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

19 June 1998

In the lower car park, the attractive wattles, covered with cream fluffy flowers are Acacia terminalis [Section 169]. Hakea crassinervia [Section 221], in front of the Visitors Centre, is a prostrate, spreading plant well covered with lovely cherry-coloured flower balls, resembling pin cushions. Along Banks Walk, Brachyscome segmentosa [Sections 174, 212] is cushion-like, with dark green, divided leaves and with yellow-centred, white daisy flowers. Acacia iteaphylla [Section 210] is a prostrate plant with branches, clad with soft yellow flower balls falling over the retaining wall. Templetonia retusa [Section 174] has upright branches displaying its large rust-red pea flowers.

Walking uphill on the far side of the Rainforest Gully, which abounds in a variety of leaf shapes and shades of green, Banksia spinulosa var. collina [Section 182] displays its upright, cylindrical gold flower spikes. Syzygium paniculatum [Section 107], a lillypilly, is still a small shrub with dark green leaves almost concealing the many plum-coloured fruits which follow the cream flowers. Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa [Section 109], edging the lawn area, is medium size shrub with deep gold flower spikes which are ribbed with maroon shaded styles. Lomandra spicata [Section 104] is a dense, tufted plant with long, strappy leaves and terminal clusters of bright orange seed capsules on long stems. Acmena smithii [Section 140], another Lilly-pilly, is of medium size dotted with soft pink fruits which followed tiny white, fluffy flowers. Opposite is a bed of Crowea `Festival' [Section 123], as yet quite small, covered with cheery, deep pink star flowers.

The triangular bed contains Epacris calvertiana var. calvertiana [Section 17] with long, wiry branches bearing a profusion of small, white tubular, flowers. Sheltered by Grevillea alpina (Goldfields form) [Section 17] laden with buds beginning to open to curvaceous lemon coloured flowers, Dampiera sericantha [Section 17] exhibits its bright blue flowers on the dense, prostrate, suckering plant. The yellow straw daisies of Bracteantha species [Section 17] would brighten any garden.

In this area of banksias, Banksia oblongata [Section 37] is about 30 years old, now with baring branches but still abound in green flower spikes of all ages. Note the juvenile flowers sprouting from the base and open branches. Behind is Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 37] which exhibits large, deep gold flower spikes. At the base of the stairs Banksia plagiocarpa [Section 37] presents its slim purplish-grey coloured flower spikes on an open shrub.

For company, tiny scrub wrens daintily hop about the leaf litter and colourful yellow, black and white New Holland Honeyeaters indulge in nectar from the banksias.

Always another flower ...

Barbara Daly.