In Flower This Week A weekly news-sheet prepared by a Gardens volunteer Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to garden bed 'Sections'.

Hakea crassinervia [Section 221] is low and spreading, its branches well covered with clusters of eye-catching deep pink semi-globular flowers. Grevillea `Poorinda Tranquility', one of many plants in a container pot at the doors of the Visitor Centre, displays its pale pink spider-like flowers.

This walk is mostly following the loop trail to the Sydney Region Flora Area which contains plants from the region extending from Nowra to Gosford. The floral display in the garden in front of the cafe building includes Crowea `Cooper's Hybrid' [Section 131] and Crowea `Festival' [Section 131, both with cheery pink star-like flowers. Crowea `Pink Blush' [Section 131] is equally attractive having almost white flowers. Leptospermum squarrosum [Section 11] needs to be seen for this old shrub with lichen covered trunk has a canopy of peach-pink blossoms tightly packed along the older stems.

Coast Banksia, Banksia integrifolia [Section 30] is a tall, slim shrub, its silver backed leaves mingling with small pale yellow flower heads. Off this path, down a red path past Banksia spinulosa var. collina [Section 27], a large rounded shrub containing many slim, immature flower heads and an abundance of dead spikes, is Grevillea dielsiana [Section 28]. This erect, open shrub with divided, prickly foliage has attractive, pendulous green to orange-red flowers. Continuing along the loop trail, view Heath Banksia, Banksia ericifolia [Section 26], an old shrub with sparse foliage but with an abundance of brilliant orange flower heads.

Wander along the trail on the far side of the Sydney Region gully, pause to admire the large fronds of the tree ferns Dicksonia antarctica [Section 191], the pink-grey trunks of the stately tree, Angophora costata [Section 191]. Flowering plants include Epacris longiflora [Section 191], bearing long red tubular flowers with white tips, seen in the gully and beside the path Epacris impressa [Section 191], Victoria's floral emblem, displaying crimson flowers clustered along its straggly branches. Later a white flowering Epacris pulchella [Section 191] grows close to the path. Banksia oblongata [Section 191] is of medium height and bears pale green flower heads and Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa [Section 191] has gold flower heads ribbed with dark styles.. Baeckea linifolia [Section 191] is a graceful, pendulous shrub with tiny white flowers dotted along its branches.

At the junction, although badly damaged by a fallen tree, Leptospermum macrocarpum [Section 191] has most attractive large flowers which have cherry, alternating with cream, petals and a ring of cream stamens. Across the junction admire Leptospermum squarrosum [Section 191], with dense, arching foliage prettied by its lovely pink flowers. The plant is much younger than that described earlier.

Great wandering ...

Barbara Daly