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.

1 May 2009

Hakea cycloptera - click for larger image

As you leave the Visitors Information Centre on the right hand side are several pots of Swainsona formosa Sturt’s Desert Pea [Section 174] around the sculpted head of Sir Joseph Banks. Their brilliant red and black flowers are unmistakeable and are the floral emblem of South Australia. Follow the Main Path across the bridge to the right, skirt the café, go past the Ellis Rowan Garden and turn up the hill to the left. On your left is Hakea cycloptera [Section 24], with pink hairpin flowers on a prickly bush. On your right is Grevillea dielsiana [Section 26] with bright orange flowers on a sparse bush. A few steps along is Hakea clavata [Section 26] with pale pink cluster blooms and fleshy club shaped leaves.

Behind the seat on the left is Grevillea montis-cole subsp. brevistyla [Section 26] which has cream rod flowers on a wiry netted bush. On your left is Grevillea ripicola [Section 26] with orange-red spider flowers on a fresh-green bush with divided leaves. Keep on the Main Path until it meets the bitumen road, then turn left. On the right is Acacia subulata [Section 18] an early flowering wattle with yellow balls on a slender tree with grey foliage. Rejoin the Main Path to your left and notice on your left hand side Hakea drupacea [Section 20] which has sweetly scented creamy-white fluffy rods on a spare bush. Also high to the left Hakea laurina [Section 20] is beginning to flower with red and cream pincushion flowers contrasting with grey foliage.

Bear right and on the right are the eye-popping bright red bursts of flower of Kunzea pulchella [Section 14]. Next to the kunzea is Astartea ambigua [Section 14] , a small dainty shrub with pink flowers and heath-like foliage. On the right is an unusual small green bush with yellow/green drooping flowers and triangular leaves Leionema carruthersii [Section 15k]. On the right is the groundcover Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 15l] a bright green compact bush with gold brushes and rusty red styles. Turn left down the steps noticing on your right Correa pulchella ‘Pink Mist’ [Section 15p], a lovely correa with pink bells on a compact bush. Another correa Correa ‘Cane’s Hybrid’ [Section 15s] is on the right showing pink bells with green tips. Thryptomene denticulata [Section 15s] has pink flowers on arching foliage located right near the section sign. Go past the waterfall and pool noticing Eremophila christopheri [Section 15v] with mauve bells and bright green foliage. Keep on the Main Path and look up at Banksia aemula or Wallum Banksia [ Section 15c] with greenish brushes on a squat tree with serrated leaves. Red Wattlebirds love to feed on this tree. Turn left down the hill towards the café.

Grevillea rosmarinifolia 'Rosy Posy' - click for larger image

On the left hand side is Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Rosy Posy’ [Section 128] with pink/cream flowers on a bright green bush. And just before the café it is worth noticing Acacia fauntleroyi [Section 126] with large yellow ball flowers on a sparse tree.

Rosalind Walcott