Director of National Parks [logo]

IFTW volunteer

In Flower This Week

A weekly news sheet prepared by a Gardens' volunteer.
Numbers before each plant refer to temporary IFTW labels in the gardens.
Numbers in square brackets
[ ] refer to garden bed Sections. Plants in flower are in bold type.

View past issues of 'In Flower This Week'.

29 March 2013

Actinotus helianthi

Actinotus helianthi
click for larger image
 

A stroll along the Main Path this time of the year is a pleasant experience.  Starting at the end of the café building, this walk meanders through the Sydney Region Basin, the Rock Garden and the Rainforest.

  1. Thryptomene sp. [Section 10] is a fairly open shrub of medium height with branches clad with tiny pink-petalled flowers.
  2.  Continue on past the bed of daisies to view Banksia heliantha [Section 30].  Previously classified as a Dryandra, it is a low spreading shrub with interesting yellow buds surrounded by black calyces.
  3. Close by is Banksia spinulosa ‘Honeypots’ [Section 30], bearing honey-coloured upright cylindrical flower spikes.
  4. Almost opposite, CallistemonReeves Pink’ [Section 30] bears its lovely pink bottlebrush flowers.  It is set back from the path.
  5. Banksia ericifoliaRed Clusters’ [Section 25] is a tall slim shrub bright with its colourful flower spikes.
  6. Grevillea sericea subsp. sericea [Section 27] is a medium open shrub bearing cream lacy flowers.
  7. Crossing the road, Grevillea ‘LadyO’ [Section 26] is a low shrub with red flowers pendent from its lateral branches.
  8. Banksia conferta subsp. penicillata [Section 26] is a large ageing shrub laden mostly with old dark flower spikes also with mature lemon flower spikes.
  9. Grevillea juniperina ‘Molonglo’ [Section 24] is a prostrate shrub with apricot-coloured flowers on the long lateral branches.
  10. Across the next road, almost concealed by other shrubs, Acradenia frankliniae [Section 112] is a medium-sized shrub with glossy green leaves and a profusion of small balloon-shaped buds opening to cream star‑shaped flowers.
  11. Before crossing the road to the Sydney Region Gully admire Correa ‘Canberra Bells’ [Section 112], graceful with its pendulous red tubular flowers with yellow mouths. It has been selected to commemorate Canberra’s centenary in 2013.
  12. At the entrance in a newly-developed area there are many flannel flowers, Actinotus helianthi [Sections 191h, 191s]. These small shrubs have deeply-lobed greyish leaves and large cream flowers on bare upright stems.
  13. Edging the path Crowea exalata [Section 191h] has small pink star-shaped flowers over the low dense shrub.
  14. At the corner, where a path leads to the Display Glasshouse, Scaevola albida [Section 191j] is a dense groundcover profuse with small fan-shaped mauve flowers.
  15. In the display garden, behind the circular seat, Crowea saligna [Section 191u] is a low spreading long-flowering shrub profuse with bright pink star-shaped flowers among the waxy bright green foliage.
  16. Here also is Prostanthera porcata [Section 191u], a taller open shrub with pink tubular flowers.
  17. At the exit, near more flannel flowers, is Scaevola ramosissima [Section 191 l]. It is a ground-hugging plant with deep purple fan‑shaped flowers along its lateral branches.
  18. Follow the curved path through the Eucalyptus Lawn down to the Rock Garden, which is brightened with a grouping of large yellow straw flowers, Xerochrysum sp. [Section 15r].
  19. In front of the attractive waterfall and pools is Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ [Section 15v], bright with its golden flower spikes.
  20. Stroll through the pleasant Rainforest—so green, so cool—and down the ramp, passing Rhododendron lochiae x macgregoriae [Section 313]. It is an open shrub with bright red trumpet-shaped flowers.

Nearby is a mint bush, Prostanthera phylicifolia [Section 210], a dense shrub clad in profusion with small mauve flowers.

Barbara Daly