Today we walk along part of the Main Path to be rewarded by many plants in flower.

1. As you leave the VIC look to your left to see in a pot the extravagant bloom of Chorizema cordatum [Section 221] or Heart-leaved Flame Pea.  It is a showy plant with vivid pink and orange flowers on a weeping shrub with bright green prickly foliage.  It grows naturally in the moist south western parts of Western Australia.
2. On your left is Alyogyne huegelii ‘West Coast Gem’ [Section 210], with clear purple ‘hibiscus’ style flowers which open for a short period only but are prolific. The bush is medium sized with coarse foliage.
3. Also on your left is Hibbertia empetrifolia [Section 210] with masses of gold coin flowers on the wiry foliage. This small scrambling shrub is also known as Tangled Guinea-flower and is native to south-eastern Australia.
4. As you cross the bridge notice on your right Richea dracophylla [Section 66], with creamy spires of flower and spiky foliage. This plant is endemic to Tasmania.
5. Further on your left as you skirt the café is Grevillea sericea subsp. sericea [Section 244], or Silky Grevillea, an open bush with white frothy spider flowers.It is native to the central coast of NSW.
6. On the left is Libertia paniculata [Section 131] with iris-like foliage and white branched flowers. It is commonly called the Branching Grass Flag. Libertia is named after Anne-Marie Libert, a Belgian botanist. This plant is native to the east coast of Australia.
7. As you veer right down towards the Crosbie Morrison building you see on your left a very large bush of Grevillea ‘Bonfire’ [Section 240], with bright red waxy blooms on dark green linear foliage. This plant is a hybrid between G. johnsonii and G. wilsonii.
8. Philotheca myoporoides [Section 240] has masses of white flowers with pink buds. Also called Long-leaf Wax Flower, the species is endemic to south-eastern Australia.
9. Isopogon anethifolius [Section 240] has vigorous upright linear foliage with bright yellow ‘drumstick’ flowers.  It occurs naturally in the coastal region and Blue Mountains of New South Wales.
10. Commersonia (Rulingia) magniflora [Section 240] on your left, has strongly scented white flowers with pink centres. It occurs in SW Western Australia and Central Australia.
11. Go left up the stairs towards the Main Path and continue up the hill to see on your left Melaleuca fulgens ‘Hot Pink’ [Section 10], with attractive bottlebrush flowers that are hot pink with gold stamens.
12. On your left are several Bulbine glauca [Section 8], with spires of lemon flowers opening sequentially. It grows in the higher elevations of NSW and Victoria.
13. Look up to your left to see one of the most spectacular flowers in the Gardens Doryanthes excelsa [Section 8], or Gymea Lily, just beginning to open. This plant is indigenous to the coastal areas of New South Wales near Sydney. It has sword-like leaves more than a metre long and flower spikes 2-4 metres high.
14. Telopea speciosissima [Section 30] also on your left forms another spectacular display. Bright pink/red waratah flowers cover a large bush with dark green foliage. Waratah is endemic to New South Wales and is this state’s floral emblem.
15. On your left is Kunzea parvifolia [Section 30], a large bush with fluffy white flowers scented strongly with honey and much beloved by insects.  It is commonly known as Violet Kunzea and is native to eastern Australia.

Rosalind Walcott