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

9 January 1998

How splendid are the Smooth-barked Apples, Angophora costata subsp. costata [Sections 168, 169] in the car-park area. These shapely trees have mottled pink trunks and large clusters of lacy, white flowers. Kangaroo Paws, Anigozanthos `Bush Dawn' [Section 168] with yellow flowers on long spikes also add appeal to this area.

This walk is to see the summer flowers in the Rock Garden starting near the base of the waterfall. Note that there are different soil mixes in different beds thus providing suitable growing conditions for a variety of special plants. Scaevola ramosissima [Section 15C] is ground-hugging, with large violet fan flowers along its lateral stems. Brachyscome multifida `Breakoday' [Section 15C] is a small cushion plant with fine foliage dotted with small mauve daisy flowers. The brilliant yellow straw daisies, Bracteantha species [Section 15C, 15A], grow in many garden beds. Baeckea virgata `Howie's Sweet Midget' [Section 15C] is a small shrub with attractive foliage dotted with tiny white flowers. Looking over the pool, the plant with erect spikes of terminal pink flowers, Lythrum salicaria [Section 15Q], is a perennial which enjoys wet feet. Above the rock wall, the trunkless grass-tree, Xanthorrhoea macronema [Section 15D] projects its tall, stark spikes with terminal cream flower heads surrounded by a long, arching array of leaves. Close by Chrysocephalum apiculatum [Section 15D] has dazzling orange terminal clusters of small daisies in an entanglement of soft green foliage. Dampiera stricta [Section 15F] is a suckering plant, crammed between the rocks, with its soft mauve-blue flowers displayed on top of erect stems. Bulbine vagans [Section 15N] with succulent, narrow leaves, displays its yellow star-like flowers along upright stems. Wahlenbergia gloriosa [Section 15L], floral emblem of the A.C.T. shows off its large bluebell flowers and opposite the prostrate Banksia serrata `Austraflora Pygmy Possum' [Section 15K] sprawls over the rocks, with large lemon flower spikes appearing through the dense foliage.

Along the top road the less conspicuous prostrate Boronia nana var. hyssopifolia [Section 15H] has pale pink flowers dotted along its radiating stems while overhead Persoonia linearis x pinifolia [Section 15H] attractively dangles its terminal, yellow, conical flowers from arching branches. Derwentia arenaria [Section 15H] has deep blue flowers on short upright spikes and Scaevola albida var. albida [Section 15H] is a low, spreading plant massed with white fan flowers.

In the side garden, Dichopogon fimbriatus [Section 15R], Nodding Chocolate Lily, has grass-like leaves and long stems lightly adorned with drooping mauve coloured, chocolate perfumed flowers.

All to a background of musical bird calls ...

Barbara Daly.