By watching and
waiting I safely cross the Brooker. I am immediately surrounded by native, wild
bush. There is a variety of plants. All living together creating beauty. What
are these plants that fill me full of delight?
A common plant on
the Domain is the Prickly box. As its name suggests it has thorns. They are
sharp. Be careful. They tell you the name of the shrub. The shrub is about the
height of an average human. This time of year, the flowers have finished. The
shrub is becoming dormant.
A very similar, and
equally routine, shrub is the native hopbush. Similar height but its leaves are
slightly bigger. And the summer flowers are followed by seed capsules in
spring.
I love the
casuarina. There are no cassowary birds in Hobart but we have casuarina trees
which take their name from the cassowary bird. The foliage resembles the
feathers of a cassowary bird. It is a beautiful tree with dropping foliage and
cones.
The main tree on
the Domain is the Southern Blue Gum or Eucalyptus Globulus. Or as aborigines
called it, Moonah. A big tree. Large
leaves. Flowers followed by large capsules which, at present, litter the
ground.
But the plant with
the best story has to be Dianella. A common strap like plant. About one meter
tall. Flowers in spring followed by shiny blue/purple berries. About 1/2 cm
long. The plant is common in private and public gardens around Hobart.
The name Dianella
comes from an old Roman story. Dianna, a Roman goddess of hunting, was involved
in a race. Her competitor threw some golden berries. Dianna bent down to pick
up the berries and lost the race. The berries look edible. Some species are
edible. Some are not. Enjoy looking at
them.
Please: can we
make these plants easily accessible so that all can enjoy them. Build an
overpass across the Brooker at Clearys Gate.
