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.

13 February 2009

Grevillea leptobotrys - click for larger image

Because of the unrelenting heat, plants are shrivelled, flowers are short lived and the plants cry out for water. Regardless there are many flowers to enjoy. Opposite the Information Centre doors, Pandorea jasminoides [Section 212] is a dense climber up the wall showing its large bugle shaped pink flowers. In a pot Grevillea leptobotrys continues to bear terminal pink flowers on its entanglement of wiry branches while Sturt’s Desert Pea, Swainsona formosa with its large dark centred red pea-shaped flowers are seen in pots edging Banks Walk. Edging Banks Walk Hibbertia vestita [Section 174] is bright with yellow flowers over this prostrate plant and kangaroo paws include Anigozanthos ‘Bush Glow’ [Section 210] with yellow-green shades and Anigozanthos ‘Bush Sunset’ [Section 210] with a dusky red colour, also edging the path. Grevillea tripartita subsp. macrostylis [Section 210] spreads its long branches of red-yellow flowers with long red style tipped with yellow towards the path On the lower level Eucalyptus ficifolia [Section 174] is a small tree attractive with its crown of red, tinted orange fluffy flowers. In the curved garden, Grevillea nudiflora [Section 60] is a spreading prostrate plant dense with narrow leaves and with a profusion of small red and yellow flowers, seen here falling over the rock wall.

Crossing the bridge and in front of the café building, Crowea ‘Cooper’s Hybrid’ [Section 240] is a dense shrub sprinkled with small pink star flowers. Around the corner Eucalyptus sp. [Section 240] a small cultivar bearing soft red flowers. At the opposite corner a bottlebrush, Callistemon viminalis [Section 310] is a large spreading shrub with interesting deeply grooved trunks and willowy branches with deep red bottlebrush flowers. Edging the Main Path, Melaleuca barlowii [Section 10] is an upright shrub with bare trunk crowned with rounded flowers shaded pink to white. On the right side path Callistemon citrinus [Section 9] has a covering of red bottlebrushes over the large dense shrub while opposite Callistemon brachyandrus [Section 11] is much smaller and well clad with smaller bottlebrushes shaded red with yellow styles. The daisy bed is yellow with flowers which include Chrysocephalum semiamplexifolia [Section 303] clad with small yellow and orange flower heads on long green stems. The opposite corner contains two Garland Lillies, Calostemma purpureum [Section 8], bulbous plants with a whirl of pink flowers atop a bare stem surrounded by strappy leaves.

Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. acanthifolia - click for larger image

Banksia serrata [Section 30] is a large shrub laden with yellow flower spikes. Taking the next path to the right where Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. acanthifolia [Section 27] is a low shrub with long lateral branches presenting pink toothbrush-like flowers. Chittich, Lambertia inermis [Section 27]is another large shrub with sprays of orange tube shaped flowers. At the end of this path Banksia robur [Section 28] has large leathery leaves and bottle green flower spikes mixed with ageing spikes. Now return to the Main Path to the next intersection, taking another right path. Plants along here include Grevillea ‘Boongala Spinebill’ [Section 27], a low manicured shrub with lateral branches with long toothed leaves and red toothbrush-like flowers. Almost opposite is Banksia lemanniana [Section 25], a small, very thirsty shrub with only one pendent fresh lime coloured flower spike which differs to most banksias with upright flower spikes. Towards the end of this path Banksia aemula [Section 27] is a large fresh looking shrub bright with upright lime green flower spikes.

Edging the lower road a good view of Banksia pilostylis [Section 28]. This shrub is low and dense and crowned with many yellow flower spikes. Close by is a waratah, Telopea mongaensis [Section 28] with few red flowers. Return along this road with other flowers to find, or return along the Main Path.

Always a few flowers to view … Barbara Daly.