ISSUE 4 APRIL 2013

FROM GRASS TO GARDENGet creative and get rid of your default garden lawn

Leonotus leonurus Food and medicine for all

CLEMATIS BRACHIATA The most beautiful of local creepers

P18

P12

P24

EXTREME SHRUBS Coping with killing frosts and searing heat

P 8

2

Botanical Society of South Africa2013 Calendars

Kirstenbosch BranchTwo beautifully designed and printed calendars celebrating the centenaries of the Botanical Society and Kirstenbosch, available from July 2012. The Botanical Society calendar features 12 stunning artworks from selected botanical artists across the past century, and the Kirstenbosch heritage calendar showcases contemporary views of the garden echoed by archival im-ages from the same viewpoints.

The Birthday Calendar will also be available for R59.95

Contact Info:

Visitor Centre Bookshop: (021) 762 1621

Garden Centre Bookshop: (021) 762 6466

Mail Orders: A.Matthews@botanicalsociety.org.za

Website: www.botanicalsociety.org.za

botsoc ad.indd 1 2012/06/20 9:56 AM

A BOTANICAL ART CALENDAR 2013

Subscriber Give-away

2013 is an auspicious year in the floral history of South Africa – the centenary celebrations of both The Botanical Soci-ety of South Africa as well as our world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens, both founded in 1913.

To celebrate this milestone, two stun-ning 2013 calendars are now available: ‘Botanical Society of South Africa: cele-brating 100 years of botanical art’ and, ‘Kirstenbosch: 100 years, then and now’. South Africa has a rich history of talented botanic artists and a selection of their work has been put together to depict this important part of our floral history. While initially its main goal was scientific accuracy this art form has been taken to the highest levels and offers us illustrations of aesthetic beauty as well as scientific accuracy.

We are lucky enough to have 5 Botani-cal Society floral art calendars as give-away’s to a few lucky subscribers.

For those whose names are not pulled out of the proverbial hat, contact the bookshop at Kirstenbosch Gardens to place your order.

Subscribers names are automatically entered into the draw.

To qualify, subscribe now. Closing date: 20th October 2012

A special offer from The Indigenous Gardener and The Botanical Society of South Africa, Kirstenbosch branch, for all lovers of South African flora.

IN THIS ISSUE

Extreme Shrubs Inland gardening challanges can demoralize even the hardiest of gardeners. We offer a few hardy shrubs that will cope with extemes of frost and heat for Karoo gardens

P8

From Grass to GardenUninteresting and barren lawns can become show stoppers for all who pass by and add a warm welcome to visitors By Jenny Dean

P18

Leonotus leonurus Not only a beautiful wild shrub for all gardens, our local dagga plants offers food and medicine for all

By Lindsay Gray

P12 P10Hypericum spA rich sun yellow for year round colour

Shades of AutumnOne cannot let April pass by without showcasing the beauty of one of our most well loved indigenous varieties - Plectranthus

P14 P17The Beauty of Change A close look at the remarkable metamorphosis from caterpillar to pupa - stunning photographs from Steve Woodhall

Guerilla Gardening Horticultural Graffiti - part 2 By Louise Torr

P22

Ecological successionHow to make use this natural process in your garden

P26Gardening courses and nurseries ............................ p 5Whats in Flower ............................... p 6Points fo Ponder ............................... p 11The Replacer .............................. p 7Quirky ideas for the garden .............................. p 25Clematis brachiata .............................. p 24

Contact us: anno@theindigenousgardener.co.za Publisher: The Indigenous Gardener Editor: Anno TorrContributing writers: Anno Torr, Lindsay Gray, Jenny Dean, Louise Torr Photographers: Anno Torr, Martin Gardiner, Andrea Abbott, Elaine Kool, Lindsay Gray, Steve Woodhall, Louise Torr Graphic Design: digitlab Disclaimers and Copyrights: Opinions expressed in this magazine do not reflect those of The Indigenous Gardener or any project related to The Indigenous Gardener. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, The Indigenous Gardener cannot be held liable for inadvert-ent mistakes. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.

