Light fogs and frosts followed by lovely sunny days are ideal to view our autumn display, especially banksias which are now bursting into flower.

1. Lechenaultia formosa, seen outside the Visitor Centre doors, continues to drape its startling orange-red flowers over the top of the container pot.
2. On Banks Walk, in another pot Banksia heliantha [Section 174] displays its rounded yellow flower heads. Its immature heads are surrounded by fascinating dark bracts.
3. Woollsia pungens [Section 174] is a wiry upright plant with small white flowers surrounding its terminal branches.
4. Opposite is a mint bush, Prostanthera phylicifolia [Section 210], a dense shrub clad with soft mauve flowers.
5. Following the road edging the Rainforest, standing proud is Grevillea bipinnatifida ‘Jingle Bells’ [Section 124] an upright plant crowned with spent flower heads, fresh red flower heads and many pendulous buds.
6. Rounding the corner, Banksia spinulosa [Section 126] is a dense shrub bright with many upright cylindrical gold flower spikes ribbed with red styles.
7. Grevillea ‘Goldfever’ [Section 124] has apricot-coloured flowers on this low spreading shrub.
8. Towards the next corner, Scaevola albida [Section 124] is a dense groundcover profuse with small fanshaped mauve flowers.
9. In front (below the branches of the ancient Eucalyptus mannifera) is Thryptomene ‘Pink Lace’ [Section 10], a low spreading plant clad in profusion with tiny pink flowers.
10. At the next corner on the road to the left is Eremophila strongylophylla [Section 302], a small plant with deep purple bugle-shaped flowers.
11. Further on, Eremophila maculata subsp. maculata [Section 302] is an open taller shrub bearing bright yellow flowers.
12.  Almost opposite is a group of Correa ‘Canberra Bells’ [Section 119], open plants decorated with red tube flowers with yellow mouths.  This plant was selected to commemorate Canberra’s Centenary.
13. Edging the upper level of the Brittlegum lawn, Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ [Section 109] is a dense spreading shrub clad with divided leaves and prolific with large terminal flower sprays.
14. Return to the road division where Eremophila microtheca [Section 7] is a long bare shrub crowned with fine short foliage and mauve bugle-shaped flowers.
15. The opposite corner has a group of mint bushes, Westringia longifolia [Section 5]. They are dense shrubs with a scattering of small white flowers.
16. Along this road to the right is Westringia brevifolia var. raleighii [Section 6], fairly open shrubs bearing soft mauve flowers.
17. Almost opposite, Correa alba [Section 7] edges the road.  It is quite dense and well clad with white star-shaped flowers.
18. Take the path to the right at the zebra crossing where Banksia ‘Giant Candles’ [Section 30] is a large shrub with quite long cylindrical gold flower spikes.
19. Take the left narrow path past Banksia ericifolia [Section 30], a more open shrub with much shorter golden flower spikes.
20. Callistemon subulatus [Section 30] is quite dense with short fine leaves and bright red bottlebrush-like flowers
21. At the curve, Callistemon ‘White Anzac’ [Section 30] is also dense. Alas, most flowers are finished but some white bottlebrushes remain...
22. Pass by a few other callistemons to reach the Main Path and turn to the right to return to the cafe.

Barbara Daly