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.

15 May 2009

Epacris longiflora - click for larger image

This week’s walk will be to the Rock Garden. As you leave the Visitors Information Centre on the right hand side are two heaths worth noticing Epacris longiflora(white) and Epacris impressa (pink) [Section 174]. On the left is Prostanthera phylicifolia [Section 210] with pale violet flowers, a long flowering and popular prostanthera. Bear left up the bitumen road past the rear of the café to see on the left Acronychia littoralis [Section 114] or Scented Acronychia beloved by bees, with cream flowers in bunches on a small tree with shiny leaves. Turn right onto the Main Path and left up the steps where Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia [Section 15c] twines vigorously over the wall with greenish yellow flower spikes showing prominently. Opposite on the right is the lovely Correa ‘Ivory Bells’, a large dark green bush covered in subdued cream bells. On the right is Eremophila maculata var. brevifolia [Section 15f] with lipstick red flowers on a small bush. Below the eremophila are the cheerful yellow flowers of Hibbertia serpyllifolia [Section 15f]

Up the steps to the left on the right is Grevillea ‘Mason’s Hybrid’ [Section 15h] with plenty of orange-red spider flowers on a sprawling bush with deeply divided leaves. At the top of the steps under the Rock Garden sign is Grevillea lanigera [Section 15h] singing with bees. Turn right along the bitumen road and notice on your right hand side Scaevola albida var. albida [Section 15h] which has white flowers, mixed with some mauve flowers of the distinctive hand like flowers of scaevola. Further on the right are the brilliant blue flowers of Dampiera sylvestris [Section 15h].

Turn right down the small path and look up above Grevillea lanigera to see the yellow-green flowers of Eremophila oldfieldii [Section 15h] or Pixie Bush. On the right hand side is Muehlenbeckia axillaris [Section 15h] a prostrate wiry plant with tiny yellow flowers carpeting a rock and showing its autumn colours. On the left is Leptorhynchos nitidulus [Section 15g] with bright yellow orbs on grey foliage. Bear left and near the seat on the left notice Solanum sturtianum [Section 15g] with large mauve flowers with bright yellow centres on sparse grey foliage. If you look up to the left you will see Philotheca linearis [Section 15g] with white starburst flowers on a neat light green bush. Turn right down the path past Banksia integrifolia and on the left behind Hibbertia vestita is an unusual small bush of greenish cream bells on heath like foliage, Melichrus urceolatus [Section 15k].

Eremophila christopheri - click for larger image

Eremophila christopheri [Section 15r] on the left has large mauve bells on an airy bush. Low on the right is Brachyscome heterophylla var. heterophylla [Section 15p], a dense groundcover with dainty pink flower with yellow centres. On the right are the pink bells of Correa pulchella ‘Pink Mist’ living up to the name pulchella which means beautiful. Up to the right is Eremophila bignoniiflora [Section 15p] a spreading weeping shrub with linear leaves and large cream corollas with spotted throats. Low on the right is Thryptomene denticulata [Section 15s] with small pink flowers on arching stems. The Rock Garden is a very rewarding place to walk as you can see.

Rosalind Walcott