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Weeping Sage, Treursalie, Utile - Buddleja auriculata |
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 This evergreen South African shrub occurs
naturally on mountain slopes, in rocky ravines, and on forest margins,
from Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe. It has a graceful weeping habit and
beautiful glossy, dark green leaves that have silver undersides. It is
grown for its profuse spikes of tiny, tubular, sweetly-scented cream,
orange or lilac flowers from mid-winter to spring. The fruit is a tiny,
creamy brown capsule that splits at the tip. The flowers attract
butterflies and myriads of other insects to the garden, which in turn
will attract insectivorous birds like the southern boubou and Cape
robin.
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Wild Pomegranate, Wildegranaat – Burchellia bubaline |
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Picture courtesy Karl Gercens
WWW.KARLGERCENS.COM
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The Wild Pomegranate is a small, evergreen South
African tree which grows very slowly; so it is often treated as a
shrub. It grows in forests, forest margins, woodlands and grasslands in
the warm, frost free regions of the country and thrives along the coast;
from Swellendam to KZN.
The luxuriant, glossy, dark green leaves are a perfect backdrop for
the clusters of tubular, vibrant red or orange flowers in late spring
and early summer. The buds are covered with silky hairs and glisten in
the sunlight.
The Wild Pomegranate thrives in gardens near the coast and
flourishes in regions with good rainfall like the KZN mist belt. It will
grow throughout the country, in both the summer and winter rainfall
regions and is hardy to moderate frost if it is planted in a protected
position. Water it regularly during dry weather and protect it from
strong wind.
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Wild Pear, Drolpeer - Dombeya rotundifolia |
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Picture courtesy Merryl Joyce Leverington
Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
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The Wild Pear is one of our most beautiful
indigenous flowering trees, putting on a spectacular show in spring
when masses of white flower clusters cover the entire tree. The scented
flowers resemble pear blossoms; hence its common name.
This deciduous tree grows singly or in clumps and is one of the
first to flower on the Highveld. The bare branches, against a backdrop
of dry veld, make it an unforgettable sight and easily distinguishable.
There is a also a pink form.
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Pruning deciduous fruit trees |
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During the first 3 years of growth all deciduous fruit trees are shaped in the same way. Correct pruning during the first 3 years will create the basic framework for your tree and from then on, the tree is pruned for fruit production.
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Summer Palace
Picture courtesy Malanseuns
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There is no need to be fearful of pruning your roses and there are no hard and fast rules. Always remember that you cannot prune wrong and it takes a lot to kill a plant. Although roses differ in growth habit the basic pruning routine is the same and is done mainly to encourage rejuvenation and to clean up the plant by removing old and diseased growth and shortening the bush. In nature an un-pruned rose will sort itself out, so all we are doing is encouraging nature and keeping it under control. Some gardeners prune severely, while others prefer to prune lightly and both methods are fine, with each method having its own pro’s and con’s. It is a good policy to alternate your pruning techniques occasionally; pruning severely pruned bushes lightly, and lightly pruned bushes severely. Please remember not to prune your banksia and spring flowering heritage roses because they bloom in spring and early summer. These varieties are best trimmed in November.
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