Pambati TreeA small shrub or tree for small spaces P28

Dear Readers,

From the Editor’s desk:

Sounds of the clicking stream frog echo like castanet’s in the damp of a misty evening, and the tiny Reed frogs have already put on their protective white blanket to prevent drying out through winter…it is the little creatures that have me marvelling at the tenacity and resilience of Nature – if we would but look after it.

I was given the gift of 3 pupas by Steve Woodhall - from the egg collection of our Wildlife gardener, Elaine Kool. They arrived in a large Fizz Pop see through plastic container (I really hope he didn’t eat them all!) and twice daily check ensued – morning and evening. Through sheer luck I arrived for, well to be honest, 20th check of the day, and imagine my delight to see the pupa begin to crack open! Cameras were all set up and even the 21 year old son was enthralled! But those exciting images await another month’s issue, for this month we have the outstanding photos from Steve of the caterpillar as it changes into the pupa! Not having seen these stages of either the caterpillar or butterfly before you can imagine then my soaring joy when a pupa of pale orange was spotted attached to my dog rose at the far end of the garden the following day. To date the count is 7 and the 3 gifts have been set free in the garden to begin the cycle all over again!

Nature’s resilience is uppermost in this household at the moment ass I watch the new rescue pup, Crystal the Africanus, flatten all in sight. In fact should I want to do an article on gardening with dogs I have at the ready a multitude of photographs – Crystal in the Crassula, flattening the Selaganella whose soft mossy mounds I had been admiring just the week before. The P. ciliatus about to be photographed has been flattened and the newly flowering Barleria is a favoured hide-out. The magnificent patch of Setaria megaphylla have been used as a maze as they chase each other about, and, aside from the couch, the compost heap is a favourite viewing platform! And on sorties past the small pond, the poor clicking stream frog has to dive for its life as Crystal goes fishing...or rather, frogging!

No matter, they will all pop up again in spring!

But for now turning the pages of the April issue is like putting up your eye to the old Kaleidoscope toy from the 70’s where with every turn a rush of colour and shade tumbles into view. From the oranges of Lindsay’s creative medicinal, food and landscaping shrub, Leonotus leonurus to the lemon yellows of the Curry bush; another twist and the mauves, pinks and whites of Plectranthus crystallize, all toned down with natural shades of succulent greens. For those battling to establish a garden in extreme conditions, we offer a small shrub selection to get you on your way and provide the protective barrier in which other species will establish. Nature’s principles and processes give us food for thought and the second instalment of those intrepid guerrilla gardeners in Durban suggests that with friends like these, Nature

stands a fighting chance.

Enjoy the feast – but perhaps in bite size morsels, unlike the pup that has eaten the maid’s chicken curry for lunch and cannot move! Thanks heavens!

Enjoy Anno

The Indigenous Gardener - gardening choices that make good planet sense.

April 2013

4

FROM THE EDITORS DESK…

Don’t forget to enter the Pretoria Botanical Society Photographic competition.

Entries close 30 April!

There are a variety of categories, so take a look at the advert on page 2 for further infor-mation

Clicking Stream frog about to dive for its life!!Cover image: Leonotus leonurus © Lindsay Gray

5

THE GARDENERS CALENDAR…CALENDAR OF EVENTS, COURSES AND SPECIALIST NURSERIES

School of Garden Design Principal Lindsay Gray

*Newsflash* Don’t miss our next Introduction to Garden Design & Maintenance course in Gauteng, which includes a new and exciting module on ex-ploring the concepts of biodiversity and sustainability in your garden. Guest lecturer,Tinus Oberholzer, who revised Pitta Joffe’s book will be with us on the first day. Course will be held at Ran-dom Harvest Nursery on 10 - 12 May.

New Course available: Living on Earth Naturally: Exploring Biodiversity and Sustainabilityand how it impacts on the urban gardener. Click here for further information.

