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

Stroll along the Main Path with the assistance of the pamphlet 'A walk along the new Main Path' (available at the Visitor Centre). Start at the far end of the Café building where the large and graceful Callistemon viminalis [Section 143] dangles its red bottle- brush flowers from willowy branches.

Callistemon chisholmii [Section 10] is a smaller shrub with pale pink bottlebrushes and in the distance Callistemon citrinus [Section 9] is a large, rounded shrub brilliant with red bottlebrushes. The area of grasses and rushes include the graceful Bamboo Grass, Stipa ramosissima [Section 8] with feathery flower heads on long stems amid a few long leaf blades. Grevillea acanthifolia [Section 30] is low and wide with pink toothbrush-like flowers among the short, sharp divided leaves. Opposite Correa 'Dusky Bells' [Section 30] continues to bear its pink bells. The candle-like cylindrical flower spikes of the small prostrate Banksia spinulosa 'Birthday Candles' [Section 30] are now changing colour from cream to gold. Callistemon 'Reeves Pink' [Section 30] is aglow with rich pink bottlebrushes and around the corner Callistemon citrinus 'White Anzac' [Section 30] displays its showy white flowers. Few grevilleas are flowering this time of the year but banksias and callistemons are quite showy. See the large, rounded shrub, Banksia conferta var. penicillata [Section 26] with pencil-fine green buds to mature green-gold flower spikes and usually laden with birds indulging in the nectar.

The top corner of the area of the Sydney Region Flora is colourful with the starry pink flowers of Crowea saligna [Section 191]. Along the curving path through this area is Scaevola ramosissima var. ramosissima [Section 191] with mauve fan flowers along the prostrate stems. Epacris impressa (Mimosa rocks) [Section 191] is small with upright branches aglow with rich pink tubular flowers. In the top Display bed, small clusters of Actinotus helianthi [Section 191] bear the renowned velvety white flannel flowers.

Further afield, Acacia linifolia [Section 44] is a lovely arching shrub covered with cream, almost white, perfumed fluffy flower balls. And so the path weaves through the Eucalypt Lawn to the Rock Garden where many interesting flowers are there to see. Beside the path, compare Dampiera stricta [Section 15R] and Dampiera linearis [Section 15R], both with blue flowers on upright stems. Scaevola striata [Section 15R], nearby, is small and trailing with deep purple flowers. Over the path Swainsona sp. [Section 4] bears its dark wine-coloured pea flowers on upright stems.

Eucryphia wilkiei [Section109] is a small rainforest shrub bright with fragrant white saucer-shaped flowers. A tranquil walk through the Rainforest Gully and down the ramp where Leucophyta brownii 'Cape Le Grand' [Section 210] a grey twining plant with faintly yellow and grey globular heads can be seen.

Pleasant walking, much to see … Barbara Daly.