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

21 November 1997

In the colourful pots outside the Information Centre, see the brilliant yellow fluffy flowers of Verticordia species and the kangaroo paw, Anigozanthos manglesii var. manglesii, with long, woolly red stems terminating in fascinating red and green `paw' flowers. At the base of the stairs, a prostrate, suckering plant, Dampiera diversifolia [Section 174] bears masses of dark blue flowers along its radiating branches. Past the bus stop, in the Display Garden where colourful plants are many, Orthrosanthus multiflorus [Section 174] has long, narrow leaves and on longer spikes, bears powder blue flowers. Along the Banks Walk above Chamelaucium ciliatum [Section 174], a small compact shrub once covered with tiny white flowers, is now attractively covered with aging maroon flowers.

Throughout the Gardens the variety of flowering plants is extensive. In particular the glowing reds of the callistemons, popularly named bottlebrushes, and the white to pink leptospermums, popularly called tea-trees, are predominent. This walk includes those and a variety of others. Callistemon `Howie's Fire Glow' [Section 124] is gracefully decorated with red flowers dusted with yellow. Callistemon `Harkness' [Section 124] with many grooved trunks, is tall and topped with fiery red bottlebrush flowers. To the right, where many plants with long, strappy leaves grow, see the grass tree, Xanthorrhoea glauca subsp. glauca [Section 8] with twirling green skirt and with long, upright spikes covered with tiny white flowers (which are now being invaded by orange tailed, black insects). Callistemon salignus [Section 107], Willow Bottlebrush, is tall and vividly displays its multitude of red bottlebrush flowers with the dense, red-tipped foliage on arching branches. Callistemon `Glasshouse Country' [Section 110 ] is a small, open shrub bearing soft pink bottlebrushes.

Beside the interesting Rock Garden, Gymea Lily, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 16] stands tall with a cluster of red flowers at the apex of a 3 m high flower spike. In front Leptospermum `Aphrodite' [Section 16] is a low, spreading shrub displaying bold pink flowers with large green centres. Enjoy the variety of plants in this area then find this other most attractive area.

The most eye-catching colour is the pink of the Boronia pinnata [Section 44]. These neatly rounded shrubs are densely clad with fragrant flowers. Tetratheca thymifolia [Section 44] bears lovely downturned pink flowers and Brachycome multifida [Section 44] is a small, spreading plant with soft foliage well covered with mauve daisies. Boronia polygalifolia [Section 44] is small with fine branches radiating along the earth. Its tiny flowers are pink. Leptospermum rotundifolium [Section 44] is low and wide and massed with its lovely mottled pink flowers.

So many colourful areas to be seen ...

Barbara Daly.