We have an Indigenous nursery in Assagay, KwaZulu- NatalOpening hours: Fri - 9 am - 4 pm; Sat: 8:30 - 1 pm; For consultations, design and landscaping Call Jenny on Cell: 0824694686: email: jennyd@ion.co.zaFollow me on facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Jenny-Dean-Wildflowers

April

07

World Earth Day

Freedom DaySouth Africa

April

22April

27World

Health Day

Contact Lindsay Gray email: lingray@schoolofgardendesign.co.zaWebsite: www.schoolofgardendesign.co.za

1

4

2

5

3

6

7 8 9

6

WHAT’S IN FL WER?April is an inbetween month, linking summer and autumn; a transition where the nights can be quite cool and the days still hot. The air is looking distinctly thinner and less intense but beware, plants can still burn in this sunlight as the lowering sun reaches further into the shaded areas. Many tree canopies will be thin-ning out so make sure the plants under here can cope with the extra amount of sun they will now receive. For many, we now move into the most enjoyable weather period so enjoy before it gets too cool.

TREES:Cussonia spicataDeinbolia oblongifoliaGalpinia transvaalicaHalleria lucidaPappea capensis (4)Peltophorum africanumPoducarpus falcatusSalix mucronataTarchonanthus camphoratesZiziphus mucronataAnastrabe integrrimiaMaesa lanceolata

SHRUBS: Plectranthus ecklonii/ fruticosus/ Bauhinia tomentosaTecoma capensis (2)Barleria obtusaMetarungia longistrotobusIndigofera jucunda/micranthaCarissa macrocarpaHypoestes aristataPolygala spDuvernoia adhatodoidesDuvernoia aconitiflora (8)Hoslundia oppositaEuryops pectinatus (6)

GRASSESSetaria megaphyllaAristida junciformis Eragrostis curvula (3)

PERENNIALS/GC/ Aloe deyeri (7)Bulbine frutescensAloe tenuiorBarleria repens rosea (1)Plec oertendahlii (5)Plectranthus species

7

THE REPLACERREPLACING EXOTICS AND RAMPANT WEEDS

Gazania rigens Trailing Daisy: The delightful common name of Pig’s Ear gives an accurate indication of leaf shape and the thick succulents grey to green leaves are often tipped with a thin red line on the edges and are good cooling contrasts in a hot rockery or garden bed. There are a variety of forms depending on the local conditions, all bringing rich colour to a winter garden. Most flower from June to August while those from the Western Cape, in response to the rainfall season, flower in mid-summer. Flowers are tubular bells hanging in dense clusters from the top of a long single flowering stalk. Colour ranges from shades of orange to red. Moderately frost hardy this species occurs in grassland areas in the fynbos region as well as the Karoo.

Wedelia or Singapore Daisy This is native to Central America and is a worldwide prob-lem. Brought in as an ornamental it readily escapes from gardens and invades natural areas. It is listed as one of the 100 worst invasive species globally. It is a creeping, mat forming groundcover that seeds and roots where the stems touch the ground. Its dense growth crowds out indigenous species. Only chemical and mechanical methods of control will work and follow up is essential.

Arctotheca calendula Cape Weed This is a most attractive succulent for hot dry areas, a popular water-wise plant. Leaves grey/green, the edges flushed red in a dry winter and are large, rounded in shape and fleshy. From Febru-ary through to June long flowering stalks grow up from the tight rosette, coated in a soft silver/white ‘flour’ which can dust the entire plant giving rise to the common name ‘Silver lady’. The flowers are tiny pale yellow tubes loved by a wide variety of insects, bees in particular. It self seeds easily and also grows from stem cuttings. It enjoys rocky bushveld habitats.

Sunny South Africa we may be but many areas experience weather extremes that make gardening an ongoing challange. But nature has provided a solution in the form of tough shrubs.

EXTREME SHRUBS

Euryops lateriflorus

Buddleja salvifolia

Grewia flava

Hoodia gordonii

Buddleja glomerata

The semi-arid, dry regions in-land of the country offer challenging conditions for gardeners here – rocky soils that are

fast draining with little water holding capacity, intense summer temperatures and low levels of rainfall along with winter frosts which in some areas are quite severe. The plant species that survive these conditions are a combination of succulents, small trees and shrubs, tough veld grasses and a surprising number of perennials.

The cold season is approaching...

