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

6th March 1998

This walk follows the Main Path as described in the pamphlet `A walk along the new Main Path' and starts at the end of the cafe building where the attractive ground cover Scaevola `Mauve Clusters' [Section 131] has small mauve fan-flowers covering the dense foliage.

Callistemon viminalis [Section 143] is tall and dense with deep red bottlebrush flowers hanging from the weeping branches. Walk through the Proteaceae area where other colourful bottlebrushes are flowering. Just past the area of sedges and grasses, Callistemon citrinus [Section 9] a large shrub, is seen adorned with red bottlebrushes. Grevillea acanthifolia [Section 30] is low with long lateral branches displaying pink toothbrush-like flowers. Nearby are two other plants with pink flowers, Correa `Dusky Bells' [Section 30] and Callistemon `Reeves Pink' [Section 30]. Banksia integrifolia [Section 30] is tall and attractive with silver-backed leaves and soft, lemon flower spikes.

Edging the path through the area of the Sydney Region Flora, Scaevola ramosissima [Section 191] has wiry, prostrate stems bearing large, purple flowers. It contrasts well with Goodenia heterophylla subsp. montana [Section 191], also prostrate, bearing small yellow flowers. Near the seat, snug between the sandstone rocks, Isotoma axillaris [Section 191] continue to bear pale blue star-like flowers. Sit awhile, smell the bush fragrance, admire the large tree ferns, Dicksonia antartica [Section 191] and the tall grey trunks of the Smooth-barked Apple, Angophora costata [Section 191] in the cool, green gully. To the right, below the wall, see the rich, red flowers of Grevillea victoriae [Section 191]. To the left, behind the wall with a fossil of the seed-fern, Glossopteris, the yellow flower spikes of Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa [Section 191] maybe seen. Continuing along the path, the pencil-thin immature green-gold flower spikes of an older shrub, Banksia ericifolia x spinulosa [Section 191] can be s een. Then a small bed of Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi [Section 191], which have been flowering for many months.

Follow the path as it winds across the Eucalypt Lawn to the Rock Garden where the orange glow of the flowers of Chrysocephalum apiculatum [Section 4] is dazzling. Wander through this area for there is much to enjoy.

Then feel the coolness of the Rainforest Gully with its many shades of green. Syzygium australe [Section 148] with glossy leaves, shows off its white, fluffy flowers beside the boardwalk. And so down through the rock cutting where Eremophila glabra `Murchison Magic' [Section 210], illuminated with salmon coloured flowers amid the grey-green foliage, is worth finding.

Pleasant walk ... lots to see. Barbara Daly.