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

7 November 1997

Enjoy the variety of plants along the Banks Walk. Walk between the grass trees, Xanthorrhoea australis [Section 174], and marvel at the enormous fronds of the tree ferns, Dicksonia antartica [Section 66], when crossing the bridge to the cafe. From the end of the cafe building, with the assistance of the pamphlet `A walk along the new Main Path' (available at the Visitor Centre) meander along this path.

Melaleuca fulgens [Section 11] is a medium, woody shrub alight with cheery red bottlebrush-like flowers. Kunzea obovata [Section 11] is gracefully clad with small balls of pink, fluffy flowers. Walk through the area of plants with strap-like leaves to see a stand of waratahs which include Telopea `Doug's Hybrid' [Section 30] with attractive red flowers, Telopea mongaensis [Section 30] with more open red flowers and a pale pink form of Telopea speciosissima [Section 30]. Boronia muelleri [Section 30] is a picture, being covered with pale pink cup-like flowers. As a backdrop, Grevillea barklyana subsp. barklyana [Section 30] is well branched with pink toothbrush flower spikes mingling with light green lobed leaves. This area contains a variety of grevilleas with flowers of varying shapes and colours. Grevillea aspleniifolia [Section 26] is interesting, with lateral spreading branches resembling an umbrella and bearing pink toothbrush-like flowers. Crossing the road, waratah, Telopea `Braidwood Brilliant' [Section 112] with numerous blazing red flower heads is most stunning.

The path winds through a newly planted area of the Sydney Region Flora. Along the path some small plants are already in flower. Tetratheca thymifolia [Section 191] is clad with mauve downturned flowers, Goodenia species [Section 191] dotted with tiny yellow flowers and Vanilla Lily, Sowerbaea juncea [Section 191] has clusters of purple, vanilla perfumed flowers on upright stems. Beside the seats, clumps of flannel flowers, Actinotus helianthi [Section 191], are always eye-catching with their large velvety daisy-like flowers.

The path meanders across the lawns, through the stately eucalypts and crosses the road, passing by a dainty wattle, Acacia rupicola [Section 18] clad with fluffy lemon flower balls. Hakea constablei [Section 20] is large and somewhat dense with cream, perfumed lacey flowers along its woody limbs. Stop by the Rock Garden for there is much to admire. Gymea Lily, Doryanthes excelsa [Section 15S], displays its large cluster of red flowers high up on a 6m. spike above its sword-like leaves.

Through the coolness above the varying shades of greens of the Rainforest Gully, more treasures ... alas, no more room.

Great walk ... marvellous flora. Barbara Daly