As temperatures cool through autumn plant growth begins to slow down as most species head towards the dormant season of winter. While spring is the best time to establish a garden in

these parts, it is possible to establish protective areas of trees and shrubs in the April months. Areas that experience really extreme frosts though can either choose to wait and plant in the warmer temperatures of spring, or make sure that newly planted species are very well protected with layers of hay and hessian through winter. Many species that are frost hardy when mature are quite frost tender when young and should be protected in their first two years.

Shrubs to protect

These challenging conditions make gardening difficult and one of the best ways of establishing a garden here it to plant up protected areas in which other more tender species can then grow. Begin with fast growing species to create this pocket such

as the small shrub Lessertia frutescens (Cancer bush, formally Sutherlandii) or the Karoo Sage, Buddleja glomerata. The lesser known variety of Euryops, E. lateriflorus will also offer protection as well as golden flowers on a 1m high rounded bush. Perhaps the most famous species from the Karoo if the Hoodia gordonii, used around the world as an appetite suppressant. This should be planted in all Karoo style gardens!

The Diospyros family are tough plants generally the commons ones from this inland region, D. lycoides (Karoo bluebush) and D. austro-africana (Firesticks) will do best of all. Mix these with two of the most attractive of the Grewia species namely G. flava and G. occidentalis. Offering nectar, pollen and berries they support a myriad number of wildlife species.

The Karoo num-num, Carissa haematocarpa, makes an excellent barrier at the same time as protecting against winds and providing fruits for the frugivores. It grows up to 2m in height with the typical fragrant white flowers of the species although it is a slower grower. A longer lasting shrub than the faster growing pioneers it will be encouraged to grow faster when planted in a mix alongside the other species.

Buddleja salvifolia will provide protection in no time growing between 3 – 5 m. Their strong fragrance attracts moths and butterflies as their main pollinators and is a good choice to screen a veranda from cold winds.

The stiff thorny branches of the yellow pomegranate family, Rhigozum obovatum, brewispinosum and trichotomum grow happily in the extremes of this region coping easily with the very hot summers, low rainfall and heavy frost. Mixing well with the above shrub choices are any of the extensive Searsia family, erosa and undulata in particular. Small to medium, they are all between 1.5 and 3m in height. Planting local species will ensure successful gardening in extreme conditions.

Dyospyros lycoides

Searsia undulata

Lessertia frutescens

10

HYPERICUM REVOLUTUMAdding cheer to an autumn garden this showy shrub is a great fit for large and small gardens offering flowers for much of the year

With intense acid yellow flowers against bright green leaves and brown stems tinged with russet Hypericum revo-

lutum is a shrub that really packs a punch. It has a beautiful shape forming a dense screen of up to 2m with an equal spread which, as an evergreen, lasts year round. It is said to give off a slight curry smell after the rains - hence the common name, Curry bush or kerriebos.

Description: The flowers are very pretty with soft fluffy yellow stamens massed in the centre of the 5 soft petals. Birds visit and can be seen scrounging for insects and once established this shrub will show off its flowers almost year round ensuring wildlife will be in attendance constantly. Its full size will be reached after 4 years or so but it does begin to flower at 2 years. It makes a most attractive soft hedge with its neat growth habit and size and makes a lovely flowering shrub for smaller gardens as well. The branches gracefully arch from the central stem covered in narrow-pointed leaves.

While enjoying both sun and semi-shade conditions it will perform better in shaded conditions if it receives some sun through the day and does need good rains. Add good amounts of compost to the planting hole and keep the curry bush well

mulched with layers of leaf mould to encourage strong growth and resilience. If it does begin to sprawl somewhat a prune at the end of winter will encourage new central growth.

Often seen as a pioneer shrub the natural habitat of this Hyperi-cum is scrub forest where it will be found on the edges, damp grassland and also alongside streams. It is said to be nature’s firebreak as it does not burn well helps to protect the forest where it grows on the edges. As these natural conditions sug-gest the Curry bush is frost tender and will not cope with long dry periods.

