Today we will visit the Asteraceae Garden to see the many daisies in flower.

1. As you move into the Asteraceae Garden you will notice on your right Callistachys lanceolata [Section 5], a small tree with green leaves and orange pea flowers with red accents. Commonly known as the Wonnich or Native Willow, this plant is native to southwestern Western Australia.
2. Also on your right as you enter the Asteraceae garden is Regelia inops [Section 5], an open bush with hard green foliage and spherical clusters of mauve flowers fading to pale pink. This plant is native to southwestern Western Australia
3. The remainder of the plants listed are in Section 328 unless noted. Cassinia aureonitens on your right is a small bush with green linear foliage and large flat heads of bright lemon flowers. This plant is native to eastern New South Wales.
4. On your left is Senecio pinnatifolius var. pinnatifolius, a small, open bush with divided blue-green foliage and golden flower heads. This plant is widely distributed around Australia.
5. Also on your left is Brachyscome multifida ‘Breakoday’, a small daisy with fine green foliage and purple flower heads with golden centres. This plant is a seedling variation of Brachyscome multifida that arose in cultivation at Lilydale, Victoria in 1979.
6. On your right is Xerochrysum bracteatum, a stiff paper daisy in various attractive colours with dark green leaves. This plant is widespread in various habitats in all Australian states and territories.
7. On your right is Brachyscome segmentosa,with dainty green foliage and small mauve flower heads with golden centres. This plant is endemic to Lord Howe Island.
8. Again on your right is Chrysocephalum apiculatum with grey-green foliage and bright golden “button” flower heads. This species is a perennial herb which is found in all states and territories in Australia in a wide range of environments. With such a broad distribution it is not surprising that this species varies considerably in form and foliage colour, from a sparse erect plant to much lower sprawling plants.
9. On both the left and right is Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea,a small daisywith white and pink flower heads. It is mostly found in southern Western Australia and adjacent South Australia.
10. On your right is Xerochrysum viscosum, or Sticky Everlasting, a small bush with fine, tangled green foliage and yellow flower heads with golden centres. It is native to south-eastern Australia.
11. To your left is Brachyscome iberidifolia, or Swan River Daisy, a small plant with ferny foliage and almost iridescent flower heads in varying shades of white, purple and mauve. It is native to the southern half of Western Australia.
12. Also on your left is Brachyscome multifida ‘Amethyst’, a small daisy with fine green foliage and purple flower heads with golden centres. Many of the Brachyscome cultivars make excellent garden plants.
13. Look to your right to see Kunzea pulchella, [Section 15r], a medium-sized bush with grey-green foliage and bright red pincushion flowers. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia, where it occurs on granite outcrops and slopes.
14. On your left in a pot is Ozothamnus diosmifolius ‘Just Blush’, a small plant with very fine green foliage and large heads of white to pale pink flowers.
15. On your left in a pot as you leave the Asteraceae Garden is Xerochrysum bracteatum ‘Lemon Monarch’,a paper daisy with large lemon-coloured flower heads with golden centres and soft green foliage.

Rosalind Walcott