Flamingo flowers are air purifiers Monday, 26 March 2018 12:41
Flamingo flowers are very effective as a natural air purifier.
In spite of its exotic appearance the flamingo flower is surprisingly low maintenance and it’s not hard to care for as long as you understand its needs. Once you have the plant in the right soil and the right location, watering and feeding is simple. A well-cared for plant, whether it is in your garden or home, will reward you with wonderful, long lasting flowers for many years. Just one plant can give a room a more tropical feel, so naturally, homeowners are adding this tropical plant to their outdoor rooms as well.
Tatsoi grows rapidly & can be harvested early Wednesday, 21 March 2018 07:50
Tatsoi grows so rapidly that fully mature plants can be harvested in just 45 to 50 days!
If you’re a fan of pre-washed, pre-packaged mixed baby greens, chances are you have come across tatsoi, and in many stores you can also buy whole plants. This beautiful looking Asian green will certainly grab your attention with its thick, lustrous green leaves which are spoon-shaped and arranged in a beautiful rosette of regular, concentric circles, and once you have sampled its soft creamy texture and subtle yet distinctive mild mustard flavour, you will certainly be hooked on this little plant.
Colour your garden warm this winter & spring. Thursday, 08 March 2018 13:45
Dianthus Bouquet Purple. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyDoes your summer flower garden start to fizzle out as soon as the cooler weather arrives? If so, you need a new plan to keep your beds blooming, and one which doesn’t cost a fortune either! It’s very hard not to get carried away at the garden centre when confronted with all those trays of delightful flowering seedlings, but please take a deep breath and stick to your original plan. Also, remember that no prize-winning flower garden can be created in the first year and a bit of planning beforehand will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Cosmos is a lovely non-toxic flower Thursday, 22 February 2018 12:40
Sonata Mix Cosmos. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyCosmos is a lovely non-toxic flower which is recommended for children’s gardens and safe around cats and dogs.
Cosmos are beautiful summer flowering annuals native to Mexico, where most of the species occur, as well as the United States, as far north as the Olympic Peninsula in Washington; and Central and South America, as far south as Paraguay.
Intermediate to cool season vegetable crops Monday, 19 February 2018 10:11
Broad Beans with white Primulas in frontTraditionally mid to late summer is the time to sow vegetable crops that enjoy growing in the intermediate to cool seasons.
Want to save money on the family budget this year? Vegetable prices are very high right now, so why not try growing your own - it's really easy and nothing beats the flavour of home grown veggies.
This birdfeeder is worth its weight in gold. Monday, 19 February 2018 08:59
People love attracting birds to their gardens because they bring life, movement, bird song, and hours of joy. Here the Red Bishops and the little Cape Sparrows vie for space, but somehow they all manage to get their share.
Hanging Baskets Friday, 02 February 2018 16:14
Summer hanging basket for semi-shade.Hanging baskets overflowing with flowers are hard to resist!
Have you ever admired a lush hanging basket bursting with blooms but simply thought it a bit overpriced? Well, not really, a well-designed hanging basket in full bloom has probably taken months of care to get it to a sellable size, and this is labour intensive too, so if you can afford one of these ’ready to go’ beauties, spoil yourself, you’re worth it!
Million Bells Thursday, 25 January 2018 14:53
Cabaret Cherry Rose Calibrachoa. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyMillion Bells is rather like a miniature petunia on steroids!
Million Bells (Calibrachoa syn Petunia) are short lived perennials which are often planted as summer annuals in South Africa - growing and flowering at an amazing rate! They bloom abundantly all spring and summer, until the first frosts, and in warm frost-free regions can flower all year round.
Gardenia is delighfully scented Tuesday, 23 January 2018 10:26
Gardenia augustaWarm summer breezes will waft the scent of Gardenia throughout the whole garden, much to the delight of everyone.
There are many cultivars of Gardenia augusta, including groundcover, dwarf and medium-sized varieties, so there’s a gardenia for every size garden. All the cultivars also grow beautifully in containers, so even if you only have a small patio or balcony garden, you can plant a Gardenia.
Chillies are not only good to eat! Sunday, 14 January 2018 11:40
Chillies are stunning in a simple wooden container. Chillies make great gifts for all occasions, gifts you can easily make at home and which don’t cost the earth either! To make them special requires only a little flair of your own, so let your imagination run wild and use whatever items you have around the house that can be re-cycled. Red chillies are perfect gifts to give for Christmas, and here a wooden crate is decorated with a red ribbon, but once the chillies are added the magic happens – it’s just that simple!
Sutera is creating quite a buzz! Monday, 08 January 2018 13:32
Sutera "Bermuda Sky" Picture courtesy www.newplant.co.zaSutera, with its profusion of delicate flowers all summer long, is creating quite a buzz amongst gardeners!
Sutera, Bacopa - Chaenostoma cordatum (= Sutera cordata)
Sutera remain firm favourites with gardeners around the world for their ease of growth and profusion of flowers throughout spring and summer.
Amaryllis just need a little TLC Wednesday, 13 December 2017 14:32
Amaryllis Blushing Bride. Picture courtesy www.hadeco.co.zaWith just a little TLC, Amaryllis will delight you with their gorgeous blooms year after year.
Popular for their festive, oversized flowers, amaryllis bulbs are commonly sold for the Christmas holiday season. Varieties include single flowered, double flowered and miniature’s, ranging in colour from red to salmon, orange, white and pink, with many varieties having stripes or contrasting edges.
Round Up Summer Colour Tuesday, 05 December 2017 11:00
RudbeckiaAsk any experienced gardener and they’ll tell you that no garden bed is complete without a representative of this group of annuals bringing their particular brand of hardy good cheer. Dianthus is one of those all-rounder’s that satisfies, no matter your priorities. If it’s a colourful show you’re after these little stunners can be coaxed into flowering throughout the year!
The Bladdernut tree is tidy Tuesday, 28 November 2017 09:47
Diospyros whyteana fruit & pods. Picture courtesy Malcolm Manners - see his flickr pageThe Bladdernut tree makes a truly attractive and tidy subject for any garden and is especially suitable for small gardens.
Bladdernut, Swartbas, Mohlatsane, munyavhili, umTenatane, uManzimane (Diospyros whyteana)
SA Tree No: 611