Weeping, drooping, prostrate and gorgeous

I went to Wittunga Botanical Garden today – first time I have been there for ages. It was originally a property – house and land – which was left to the state’s botanical gardens in the 1960’s – by the son of the original owner. He was a big gardener apparently, and was particularly interested in native gardens – unusual for that time. He also saw the links between Australian and South African plants, and the similarities of climate here in South Australia and South Africa. Consequently, the garden is full of proteas, leucodendrons, banksias, ericas, correas, hakeas, and on and on. It also has a couple of lakes, many birds, and is beautiful. I was particularly struck by the weeping forms of plants, and the elegance of drooping branches and prostrate forms too – this suggestion of, what, weakness, or limpness, in the naming of the plants belied by their actual beauty. I suspect sometimes that our own weaknesses are also beauties in disguise as well. Or at least that our beauty is made more so (somehow) by the inevitability of what we lack. But this might just be hopeful thinking on my part!
Here are some pics from the day (click to enlarge) …

South African – can’t remenber the name

Lovely but don’t have a name

Eucalyptus caesia – weeping (and just a young tree)

Ducks

Beautiful eucalyptus trunk

Another lovely trunk

Striking tree trunk

Bark breaking and peeling

Peeling bark

Leucospermum reflexum – rocket pincushion – South African plant

Another rocket pincushion

South African plant with little puffy flowers

Leucadendron

Eucalyptus maculata – spotted gum

Think this one is called Lion’s Tail

Close up of Lion’s Tail

Long-ish shot of Lion’s tail

Leucadendron – close up

Acacia foliage again

Acacia – wattle – foliage (beautiful)

Weeping pittosporum – out of focus too for added (or subtracted) effect

Eumorphia prostrata – beautiful coloured low to the ground shrub

Knobby club-rush

Pincushion from above

Geraldton Wax

Can’t remember what this was – but lovely leaves, taken from above

More geraldton wax

Gorgeous orange bottlebrush – callistemon

Orange bottlebrush again

Closer up of bottlebrush

Lake at Wittunga

Banksia – flower drying off

Banksia

What is this (maybe a cotyledon?)?? Another shot from above

Bladder Senna

bladder senna

Eumorphia prostrata – lovely foliage, low to the ground shrub

Can’t remember what this was called – but it was lovely

Another shot of the nameless one

Banksia

Luminous banksia

Banksias – 3 stages of development

Two pincushions

Pincushion bush

The lake

pinks and greys and browns

Pinks, greys and browns

Leaves of the drooping velvet bush – lasiopetalum