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

1 May 1998

See the colourful flowers along the Banks Walk. Partake of a coffee at Hudsons Cafe then, with the assistance of the pamphlet `A walk along the Main Path', enjoy the autumn flowers along this path. Callistemon citrinus [Section 9] is quite large and is dazzling with red bottlebrushes. Eremophila maculata [Section 9], an emu bush, is a small shrub bearing many carmine-coloured flowers.

Next we come to an area of grasses and sedges has many shades of green and a variety of interesting leaf shapes.

Crowea `Pink Blush' [Section 30] is quite attractive with a covering of white, with a tint of pink, star-like flowers. Correa `Dusky Bells' [Section 30], low and spreading, has a continuous supply of dangling red tubular flowers, and Callistemon `Reeves Pink' [Section 30] shows off its pink bottlebrushes. Opposite, the tall and elegant Banksia integrifolia var. integrifolia [Section 30] is clad with silver-backed leaves, lemon flower-spikes and gaping fruits. At its feet is a prostrate form, also with flowers.

In this area, the tall, mottled white trunks, mostly of Eucalyptus mannifera, are so pleasing. Grevillea arenaria [Section 112] has single, curvaceous pink flowers scattered over an open shrub. At the top corner of the area of the Sydney Region Flora, see a group planting of Crowea saligna [Section 191] which has produced a pleasing array of pink, star flowers. Along the path Spyridium sp. [Section 191] bears tiny white flowers surrounded by white, floral leaves. Beside the seat, in the rock wall, fossils of the seed-fern Glossopteris can be seen. Isotoma axillaris [Section 191] contiues to bear pale blue starry flowers and over the wall, Grevillea victoriae [Section 191] displays its pendulous clusters of rust red flowers. Under the long, arching fronds of the tree ferns, Dicksonia antartica [Section 191], Crimson Rosellas can be heard chattering as they bathe in the stream below.

Continuing along the path, Scaevola aemula [Section 191] has long prostrate stems bearing large, purple fan flowers which contrast with the tiny yellow flowers of Goodenia heterophylla [Section 191]. The path winds through the restful Eucalypt Lawn down to the Rock Garden where the orange flowers of Chrysocephalum apiculatum [Section 4] edge the path. In front of the waterfall, Sturt's Desert Pea, Swainsona formosa [Section 15V], the floral emblem of SA, is in flower. The large, brilliant red pea flowers with black centres, are quite stunning.

The Rainforest Gully, with few flowers, has its many shades of green. Then down the rock cutting where Eremophila glabra `Murchison Magic' [Section 210] with salmon coloured flowers continues to flower.

Worth the walk ...

Barbara Daly.