In the garden: Mixed with wild grasses and grassland wildflowers, or as part of a mixed shrubbery H. revolutum adds year round colour and does well in a large container on the patio. It is important to keep the container moist and the plant well fed. Combine it in semi-shade with the contrasting hues of the Plectranthus species as where it will bring out the intense flower and leaf colour. For smaller gardens with limited space this is a bright and cheerful shrub through all the seasons.

Provincial distribution: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga

POINTS TO PONDER.....Nature’s Principles to live by – Bio-diversity and natural pest control.

As pressures of the modern world mount we need to learn to tread more gently upon the earth and we could do no better than learning to take advantage of the principles by

which nature works.

Through trial and error over eons of time nature learned to introduce great variety into the natural landscape and in so doing has created built-in checks and balances that ensure no single species is able to dominate (humans excluded!). In this way species numbers are kept in balance relative to one another and the eco-system as a whole. This great variety creates a multitude of habitat types, limiting the size of a single habitat that would favour the proliferation of certain species over others.

As humans became enamoured with designing our spaces we tweaked this successful nat-ural design to ‘simplify’ our environment: for us this meant fewer species in keeping with that oft quoted mantra of modern designers, ‘less is more’. We created single habitats that were suitable for fewer species increasing their numbers significantly, immediately upset-ting the delicate balance between species resulting in incomplete and inefficient systems. Large swathes of single specie stands allow diseases and fungi that favour a specific plant to spread unchecked. And yet we talk about companion planting as though we invented it – but this is what habitat design is all about, where specific plant types are grouped together in mutually beneficial combinations. This is less successful with fewer species.

Our new global society added another problem when we began to transport plant around the world as many bugs and insects went along for the ride. Out of the reach of their natu-ral predators back home foreign species were able to multiply unheeded, a problem we then tried to solve through the misguided and far too general use of poisons.

We are far down the road now and many systems are not recoverable, species cannot be brought back from extinction, but we can take our cue from Nature and use these principles to begin to put back in place the natural systems of checks and balances – after all, we are a part of this world too and in poisoning it, we poison ourselves.

Freshly emerged Blood-Red Acraea

Praymantis eating a fly. Photo attribution: By Avenue (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

OUR MAGICAL AFRICAN PLANTSBy Lindsay Gray

In this series we will showcase a different plant each month, where we discuss the plant’s attributes towards landscaping and its medicinal properties according to the indigenous people of Southern Africa. As this article is not intended as a scientific paper, please do not attempt to self-medicate without a professional healer’s assistance.

This tough plant can grow up to three metres in height and at least 1,5 metres wide. It is a soft-wooded plant with square, fluted stems and long, narrow leaves found opposite on the stem just below the whorls of flowers. The leaves are serrated, rough above and velvety below. Bright orange flowers are carried in compact clusters in whorls along the flower stalk. A distinguish-ing feature of this plant is the spacing between the flowers along the stalk.In warm, sunny conditions, the plant will start to flower in late summer and through autumn. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens refer to their Leonotis as flowering all through summer and well into autumn.

Ideal conditionsLeonotis is a tough plant that is fairly drought and frost resist-ant. It is also popular in Europe and America. Where it is grown

Family : Lamiaceae (mint family) English : Lion’s ear; Wild Dagga Afrikaans : Wildedagga; Duiwelstabak Zulu : Umunyane Xhosa : Umfincafincane; Invovo

Derivation of Name : Leonotis = from the Greek leon (lion) and otis (ear) alluding to the resemblance of the corolla to a lion’s ear. Species : leonurus = lion-coloured.

BackgroundLeonotis leonurus is widespread across South Africa and typi-cally grows amongst rocks in grassland areas. The plant was first introduced to the early settlers by the Khoikhoi who smoked it as a tobacco. There is a white variety, L. leonurus var. albiflora, as well as the ‘klipdagga’, L. leonitis (although the new What Flower is That? revised edition gives it the name L. ocymifolia)

LEONOTUS LEONURUS

© Lindsay Gray

12

13

outdoors overseas in cold climates, it dies back completely and comes up again in the spring.Because it grows so easily, it is often relegated to a corner of the garden where it becomes straggly and unattractive. However, given optimal growing conditions and the occasional soft trim-ming, Leonotis is be a beautiful, well-formed shrub.Plants should be cut right back at the end of winter. Propagate from seed, cuttings or by dividing up large clumps.

