In Flower this Week

Grevillea leptobotrys - click for larger image

Did you know that SUMMER CONCERTS ARE HELD HERE EACH WEEKEND IN JANUARY? And did you notice the trees in the north car park? They are Angophora costata subsp. costata [Sections 168,169] all crowned with clusters of fluffy cream flowers. The trunks, too, are attractive with their orange tones. Then, outside the Visitors Information Centre doors, Rhododendron lochiae is just splendidly displaying its many bright salmon coloured bell shaped flowers. Grevillea leptobotrys arranges its many pink flower spikes over the small shrub also in an urn. There is an abundance of Kangaroo Paws of differing colours edging Banks Walk. Such a welcome to the new year!

But this walk is a stroll in the Rock Garden. To arrive there follow the road up the far side of the Rain Forest turning right at the Main Path which leads to this section where water dragons laze on the rocks and tiny blue wrens dance about the path.

In front of the waterfall Lythrum salicaria [Section 15Q] is dense and upright with spikes of pink flowers. The small garden contains emu bushes including Eremophila latrobei var. latrobei [Section 15v] an open shrub with green-grey foliage and bright with few cherry red bugle shaped flowers. A carpet of Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’ [Section 15D] with dark red toothbrush-like flowers, falls down the rockface to the left. Taking the path in a clockwise direction a teatree, Leptospermum sp. [Section 15C] has white open petalled flowers over this small shrub. Pockets of Brachyscome multifida [Section 15d and elsewhere] are small plants clad with pink daisy-like flowers while beside is Chrysocephalum semiamplexicaule [Section 15d] with clusters of bright yellow and orange flower heads on long wavering stems. Crinum angustifolium [Section 15d] bears its large white flowers with purple stamens on tall upright stems.

A selection of flowers in this next section consist of Feather flower, Verticordia mitchelliana [Section 15G] with vivid red flowers over the small shrub and Solanum sturtianum [Section 15G] with deep purple open flowers on upright stem with greyish foliage. Firebush, Keraudrenia integrifolia [Section 15G] is an open shrub attractive with clusters of purple flowers while close by a tall large Grevillea albiflora [Section 15G] is covered in profusion with cream flower spikes. Ascending the stairs, the grand old Grevillea ‘Mason’s Hybrid’ [Section 15H] stretches its long branches bearing its large terminal reddish flower spikes towards the path.

Edging the top road a scattering of straw flowers, Xerochrysum bracteatum [Section 15H] displays its yellow flowers and kangaroo paws, Anigozanthos flavidus [Section 15H] displays its burnt red ‘paw’ flowers on long upright stems. Down the slope, Vanilla lily Arthropodium milleflorum [Section 15H] has strappy leaves and long slender stems bearing small white flowers Scaevola albida var. albida [Section 15H] bears mauve and white fan shaped flowers over the low spreading shrubs while at the corner and elsewhere Isotoma axillaris [15] is a small herb with blue star flowers.

Xerochrysum bracteatum - click for larger image

Take right path between grass trees, Xanthorrhoea johnsonii [Sections15,14] passing Claw Flower, Calothamnus tuberosus [Section 14], rounded and dense with red feathery flowers in bundles mostly on the old wood. Mulga, Acacia aneura var aneura [Section 15L] is a small tree with fine grey-green foliage and small yellow flower rods. Towards the waterfall, Stenocarpus angustifolius [Section 15P] is a dense shrub of medium size with clusters of well designed cream flowers. Almost opposite, Lasiopetalum sp. [Section 15R] is a low dense hairy shrub with downturned pink flowers.

That is just a few plants in flower in the Rock Garden.

A floral start for the new year … Barbara Daly.