New Fairy Houses for Sale Sunday, 15 August 2021 16:47
Fairy House Light 'Shades of Pink'These bespoke fairy house night lights are sure to mesmerise your guests, and will look lovely in covered patios and entertainment areas, as well as indoors. They make perfect gifts for baby showers, but grownup ‘children’ will love them too! Click on the titles to read more.
Fast growing vegetables and herbs to sow in spring Sunday, 15 August 2021 12:14
Okra Image by itlife from PixabayIf you have decided to start growing more edibles, for whatever reason, but want super-quick results, I have rounded up some of the fastest growing intermediate season vegetables for spring and early summer, which will produce impressive results in no time. Read all about growing them below.
August - the unpredictable gardening month! Saturday, 07 August 2021 12:10
Image by Pezibear from PixabayAugust is known as the “windy month” in South Africa, and throughout the country August is also said to be the most unpredictable. Read more below on how to get to most out of your garden in August.
Chives are so much more than just a garnish! Wednesday, 28 July 2021 14:04
Chives in bloom. Image by Hans Linde from PixabayGardeners know how easy chives are to grow in pots or garden beds and love to use them as border plants for their tasty, fresh green leaves, and delightful profusion of violet flowers in summer. This herbs high concentration of sulphur compounds and other essential oils are also partly responsible for its healing properties. Read more below on how to grow and use chives at home.
Fairy Houses Monday, 26 July 2021 12:32
Miniature Fairy House "Tree Stump"Add a little magic to baby rooms, patios and indoor spaces with these miniature, bespoke fairy houses. Each one is hand-made and totally unique - no others quite like them will ever be made again. With mushrooms, flowers, hats, and even a hollow tree stump to choose from, you may find it hard to decide on your favourite one. Click on the pictures to read more.
Plums are the easiest to grow of all the deciduous stone fruits Wednesday, 21 July 2021 13:22
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.