Australian National Botanic Gardens
A weekly news sheet prepared by a Gardens' volunteer.
Numbers in square brackets  refer to garden bed Sections. Plants in flower are in bold type.
23 January 2004
Scaevola 'New Blue' click for larger image
This is a wander around a small section of the Gardens taking in the cool, cool Rainforest Gully. Many kangaroo paws are still in flower including Anigozanthos Bush Noon [Section 210] edging Banks Walk, its flowers, with mustard tonings, are on long stems, while at its base the brilliant blue of the prostrate plant, Scaevola New Blue [Section 210] is apparent and the pale blue violets, Viola hederacea [Section 210] are snug between the rocks. The vivid yellow flowers of Hibbertia vestata [Section 210], another prostrate plant and Hibbertia stellaris [Section 210] with small orange flowers are nearby. Earlier, as a backdrop to Sir Joseph Bank's bust, the tall plants of Banksia serrata [Section 174] have numerous pale green and grey flower spikes. The colourful Eastern Water Dragons, may be seen sunbaking on the rocks beside the waterfall.
The walk then edges the Rainforest Gully. Passing the Café the blue flowers of Derwentia arenaria [Section 131] are seen on the almost prostrate stems. A ground cover, Grevillea Poorinda Royal Mantle [Section 124] covers the corner with dense foliage and a scattering of deep red toothbrush-like flowers. Edging the far side of the Brittlegum Lawn Hibiscus pedunculatus [Section 109] is an upright open shrub with large dark-centred pink flowers and Grevillea Robyn Gordon [Section 109] is a low spreading shrub with much divided leaves and large terminal clusters of cream-red flowers.
Returning to the Rainforest other hibiscus shrubs are seen. They include Hibiscus heterophyllis subsp luteus [Sections 114,104] both tall and small shrubs with large white flowers smudged with purple. Hibiscus divaricatus [Section 104] has large yellow flowers and a Hibiscus splendens hybrid [Section 104] has larger grey-green hairy leaves and deep pink flowers. Note that the flowers of hibiscus plants tend to open with sunshine.
Opposite, a stand of Lythrum salicaria [Section 76] is also colourful with small pink flowers on the tips of erect stems. The triangular garden opposite has an edging of Brachycome multifidus Breakoday [Section 17] with small purple daisies mixing with the fine foliage.
Taking the right-hand path across the Rainforest Gully and the small path up the stairs, view the gully slopes covered with our native rhododendron hybrids. Rhododendron laetum x lochiae [Section 62] are small spreading shrubs with loosely arranged red-orange trumpet-like flowers. Rhododendron macgregoriae x lochiae [Section 62] is of similar appearance with smaller rich red trumpet-like flowers a colourful area! Callicarpa pedunculata [Section 62] is a tall open shrub with tiny pink floral flower clusters along the stems. Below the lower footpath, Cordyline stricta [Section 159] has mostly upright stems punctuated with linear leaves tipped with fine sprays of small purple flowers. Take the stairs to the Gully to view the pale pink plume-like floral heads amid the flax- like leave of Helmholtzia glaberrima [Sections 144,145].
Edging the ramp, Grevillea banksii x forsteri [Section 210] has branches with colourful pink, almost red, terminal flower clusters arching over the footpath, while Hemiandra pungens [Section 210] rambles over the leaf litter with stems of pink bugle-like flowers.
Such interesting plants such colour ! Barbara Daly.