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.

21 September 2007

Acacia pycnantha - click for larger image

Like our fair city, golden wattles are brilliant throughout the gardens. The Australian Golden Wattle, Acacia pycnantha [Section 223] seen in front of the Visitors Centre, is now revealing its lovely fluffy golden clusters of flower balls. But this walk is centering on the Rock Garden in front of a large section of wattles.

So, starting in front of the waterfall in front of which emu bush, Eremophila bowmanii var.bowmanii [Section 15V] is a small open shrub where purple bugle flowers mix with their grey-green foliage and behind the notice board a pea-flower, Daviesia physodes [Section 15D] is a small shrub enveloped with black centred burnt orange pea shaped flowers. Now, moving in an anti-clockwise direction where Leucopogon microphyllus [Section 15C] is so small with a covering of tiny white flowers mix with the dark foliage. Tetratheca bauerifolia [Section 15C] is also small and upright with small pink flowers. Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia [Section 15C] is a semi-prostrate plant with silver-backed leaves and still many lemon upright cylindrical flower spikes, spread across the path. Behind the large shrub opposite is Banksia ‘Honeypots’ [Section 15D] which displays its lovely yellow flower spikes with red styles over the upright plant.

Gastrolobium rotundifolium [Section 15E] also has pea-shaped flowers coloured orange with red centre. In the centre of the next section emu bush Eremophila maculata var.brevifolia [Section 15F] has a covering of magenta coloured tubular flowers on an upright plant and Hypocalymma xanthopetalum [Section 15F] is yellow with small fluffy flowers on a low shrub hugging a rock face. Leucochrysum albicans subsp.albicans [Section 15V] is a small tufted herb with papery yellow centred white flowers on upright stems seen above the greyish foliage Edging a path Micromyrtus ciliata [Section 15G] is quite splendid with its low arching branches clad with tiny white and brick red flowers. A ground cover, Grevillea lanigera [Section 15W] cascades down the slope, clad with red spider-like flowers mixes with Acacia pravissima ‘Kuranga Cascade’ [Section15 W], also a groundcover, clad with its golden flower balls.

Up the stairs with a brilliant vista of yellow wattles, and edging the road, Hibbertia empetrifolia [Section 15H] is a dense entanglement of trailing stems showing the first of its many yellow flowers. Philotheca sp. [Section 15H] is profusely clad with white star flower over the rounded shrub while Olearia astroloba [Section 15H] is attractive with mauve daisies which brightens the dark foliage.

Acacia acinacea - click for larger image

Down the path between the grass trees, Xanthorrhoea johnsonii [Section 15J.14] where Richinocarpos bowmanii [Section 15R] has many pink centred white flowers with down-turned petals over a neat shrub. Down this path are a few Bulbine sp. [Sections 15R, P,S] with succulent leaves and yellow starry flowers on erect stems. Hardenbergia ‘Mini-haha’ [Section 15 S] is a pretty sight with large clusters of purple pea-flowers cling to the vine as it falls down the rock wall (these plants are seen throughout the Gardens). At the base Acacia acinacea [Section 15R] has long arching branches enveloped with yellow buds just exploding to small yellow flower balls. Tufted herb, Billy-Buttons Craspedia jamesii [Section 15Q] grows its globular flower heads on bare upright stems surrounded by its silver-grey foliage.

Many more flowers to enjoy … Barbara Daly.