Today we linger near the Visitors Information Centre, then visit some flowering orchids before wandering along the rear of the Rock Garden

1. Zieria prostrata [Section 221] has tiny mauve flowers in mass on a prostrate bush of aromatic foliage – this plant is threatened in the wild.
2. Philotheca myoporoides subsp. acuta [Section 174] has numerous showy white flowers with pink buds on a neat bush.
3. Acacia cognata ‘Green Mist’ [Section 210] has small pale yellow ball flowers on fine weeping foliage.
4. Overhead Alyogyne ’West Coast Gem’ [Section 210] flowers for a long period and has stunning purple flowers on a rather straggly bush.
5. Grevillea wilkinsonii [Section 174] or Tumut Grevillea is a spreading shrub with pinky mauve toothbrush flowers which attract many birds despite their rather unpleasant musty smell. This is another plant which is threatened in the wild.
6. A pot of Chorizema cordatum [Section 174] or Flame Pea shows a stunning orange/pink colour combination pea flower on scrambling lax foliage with heart-shaped leaves.
7. Anigozanthos ’Bush Dance’ [Section 174] has pinkish red stems with emerald green flowers.
8. Bear left past the rear of the café to see the epiphyte Dendrobium falcorostrum [Section 125], a white orchid with a yellow and purple figured lip.
9. Another orchid Dendrobium speciosum [Section 125] has cream flowers with pointed petals bent close to the stem.
10. Grevillea ‘White Wings’ [Section 124] is a tall vigorous shrub with frothy white flowers hanging down in drifts.
11. Indigofera australis [Section 125] or Australian Indigo has pink flowers on an airy bush of green-blue pinnate leaves.
12. Acronychia littoralis [Section 114] is a small rainforest tree with greenish yellow 4-petalled flowers in clusters on shiny green foliage.
13.  A patch of the spreading groundcover Ranunculus collinus [Section 78] has yellow buttercup flowers and attractive leaves with three segments.
14. Prostanthera rotundifolia [Section 78] forms a bank of round leaf mint bushes with purple flowers.
15. Olearia viscidula [Section 120] or Wallaby Weed consists of white daisies on arching stems of foliage. It is possibly beetle pollinated.
16. Boronia megastima ‘Virtuoso’ [Section 15h] has dark reddish brown bells with yellow inside and an intense and attractive scent.
17. Hibbertia empetrifolia [Section 15h] is a mass of small gold flowers on wiry trailing stems forming a low bush.
18. Acacia triptera [Section 15h]  or Spurwing Wattle forms a small tree or tall shrub with bright golden rod flowers and branches of stiff curved blue-green leaves which taper to a sharp spine.
19. Telopea speciosissima ‘Coroboree’ [Section 15j] is a form with longer styles. It is vigorous grower with many bright pink waratah flowers standing upright in a pyramidal display.
20. Acacia granitica [Section 3] forms a sprawling mass of linear leathery phyllodes with bright yellow balls of flower.
21. Hakea horrida [Section 20] is a dense, intricately branched, rigid shrub with prickly leaves and white curled flowers in clusters.

Rosalind Walcott.