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

11 September 1998

The spectacular wattles which cascade over the car park retaining walls are Acacia baileyana [Section 227] and Acacia cultriformis `Austraflora Cascade' [Section 226]. The brilliance of golden wattles permeates throughout the gardens. Australia's Floral Emblem, Acacia pycnantha [Section 224], a small tree, shows off its large golden flower balls. In front of this tree, Grevillea `Scarlet Sprite' [Section 224] with short, sharp leaves, has cherry coloured spider-like flowers and in front of the building, Zieria baeuerlenii [Section 22l] is a low, branching shrub with small, dark-centred white flowers mingling with the attractive grey-green foliage. Close by, Westringia crassifolia [Section 221] is quite lanky but attractive with bluish-mauve trumpet-like flowers.

The Mallee Shrubland boasts some colourful plants which include Acacia brachybotrya [Section 211], seen above the stairs next to the building. It is a neat shrub with yellow flower balls. In front is Lomandra effusa [Section 211], a small tussocky herb with long, narrow blue-green leathery leaves and crowded about the base are tiny, white flowers. See Phebalium glandulosum subsp. glandulosum [Section 211] bearing clusters of tiny, frilly yellow flowers. Ricinocarpos bowmanii [Section 211], just around the corner, is also attractive, bearing interesting, dark-centred, white flowers. A retaining wall here is almost covered with the deep purple peaflowers of Hardenbergia violacea [Section 212]. This plant is also seen trailing along the ground, in other areas of the gardens.

Enjoy the beauty and coolness of the Rainforest Gully. Marvel at the many unfolding fronds of the Soft Tree Ferns, Dicksonia antarctica [Section 144, 145]. The cream flower balls of Acacia melanoxylon [Section 144, 145] can be seen on the upper canopy of the Rainforest. On the far side, opposite the lawn, Indigofera australis [Section 114], is exploding into sprays of purple pea-flowers which harmonise with its bluish-green foliage. Further uphill, in the triangular garden, Grevillea alpina (Goldfields form) [Section 17] is quite dense and of medium size. The shrub has a good sprinkling of soft, orange curvaceous flowers. Towards the Rock Garden Eriostemon myoporoides [Section 123] is a neat, rounded shrub laden with soft pink buds and sparkling white flowers.

The section opposite the Rock Garden abounds in a variety of wattles which include the Snowy River Wattle, Acacia boormanii [Section 2]. Its arching branches are heavy with large plumes of soft, golden flower balls. Overlooking this area see Phebalium stenophyllum [Section 16] with heads of tiny, yellow flowers. Micromyrtus ciliata [Section 15G] is a small shrub with its radiating branches well clad with minute white flowers which age to red. Another very small plant, Baeckea ramosissima `Pink Gem' [Section 15H], has rosy-pink flowers ... really worth viewing.

So much to enjoy ...

Barbara Daly.