In Flower this Week

Baeckea crassifolia click for larger image

This walk will follow the Main Path where wattles brighten the gardens with their golden fluffy flowers. WATTLE ACTIVITIES ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE GARDENS THE WEEK STARTING 1 SEPTEMBER. Information can be obtained at the Visitors Information Desk.

Start at the far end of the café building, following the path past the papery white trunks of the melaleucas. Thryptomene denticulata [Section 10] has low lateral branches clad with pale pink flowers on this small shrub and Baeckea crassifolia [Section 10] is a small upright shrub well clad with dark centred pink flowers. In the bed of emu bushes Eremophila maculata subsp. brevifolia [Section 302] displays dark red tube flowers. Pass by the grass trees, Xanthorrhoea glauca [Section 8] with long flowing grass skirts to view Eriostemon verrucosa ‘J. Semmens’ [Section 30] a neat small shrub clad with multi-petalled white flowers with many pink buds. The Cootamundra wattle, Acacia baileyana [Section 30] is a dense semi-prostrate shrub with golden flower balls highlighting the grey-green foliage. Behind, the heath leafed banksia, Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 30] displays its long upright cylindrical gold flower spikes above the large lateral branches. Banksia spinulosa var. neoanglica [Section 7] is yet a small open shrub with vivid yellow flower spikes. Beside is Grevillea dimorpha [Section 7], small and upright with branches clad with burnt red flowers. At the next corner, Grevillea flexuosa [Section 25] is a dense spreading shrub with dark foliage bright with yellow cigar shaped flowers.

Across the road Hakea ‘Winter Burgundy’ [Section 26] is really spectacular with its pink globular cherry coloured flowers crowded along the terminal branches. Grevillea lavandulacea [Section 26] has dark foliage with dark red flowers. Grevillea dielsiana [Section 26] is an upright open shrub with pendulous burnt orange flower clusters amid the fine sharp foliage while Grevillea ripicola [Section 24] is a spreading low dense shrub with a scattering of short reddish toothbrush flowers.

Across the road, among the mottled white tree trunks, Phebalium squamulosum [Section 112] is a many branched upright shrub crowned with clusters of yellow flowers. Beside, still dwarf is Boronia anemonifolia [Section 112], so small but clad with pink buds and white four petalled flowers. Crossing to the Sydney Region Flora where flowers are somewhat later than in Sydney, Banksia ericifolia subsp. macrantha [Section 191s] with branches with silver coloured immature flower spikes maturing to lemon flower spikes with red stamens, fighting through other shrubs. Close to the exit where redevelopment is under way, Hardenbergia violacea [Section 191u] displays its deep purple pea shaped flowers on vines which creep along the ground. Hibbertia saligna [Section 191l] is a small open shrub bright with yellow open flowers.

Hakea 'Winter Burgundy' click for larger image

Across the Eucalyptus Lawn to a section of wattles, mostly in bud, with Acacia flexifolia [Section 18] a low spreading shrub clad with soft yellow flower balls, Acacia boormanii [Section 18] and Acacia baileyana [Section 18] both with yellow flower balls. Across the road Hakea recurva [Section 20] is a large shrub with sharp pointed leaves and lime coloured immature flowers maturing now to greenish-pink flowers. Hakea purpurea [Section 20] has many bright red flowers edging the branches of these medium upright plants. Crossing down to the Rock Garden, always with an array of flowers, Philotheca myoporoides [Section 15s] is picturesque as it sits atop of the rocks above the seat beside the waterfall. It is an upright many branched shrub decorated with deep pink buds and almost white star flowers. Rhodanthe anthemoides [Section 191s,191d] is a dense perennial plant clad with white-red buds opening to white daisy-like flowers.

Then a walk, so pleasant, through the cool Rainforest with plants of all shades of green, down the ramp where Prostanthera phylicifolia [Section 210] a dense shrub clad with mauve flowers or to the coffee shop.

A most pleasant walk with wattles seen everywhere … Barbara Daly.