Gardening in South Africa

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Plums are the easiest to grow of all the deciduous stone fruits

Wednesday, 21 July 2021 13:22

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Image by Etienne L. from PixabayPlums are truly beautiful deciduous shade trees, allowing the winter sunshine through, which is welcomed in cold winter regions, and heralding spring with a profusion of blossoms and fresh new leaves. They are also the easiest of all the deciduous stone fruit trees to grow, because plums are easy to prune, and are relatively free of pests and diseases, unlike most other fruit trees.

June and July are the best times to plant apricots and other deciduous stone fruits.

Saturday, 03 July 2021 11:10

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Apricots - Picture Courtesy PixabayThe delectable apricot is a lovely shade tree and the first fruit tree to bloom in spring and the earliest to harvest in summer. It is self-fruitful, so you don’t need a pollination partner to get fruit. Find out about the fascinating history and health benefits of apricots, and delicious ways they are used in the kitchen. Most importantly, find everything about planting, pruning, watering, feeding, potential pests and diseases etc. Read more below.

The glossy, deep green leaves of leatherleaf ferns blend effortlessly into many garden themes

Thursday, 17 June 2021 15:21

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Rumohra adiantiformis Picture courtesy Forest and Kim Starr - Click on the picture to see their flickr pageThe lush-looking leatherleaf fern is easy to grow in those semi shaded or moist areas of the garden, and it grows well in both coastal and cold inland gardens. It also makes a good indoor plant. Read more below on how to use it in the garden and how to grow and care for this lovely indigenous fern.

Chincherinchees shine in borders, containers, and flower arrangements

Saturday, 12 June 2021 12:53

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Ornithogalum thyrsoides Picture courtesy sophie see her flickr linkChincherinchee is not only renowned as an excellent cut flower, but is also grown worldwide as a reliable garden plant or pot plant, and in South Africa it is a ‘must-have’ for wildlife gardens. Read more about growing these bulbs in the garden below.

Pansies and violas remain cool weather favourites

Tuesday, 01 June 2021 15:27

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Pansy F1 Frizzle Sizzle Picture courtesy Ball StraathofPansies and violas are easy to grow in full sun and will bloom for many months. Who can resist their cheerful little 'faces' that are sure to bring a smile to your face on even the dreariest of winter days. Read more below on how to plant, grow, and care for pansies and violas.

Tritonias will extend the spring flowering period in the garden

Wednesday, 26 May 2021 13:20

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Tritonia Mixed Picture courtesy HadecoTritonia look brilliant wherever they are planted and go very well in rock gardens and sunny borders. They also do well in containers, and if your soil is well-drained they can be left in the ground over summer, allowing them to naturalise and spread freely. Read all about growing them below.

English daisies are charming winter and spring bloomers

Tuesday, 18 May 2021 14:18

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Image by Kerstin Riemer from PixabayEnglish daisies remain extremely popular garden plants, not only for their charm but also because they are so unfussy and easy to grow. Throughout winter and spring they never fail to delight with their masses of tightly quilled, single, or double flowers, which stand above the fresh, bright-green leaves. Read more about growing them below.

Add some magic to your winter and spring garden with Fairy Primroses.

Wednesday, 05 May 2021 13:53

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Primula malacoides 'White' No winter and spring garden is complete without fairy primroses (Primula malacoides) with their abundance of flowers in dreamy colours. Plant them into any shady spots in the garden, or pop them into pots with other annuals for months of colour. Read more about growing and using them in the garden below.

Namaqualand Daisy seed is inexpensive and easy to sow directly into garden beds

Monday, 26 April 2021 11:38

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Namaqualand Daisy Image by NauticalVoyager from PixabaySouth Africa’s famous Namaqualand Daisies are not only beautiful but also water-wise, economical, and easy to grow in any sunny garden bed, bringing warm cheer to gardens from mid-winter to spring. They also provide a vital food resource for butterflies and bees at a time of year when nectar is scarce. Read more about sowing and growing them below.

Autumn is a great time to transplant evergreen shrubs and trees

Thursday, 22 April 2021 09:26

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Sacred Bamboo (Nandina domestica)Early autumn is the best time to transplant evergreen shrubs and trees that are planted in the wrong place in your garden. Deciduous trees and shrubs are traditionally transplanted in mid-winter, when they have lost all their leaves and are totally dormant. Read more about transplanting evergreens below.

Strawberries are tasty, fun to grow, and fast to deliver

Monday, 12 April 2021 14:30

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Strawberries grow well in pots. Image by congerdisign from PixabayStrawberries remain one of the most popular garden fruits and are relatively easy to grow, and if space is limited they can be grown vertically, in strawberry gutters, or in pots or special strawberry pots, as well as hanging baskets, enabling gardeners to produce large quantities of fruit from a very small area. One healthy plant can produce 500g or more of fruit per season, and a well-managed bed can remain productive for up to three years. Read all about strawberries below.

False Heather blooms continuously and is low maintenance and heat tolerant.

Monday, 29 March 2021 12:44

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Cuphea 'Southern Border' Picture courtesy MalanseunsFalse heathers have gained widespread appeal not only for their lush green or golden foliage and abundance of tiny flowers in many delicate colours, but also for their heat tolerance.

Starry Wild Jasmine rivals the exotic species with its showy blooms and sweet fragrance

Wednesday, 17 March 2021 14:25

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Jasminum multipartitumThe hardy starry wild jasmine is grown by gardeners all over the world because it is a very rewarding and easy to grow evergreen which is loved for its sweetly scented white flowers and beautiful foliage. Read all about growing it below

Blue is a hard colour to find in the flower world, and delphiniums and larkspurs have it in spades.

Tuesday, 16 March 2021 15:31

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Delphinium cultorum 'Magic Fountains Sky Blue White Bee' Picture courtesy Ball StraathofIt is not difficult to imagine why Delphiniums are known as the “queen of the border” with their tall spikes of densely packed flowers in exquisite shades of soft lavender, light to deep blue, violet-purple, white and rose. Larkspurs are also unforgettable and easy to grow from seed. Read all about growing these beauties below.

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Page 1 of 17

Gardening in South Africa

Welcome to Gardening in South Africa!

Cuphea 'Southern Border' Picture courtesy MalanseunsFalse heathers have gained widespread appeal not only for their lush green or golden foliage and abundance of tiny flowers in many delicate colours, but also for their heat tolerance.

Jasminum multipartitumThe hardy starry wild jasmine is grown by gardeners all over the world because it is a very rewarding and easy to grow evergreen which is loved for its sweetly scented white flowers and beautiful foliage. Read all about growing it below