In the gardenLeonotis is fast growing and relatively frost hardy. It should be well watered in summer but does not require much water in the winter months. Despite being easy to grow in a range of condi-tions, the plant prefers well drained loamy soils with plenty of compost added.This is an excellent plant for attracting wildlife to your garden as the flowers produce copious nectar which attracts nectivorous birds, bees, butterflies and other insects, which in turn, attract the insectivorous birds. Even weavers with their seed-cracking beaks, will pierce the flower at the base to get to the tasty nectar.

The height of the plant makes it an obvious choice as a background plant in a sunny position that might receive either early morning or late afternoon shade only. Both the orange and white forms are dramatic with their textured foliage and unusually formed flower whorls and can either form an attractive background planting to other succulent species or be the perfect stand-alone specimen. It will also combine well with other soft, scrambling shrubs.Orange and blue are the complementary colours on the colour wheel, so the orange flowers of the Leonotis combine perfectly with the blue Plumbago auriculata and the purple bush-violet, Barleria obtusa, as well as all the purple and violet-flowering Plectranthus species and the blue-flowering Pycnostachys ur-ticifolia. With such a wide range of heights available in the Plec-tranthus family, be sure to combine the Leonitis with some of the shorter flowering species to depth and interest in the garden bed.

Medicinal value Margaret Roberts describes this plant as a ‘medicine chest’. Black

and white folk alike have used the plant successfully to treat chest ailments and skin disorders.

Here are two handy recipes for infusions to treat the following : A soothing cough and cold remedy : Place a 1/4 cup of fresh flowers in 1 cup of boiling water, stand, steep for minutes then strain and sweeten with honey if preferred. Leonotis contains ex-pectorant properties that can eliminate a cough, and many have used it to relieve the symptoms of colds, general chest ailments and bronchitis.

As a topical treatment for the relief of insect bites and stings and to speed up healing : Take four cups of leaves, stems and flowers and pour two litres of boiling water over them – stand, steep and cool. Dab this on to any insect bites, sores, and bee or wasp stings. This infusion is also known to reduce the stinging effects of sunburn.Both the Zulu and Xhosa people know the plant as being effective against snake bites and to keep snakes away from the home-stead. Either the above infusion is applied to the area of the snakebite by means of a cloth soaked in the infusion and tied around the area of the bite, or a decoction of the plant is sprinkled around the house to keep snakes away.

Leonotis leonurus can be used to treat various menstrual com-plaints. It has the ability to regulate menstrual periods and elimi-nate delayed menstruation. Wild dagga also relieves menstrual discomfort and eases the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. The leaves and flowers provide a synergistic effect when com-bined with other substances, increasing their potency. For exam-ple, if someone is making chamomile or passionflower tea to reduce insomnia, adding some Leonotis leonurus flowers or leaves to the tea will make the soporific, or sleep-inducing, quali-ties of the tea much stronger.

It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine to aid in body de-toxification by its purgative action and to expel parasites. (Per-haps we can barter Leonitis for our rhinos!

Animal care : The Tswana, Zulu and Sotho make a strong brew of leaves, flowers and stems and use this as an enema in livestock to treat parasites. The infusion is also given to animals for respiratory problems and applied as a lotion to stock and other pets as a wash for wounds, scratches, bites and stings. A few chopped leaves given to chickens suffering with diarrhoea seems to be a quick and effective treatment.

While not related to the true dagga, Cannibis, the leaves of the Leonotis leonurus contain a substance called leonurine, which, when smoked, have a mild psychoactive effect that has been de-scribed as being similar to marijuana. This is an alkaloid that produces the sedative and psychoactive effects. Either smoking Leonotis leonurus or drinking the tea will provide this euphoria. Some suspect that leonurine might be as addictive as nicotine, but more research needs to be done before this can be confirmed. The smoke, however, is reportedly bad tasting and can irritate both the throat and the lungs. Think of this plant instead as a wonderful, decorative feature!

