In Flower this Week

Grevillea 'Bronze Rambler' click for larger image

What better place to celebrate Australia Day than to walk in these wonderful Australian Gardens. Such colour, so shapely are the red bells of Rhododendron lochiae seen outside the Information Centre doors. The small pink daisy-like flowers scattered among the soft foliage of Brachyscome ‘Breakoday’ are there too. Other admirable flowers can be seen along this winding walk finishing on the far side of the Sydney Basin and the Hothouse.

Edging Banks Walk Kangaroo Paws, Anigozanthos sp. [Sections 210,174] continue to be colourful and Eucalyptus ficifolia [Section 174] is splendid with large clusters of orange-red fluffy flower clusters over this small upright tree.

Follow the Main Path just past the café to view Crowea ‘Southern Stars’ [Section 240] a small shrub with pink starry flowers and Crowea ‘Cooper’s Hybrid’ [Section 240] a much larger shrub with larger pink flowers. Down this side path a closer-up view of Eucalyptus ficifolia [Section 240] clad with those lovely orange-red flowers. Continue along the Main Path past the garden of daisies taking the small path to the right just past the ground cover, Grevillea ‘Bronze Rambler’ [Section 30] dense with dark red toothbrush-like flowers. Beside the seat, Chittich, Lambertia inermis [Section 27] is a large dense shrub revealing its lovely orange well-arranged tubular flowers. Continue long this path turning left where Banksia robur [Section 28] dense shrubs with large leathery leaves bear pale yellow flower spikes. One plant with purple shaded leaves bears juvenile metallic green to gold shaded flower spikes. Opposite is a bed of Helichrysum rutidolepis [Section 29] a perennial groundcover dotted with small yellow flower heads. Returning to the Main Path at the next corner where Persoonia acerosa [Section 28] is yet a small shrub with terminal sprays of yellow flowers. Across the road Stenocarpus angustifolius [Section 26] is an upright shrub with heads of lacy cream flowers mixing with its foliage. At the double-seat, Grevillea plurijuga subsp. plurijuga [Section 26] is an upright plant with few branches with fine divided leaves and exquisite terminal pink and cream flower spikes.

Continue to the Sydney Basin taking the small winding path on the far side of the gully. It is a cool magical place with an abundance of ferns including the large Dicksonia antarctica[Sections 191]. Plants seen along this path include Epacris longiflora [Section 191f] displaying red tubular flowers with white mouth on an entanglement of branches and Olearia cordata [Section 191f] with large mauve daisy-like flowers on long stems Persoonia pinifolia [Section 191f] is a small tree with dark trunk and willowy branches with terminal yellow flower spikes opposite Christmas Bush, Ceratopetalum gummiferum ‘White Christmas’ [Section 191k], a tree with branches above the path clad with white calyces (resembling flowers) which mix with the cream fluffy flowers of Acacia elata [Section 191k] The large pink toned trunks discarding its tan coloured bark of Angophora costata subsp. costata [Section 191k 191f] and shrubs of Crowea exalata are so attractive. Opposite the exit Acacia linifolia [Section 191d] is clad with lemon fluffy flower balls.

Ceratopetalum gummiferum 'Christmas Snow' click for larger image

Turn right then left where the road is edged with a mix of Christmas bushes, Ceratopetalum gummiferum [Section 191c] with its renowned waxy red calyces, Ceratopetalum gummiferum ‘Christmas Snow’ [Section 191c] with similar but larger calyces and variegated leaves, mixing with the yellow strands of flowers of Geebungs, Persoonia pinifolia [Section 191c]. Then to the Hot House containing numerous orchids in flower. This road leads back to the Main Path.

Long walk, interesting flowers to admire … Barbara Daly.