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

The gardeners say there are many flowers in the Mallee section so this lovely winter’s day is opportune for a visit to this area. On the way Ptilotus macrocephalus [Section 210], seen edging Banks Walk, has fluffy cylindrical cream flower spikes on upright stems. The kangaroo paw cultivar, Anigozanthos ‘Bush Sunset’ [Section 210] has produced its red ‘paw’ flowers for some months.

Correa pulchella ‘Pink Mist’ [Section 119] dangles its soft pink tubular flowers from a small shrub and the small tree, Queensland Silver Wattle, Acacia podalyriifolia [Section 119] shows the first of its soft yellow flower balls amid the silver-grey foliage. The yellow trumpet flowers of the emu bush, Eremophila maculata subsp. maculata [Section 302], are bright and the large multi-trunked Brittle Gum, Eucalyptus mannifera [Section 5], with white and grey mottled bark, is so grand.

In the Rock Garden, Alyogyne huegelii [Section 15F] is an upright shrub revealing its stunning deep purple hibiscus flowers while, nearby, Guichenotia macrantha [Section 15F] is more subdued with bell-shaped pink flowers scattered over the shrub. Uphill, Boobialla, Myoporum acuminatum [Section 121] is tall with spreading limbs covered with an abundance of small white, with a tint of mauve, flowers in clusters surrounded by bright green leaves. Hakea coriacea [Section 37] is tall and graceful crowned with long narrow leaves and hot pink poker-like flowers pruned by nectar-seeking birds.

Walk beside the she-oaks where Allocasuarina torulosa [Section 40], with deep corky bark, is clad with its rust-coloured male flowers and Allocasuarina portuensis [Section 40] has small maroon female flowers along its terminal branches.

In the Mallee Section, the following flowers can be viewed on either side of the u-shaped path. Dampiera lanceolata var. lanceolata [Section 100] has deep blue flowers on twining stems and Lechenaultia sp. [Section 100] is a rounded, prostrate plant dotted with red flowers. Grevillea maxwellii [Section 100] is low and spreading, bright with red flower clusters. Banksia epica [Section 100] is a small shrub with serrated leaves and lemon flower spikes dotted with brown stamens. Scaevola phlebopetala [Section 100] has deep purple flowers with yellow centres on prostrate trailing stems. Eremophila oppositifolia [Section 100] is an open upright shrub clad with clusters of cream trumpet flowers and Baeckea crassifolia [Section100] is a dwarf plant covered with tiny pink flowers. Agonis marginata [Section 100] is covered with small globular clusters of maroon-centred white flowers while Hakea ceratophylla [Section 100] is low and spreading, massed with white lacy flowers along the terminal branches. Westringia crassifolia [Section 100] is an open upright shrub with soft mauve flowers and Pimelea ferruginea [Section 100] is neat and small with heads of tiny pink flowers.

Worth the walk ...

Barbara Daly.