In Flower This Week

21 February 2003

Edging Banks Walk, Hibbertia vestita [Section 210] is a dense prostrate dark green plant bright with yellow open flowers. Nearby, Viola hederacea [Section 210] is also low and dense with mauve violets. Across the Walk, Pelargonium rodneyanum [Section 174], with magenta-coloured flowers, covers a wide area and mingles with the blue flowers of Scaevola ‘New Blue’ [Section 174]. Mingled with the tree ferns and rock orchids edging the Rainforest are Spoon Lilies, Alocasia macrorrhiza [Section 125], identified by enormous spade-shaped leaves and greenish-cream flowers like an Arum Lily.

In front of the Café building, croweas include Crowea ‘Southern Cross’ [Section 240], bearing small pink star-like flowers over the small open shrub, and Crowea saligna [Section 240], with deeper pink waxy flowers over a small compact shrub. Banksia integrifolia [Section 240], at the corner, is a prostrate spreading plant with upright, pale green flower spikes. Opposite, Callistemon viminalis [Section 143] is tall with dark grooved trunks and bright red bottlebrushes falling from the weeping branches. Head uphill to find Grevillea ‘Scarlet Sprite’ [Section 119], a dense shrub with needle-like foliage dotted with bright cherry-red spider flowers.

Along this path, Callistemon citrinus [Section 9] is a large dense shrub laden with red bottlebrush flowers, its nectar enjoyed by the colourful New Holland Honeyeaters. Take the small path to view some banksias which include Banksia burdettii [Section 30], still young, with vivid orange flower spikes on top of the branches. Nearby Banksia baxteri [Section 30], also young, has less vivid, squat, greenish-yellow flower spikes. Almost opposite, the popular Banksia ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 30] is a dwarf, spreading shrub adorned with many creamy, not quite mature, golden flower spikes.

Returning to the road to the Rock Garden, Correa alba var. alba [Section 107] has an abundance of white star flowers blending with the almost round, silver-backed leaves of this dense shrub. Bursaria reevesii [Section 4] is an open upright shrub with sprays of white flowers. Darling Pea, Swainsona galegifolia [Section 110], has sprays of pink pea flowers and nearby a bottlebrush cultivar, Callistemon ‘Smoked Salmon’ [Section 110], has cream flowers with a tint of pink and Callistemon brachyandrus [Section 110] has smaller, more compact, orange-red bottlebrushes.

Pass the Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis [Section 110], and edging the Rainforest, a tea tree, Leptospermum amboinense [Section 104, 140] is picturesque with open white flowers covering the arching branches. In the triangular bed a Geraldton Wax cultivar, Chamelaucium ‘Cascade Brook’ [Section 17], has pale pink open wax-like flowers amid the many pink buds on the erect shrub. The opposite corner has a group of Crowea ‘Festival’[Section 123], so colourful with pink star flowers. A cool return walk down the Rainforest Gully should be preceded by the enjoyment of viewing Rhododendron lochiae [Section 62], with large red bell-shaped flowers loosely arranged, and Rhododendron macgregoriae x lochiae [Section 62], with smaller flowers in larger terminal clusters ... seen by crossing the stream and walking up the steps to the right.

Always another floral beauty to enjoy …                                                 Barbara Daly.