In Flower This Week A weekly news-sheet prepared by a Gardens volunteer  Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to garden bed 'Sections'.

Before leaving the Visitor Centre, view the living specimens of the remarkable Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis. The nearby information is of great value. Then confront the bracing, sunny day to view the many outside flowers. Hakea crassinervia [Section 221] shows off its warm, globular cherry red flowers with light styles protruding.

In a small area just off the Main Path, Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ [Section 124] is a low, dense shrub with terminal clusters of red flowers. Grevillea ‘Pink Coral’ [Section 119], across the path, is more open and taller, bearing pink spider-like flowers. Its branches overhang a smaller shrub, Correa pulchella ‘Pink Mist’ [Section 119]. This upright plant is bright with pendent pink tubular flowers. Tucked in there too is Correa reflexa ‘Maroonda Tricolor’ [Section 119] with flowers coloured red at the base, yellow along the tube and green at the mouth arranged along its low spreading branches.

The Rock Garden has many flowers to enjoy. Correa ‘Ivory Bells’ [Section 15D] is quite dense, covered with ivory coloured tubular flowers. Eremophila maculata var. brevifolia [Section 15F] bears almost translucent burgundy flowers. At the top of the steps Grevillea ‘Mason’s Hybrid’ [Section 15H] is large and dense and presents terminal clusters of pink and cream flowers with nectar to please many a hungry honeyeater.

Towards an area of banksias, Crowea ‘Festival’ [Section 123] is so colourful with bright pink star flowers on the manicured, rounded shrub. Banksia spinulosa var. cunninghamii ‘Lemon Glow’ [Section 37] is slim and young with glowing lemon cylindrical flower spikes, well placed… really a photographer’s delight. The large, dense Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa [Section 37] nearby shows off its gold flower spikes ribbed with dark styles. Tis worth a walk to view Banksia media [Section 37] with dense furry flower spikes of green, dotted with brown, maturing to yellow dotted with tan and so to tan on the old wandering branch. The more common Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia [Section 37] with short, fine leaves is laden with rich gold, almost red, flower spikes. Opposite the Rainforest Gully, Banksia speciosa [Section 37] has long, narrow leaves with triangular lobed margins and upright branches tipped with smaller green flower spikes.

Hakea francisiana [Section 37], on the higher path, is quite a large shrub with elongated, narrow leaves. The tree is decorated with many red, still tightly closed, buds which will mature to colourful orange-red poker-like terminal flowers. Grevillea victoriae [Section 37] has rust coloured flower clusters dangling from the branches of the dense shrub. Time to admire the she-oaks which include Allocasuarina emuina [Section 40] clad with long, fine needle-like foliage with small clusters of red female flowers along the branches. Nearby Allocasuarina torulosa [Section 40], is so glamorous with its rust-coloured spikes of male flowers. Notice its fascinating rough, corky bark.

Invigorating and enjoyable … Barbara Daly.