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

27 November 1998

This is a walk along the Main Path where many plants are flowering. It starts at the far end of the Cafe building so take a copy of `A Walk along the Main Path' with you and see what there is to see.

Melaleuca elliptica [Section 11], a medium size shrub, is rather woody with a canopy of dark rose bottlebrush-like flowers. Melaleuca steedmanii [Section 11] has almost rounded clusters of dark red bottlebrush-like flowers with a dusting of yellow. Leptospermum brevipes [Section 12] has long, arching branches covered with white flowers which are quite striking against the dark green foliage. Callistemon formosus [Section 11] is a small, dense tree decorated with lemon bottlebrushes.
Passing by the Gymea Lillies, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 8], which display their large clusters of red flowers atop elongated stems, see Kunzea ambigua x capitata [Section 30] of medium size bearing pink, lacy flower balls along its arching branches.  Nearby a prostrate form of Kunzea ambigua [Section 30] displays similar white flowers.  Worth viewing among the nearby callistemons is Callistemon citrinus `Austraflora Firebrand' [Section 30] with fiery red bottlebrush flowers on a low, spreading shrub.

Stroll through the area of grevilleas, which have almost finished flowering, to the Sydney Region Flora wonderland. The path winds through a comparatively new area where many small floral treasures  can be admired. Tetratheca thymifolia [Section 191] has bright pink, or white, downturned flowers. Jacksonia scoparia [Section 191] is still a small plant but its upright stems are covered in profusion with orange pea flowers. Dampiera purpurea [Section 191] has purple flowers on short, upright stems.  Fringe-lily, Thysanotus juncifolius [Section 191] is also worthy of admiration for this wiry little plant bears, on long, bare lateral stems, purple flowers with three fringed petals.

Behind the seat, Hibbertia diffusa [Section 191] with bright yellow flowers is prostrate between the rocks and, along the path, Scaevola aemula [Section 191] has five purple petals fanned out like fingers on a prostrate plant. Leptospermum rotundifolium  [Section 191] is a rounded shrub, massed with large pink flowers. Boronia microphylla [Section 191] is a small, dainty shrub, lovely with small, pink open flowers. There is also a brilliant display of Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi [Section 191] with large, white velvety daisy-like flowers.

Wander through the Eucalypt Lawn to the Rock Garden where Myoporum floribundum [Section 15R] covers its lateral branches with tiny flowers and  Leptospermum `Aphrodite' [Section 16] is bright with deep pink, green-centred flowers. Through the coolness of the Rainforest Gully and ...

Oh what a wonderful place ...
 
Barbara Daly.