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In Flower This Week

A weekly news-sheet prepared by a Gardens volunteer.
Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to garden bed 'Sections'. Plants in flower are in bold type.

 

22 November 2002

flower image

Anigozanthos 'Bush Glow'
click for larger image

Observe the Gippsland Water Dragons, Physignathus lesueurii howittii, seen basking on the rocks near the pools.[Sections 142, 137]. View the flowers along Banks Walk. They include Flannel Flowers, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Stars’ [Section 172], with greyish velvety foliage and large soft daisy-like white flowers. Chrysocephalum apiculatum [Section 174], also with grayish foliage, is topped with clusters of small yellow flowers. Anigozanthos ‘Bush Glow’ [Section 174] is one of many kangaroo paws now beginning to flower — this one has orange and green ‘paw’ flowers. Callistemon viridiflorus [Section 66] is an upright shrub bearing lime-coloured bottlebrush flowers.

Edging the Rainforest Gully, Helichrysum ‘Helping Hand’ [Section 125 and other areas of the Gardens] has white straw daisy flowers mixed with green-grey foliage. Callistemon salignus [Section 126] has many trunks with light papery bark and small pink bottlebrush flowers hanging from the willowy branches. Callistemon ‘Harkness’ [Section 124] has a dark grooved trunk and bright red bottlebrush flowers — the starling red flowers can be seen in many parts of the Gardens. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Bon Accord’ [Section 124] is a semi-prostrate plant with fine foliage and deep red flower spikes. Melaleuca spathulata [Section 9], at the corner, is quite densely covered with purplish flower balls.

Taking the upper path, where there are numerous grass trees Xanthorrhoea australis [Section 8], Agrostocrinum scabrum [Section 8] is a tufted plant with short strappy leaves and bright blue star flowers on upright slim stems. Thelionema caespitosum [Section 8] is also a tufted plant with white star flowers and a native iris, Patersonia umbrosa [Section 8], presents its purple, three-petalled flowers. Opposite, emu bushes include Eremophila racemosa [Section 7], with a mix of pink and orange tube flowers over a small shrub, and Eremophila densifolia [Section 7], with very small blue-purple flowers over a prostrate plant. The Gymea Lily, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 8], has large clusters of red flowers on long stems, surrounded by long strappy leaves.

Kunzea ambigua x capitata [Section 30] is a graceful medium-size open shrub decorated with small pink flower balls. Banksia coccinea [Section 30] is slim and upright presenting its crimson and grey striped flower spike. Opposite, Homoranthus prolixus [Section 30] is a dwarf, spreading plant with radiating branches massed with hairy yellow flowers.

Rounding the corner Thomasia pauciflora [Section 25] has down-turned pink flowers with dark centres over the low, dense shrub. Walk below the limbs of the Kurrajong tree, Brachychiton populneus subsp. populneus [Section 30] with cup-shaped flowers of pale green with pink centres. Crossing the road, another tree, Eucalyptus andrewsii subsp. campanulata [Section 6] is large with fine brown bark and up high, white fluffy flowers are enjoyed by insects and birds … and us mortals. Mint bushes along this road include Prostanthera nivea var. induta [Section 6] complete with mauve bugle flowers.

‘Tis a floral wonderland …                                                      Barbara Daly.

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Updated Thursday, 21 November, 2002 by Jan Wilson(jan@anbg.gov.au)