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

Regardless of the hot days the Rock Garden flowers are superb. Only a few can be mentioned, starting at the bottom of the steps and continuing in an anticlockwise direction around the area.

The small bed in front of the waterfall contains Scaevola ‘Pink Perfection’ [Section 15V] with open flowers along its ground-trailing stems. Surrounding this plant, Ptilotus manglesii [Section 15V] showing its upright conical magenta and silver fluffy flowers over a semi-prostrate plant. Falling over the rocks above the waterfall, the large clusters of white daisies are those of Olearia covenyi [Section 15Q].

Close to this path Dampiera diversifolia [Section 15S] has a dense covering of deep blue flowers over the ground-trailing plant. Brachycome angustifolia var. heterophylla [Section 15S] is small and tufted, nestled between the rocks, with soft mauve-coloured daisies. Eremophila racemosa [Section 15R] is a shrub of medium size bright with yellowish-orange buds maturing to reddish-purple flowers… really colourful. Nearby Billardiera lehmanniana [Section 15R] is a small, dense shrub with its dark foliage brightened with small very pale blue flowers. Scaevola phlebopetala [Section 15P] is another ground-hugging plant with such deep purple, yellow-centred flowers along its trailing stems. The bright magenta open flowers on short stems, scattered here and there, are those of Calandrinia polyandra [Section 15P].

Opposite, hard to see, Prostanthera florifera [Section 15L] is a dwarf shrub with deep red tubular flowers. Much easier to see, Bulbine vagans [Section 15N] is a bulbous plant with succulent, narrow leaves, bright with star-like yellow flowers along upright stems. The stream is edged with a low-growing herb, Pelargonium rodneyanum [Section 15Q.15D], with cheery magenta flowers. Dampiera stricta [Section 15F] is mauve-blue with flowers on erect stems crammed between rocks. Around the corner Coopernookia barbata [Section 15F] is a small shrub displaying deep pink flowers. Can’t be overlooked, Xanthorrhoea johnsonii [Section 15F] stands tall with a black trunk, brown then green grass-like skirts, then 6 upright flower spikes, each at a different stage of flowering from buds to mature small white flowers glistening with nectar.

Polycalymma sturtii [Section 15G, 15W] has large flower heads of white papery daisies with large yellow centres. Verticordia plumosa [Section 15J] is quite small and covered with pink-purple feathery flowers. Along the top road a suckering, dense plant, Dampiera sylvestris [Section 15H], is brilliant with deep blue flowers. At the far corner kangaroo paws, Anigozanthos flavidus [Section 15H], with copper-toned flowers can be studied. Then, leaving this area, Flannel Flower cultivar, Actinotus helianthi ‘Federation Star’ [Section 15C] with velvety daisy-like flowers suggests a dash to the cooling Rainforest Gully.

Hot but so colourful …

Barbara Daly.