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.

14 June 2002

Wintry days may be grey and chilling, however there is an abundance of brightness in the floral world so … below the Visitor Centre windows, Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’ [Section 221] is a low sprawling plant warm with red flower balls with cream styles which resemble pin cushions. Close to the bronze bust of Joseph Banks on Banks Walk, Banksia serrata ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 174] is alight with upright gold cylindrical flower spikes ribbed with red styles. Near the centre of the bed, Templetonia retusa [Section 174] has large red pea-flowers on this taller upright shrub while, close by, Grevillea dielsiana [Section 174] displays pendent orange-yellow flower clusters among its fine divided leaves. Crossing the bridge over the many large fronds of the tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica [Section 66,67], walk below the arching branches of Asterotrichion discolor [Section 66], a small tree with soft furry leaves mingling with terminal sprays of small cream flowers.

Towards the far side of the Crosbie Morrison building, Grevillea diminuta [Section 239] is of medium size, prominent with pendent rust-red flower clusters. Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 239] has an abundance of golden cylindrical flower spikes while, opposite, Banksia ‘Giant Candles’ [Section 143] is somewhat similar but with longer flower spikes. Hugging the wall Eucalyptus caesia [Section 239], so tall and attractive, has brown scaly trunk, silver-grey arching branches, large buds and old fruits and, up high, a large cluster of red fluffy flowers.

Grevillea ‘Boongala Spinebill’ [Section 240] is a low sprawling plant, dense with long divided leaves and red toothbrush-like flowers. Crowea ‘Pink Blush’ [Section 240] bears an abundance of deep red flower buds and pink, almost white, star flowers while Crowea ‘Coopers Hybrid’ [Section 240], in the background, is a larger, denser shrub, deep pink with its flowers. Acacia alata [Section 240] in the small bed has an abundance of cream fluffy flower balls along its low lateral angular branches.

Following the road, you will pass Calothamnus quadrifidus [Section 12], with soft, pine-like leaves on erect branches and long feathery red flower clusters, and Leptospermum squarrosum [Section 12], of similar size and bearing its soft pink peach-blossom flowers mostly on the lower limbs. Callistemon citrinus ‘Austraflora Firebrand’ [Section 32] is a medium dense shrub bearing numerous red bottlebrush flowers.

This newer bed contains smaller plants including Thryptomene dielsiana [Section 29] a small shrub with arching lateral branches profuse with small pink flowers. Behind, Calytrix ecalycata [Section 29] has small yellow flowers along its low, upright stems. Hypocalymma sp. [Section 29] is another small open shrub with tiny frilly pink flower clusters along its upright stems while Baeckea crassifolia [Section 29], also small, is pretty with an abundance of tiny mauve flowers.

The upper road offers Grevillea lanigera [Section 28], a small shrub red with spider flowers, and nearby, Banksia spinulosa var. collina [Section 228] is a large shrub, laden with immature yellow flower spikes and few brighter mature flowers.

Always another interesting flower …                                      Barbara Daly.