

Lechenaultia formosa - click for larger image

The yellow flower balls of the many wattles are bursting out throughout the Gardens. So many flowers are in bud. Spring must surely be close. Regardless there is much colour to be admired. So, edging the stairs to the Visitors Centre Zieria formosa [Section 221] is covered with tiny pink flowers blending with the green-grey foliage of this shrub. Outside the Visitors Centre doors one pot contains Lechenaultia formosa, a prostrate plant with vivid orange-yellow flowers along its branches

Edging Banks Walk Ptilotus obovatus ‘Cobtus’ [Section 174] small with upright stems of grey, tinted pink rounded flower heads. Darwinia macrostegia [Section 174] continues to bear red tubular buds suspended from branches of this open shrub. Woollsia pungens [Section 174] continues to bear small white flowers which surround the ends of the wandering branches while Epacris impressa [Section 174] is similar in structure but presents pink tubular flowers along its branches. Thryptomene denticulata [Section 174] is attractive with its low arching branches clad with tiny pink flowers while, across the path a mint bush, Prostanthera phylicifolia [Section 210] forever covers its branches with pink flowers which blends with the dense shrub, Hibbertia empetrifolia [Section 210] dotted with bright yellow flowers. Wax flower, Chamelaucium ‘Cascade Jewel’ [Section 174] is upright with a crown of waxy purple open flowers.

Pass by the group of grass trees, Xanthorrhoea sp. [Section 60] with long flowing grasslike leaves, across the bridge to view flowers in the Ellis Rowan garden. Banksia ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 244] is a dense dwarf plant with upright cylindrical golden flower spikes and Banksia ‘Stumpy Gold’ [Section 131] is more upright with a wide spread with flower spikes of its own shade of gold. Epacris longiflora [Section 131] is close by with long red tubular flowers tipped with white clings to various branches.

At the entrance to the next door Acacia leprosa ‘Scarlet Blaze’ [Section 131] is of medium height with buds just opening revealing its rare dusky red flower balls along its willowy branches. Another colourful plant is Lechenaultia biloba [Section 131]. . This small plant has powder blue flowers with large white centre.

Eucalyptus caesia- click for larger image

Edging the path below where wattles form an archway, Tetratheca ciliata [Section 240] has white down-turned flowers over the low shrub while Cryptandra sp. [Section 240] is a small open shrub bearing many small clusters of white flowers. The wattle between is Acacia covenyi [Section 240] quite a large shrub with overhanging branches covered with yellow fluffy flower balls … quite spectacular! Returning to the path behind the Education Centre Grevillea diminuta [Section 239] crowds a corner with pendent rust red flower clusters almost concealed by the dense foliage. Beside it is Banksia ericifolia [Section 239] a large dense shrub which continues to bear its brilliant gold flower spikes. Beside the entry to the Crosby Morrison building stands this grand tree, Eucalyptus caesia [Section 239] with flaky brown bark at base, silvery arching branches, many ageing and young ‘gumnuts’, so pink and ready to mature plus few large fluffy pink flowers… really outstanding

Just imagine what spring will be like … Barbara Daly.