References :Indigenous Healing Plants, Margaret Robertswww.plantzafrika.comwww.wisegeek.com

14

SHADES OF AUTUMNPlectranthus species make April a special autumn month and they can be used in many shady areas around the country

Plectranthus are the herald’s of autumn and The Indigenous Gardener cannot let April pass by without mention of these

shady favourites! Although the flowering season of each species is relatively short they still impart a breathtaking impact to any garden and can be used in many different landscape designs.

In general most of our Plectranthus species are coastal dwellers but such is the topography of our landscape that frosty mountains and valleys can be found close to the coast in which many species survive sub-zero temperatures. This coastal and frost hardiness is a bit of a surprise given their soft leaves and stems. But under the shade of evergreens a warmer micro-climate protects them from strong winds and light frosts.

Design ideas:Sweeping curves: the softly mounding groundcover and perennial species strengthen the shape of a pathway or the curves of a shady flower bed: try P. ciliatus with its strong maroon veins and undersides topped off in autumn with white plumes. It makes a very neat edging and spreads via rooting stems to quickly cover any bare space. If acclimatised from a young seedling it will handle some sun through the day. the low growing P. fruticosus ‘James’, while more lax in growth habit, also lines a pathway with gorgeous soft pink spires, larger than P. ciliatus, which are enhanced by the lark green/maroon leaves. It doesn’t offer as neat an edge though.

Gracing the sides of shady steps:A mix of species add great impact at the start of a series of shady steps – try P. zuluensis as a large shrubby backdrop fronted with P. fruticosus ‘James’ and P. ciliatus spreading out to hug the ground in front. Contrast these darker greens with limes: P. ciliatus Sasha, Bulbine natalensis, P. madagascariensis and Hen and Chickens in warmer gardens. Try Asparagus densiflorus, P. verticilatus, Sanseveria sp and any of the Crassula species in thicket gardens. Bushveld gardens can contrast the shrub

species with P. amboinicus, P. petiolaris, Haemanthus and Scadoxus species; Highveld gardens have their own local species namely P. hereroensis and woodii but those from other areas will do well if given some measure of protection: P. ambiguous, ciliatus, madagascariensis, verticilatus mixed with a variety of Chlorophytum species.

A shrubbery of intense hues:Beneath the canopy of a garden tree a well mixed selection of Plectranthus ecklonii and P. fruticosus of the most beautiful deep pink are offset by, in this particular case, the lemon yellow flowers of an exotic shrub/small tree. Replace this with the indigenous Hypericum revoluta (Curry bush) with flowers of the same acid yellow to get the same rich, striking effect. The orange of the Strelitzia flower offer a classic colour combination of purple and orange. This stunning display, whilst only occurring for a relatively short period is well worth its place in any garden. Hypericum will only handle light shade but both Plectranthus ecklonii and P. fruticosus are happy in light to partial shade so be sure to create this mix in the correct area.

Hedge: Plectranthus saccatus clips well into an evergreen hedge. The trick is to prune at the correct time to ensure you don’t cut off the flowering buds! Do the initial main trim at the end of winter, and neaten through spring and summer, but leave alone from mid-summer onwards. As an informal hedge or screen P. saccatus is fairly compact with a neat growth habit that will look good at all times with a light to moderate prune at the end of winter. Used in this way it will enhance the length of a woodland walk and creates a great display if mixed colours of blue/mauve and white intermingle. The common name, Stoep Plectranthus, suggest success as a pot plant on a shaded veranda/patio.

Cool gravel: In light shade and against a backdrop of light coloured gravel or paving Plectranthus purpuratus, with its small, glossy dark green leaves makes an attractive impact. Against this lighter colour the groundcover looks good all year round and the small white flowers add that little extra oomph in autumn. This species in particular makes an excellent pot plants and drapes beautifully over the sides of a hanging basket. If it gets too wet it does suffer from fungal diseases so in many areas it can be used, as with P. oertendahlii, as an annual. A light trim through the year will help to retain a neat, bushy shape as it can become rather lanky, sparsely leaved and loose in shape.

A mix of forms: Try Plectranthus fruticosus or one of your local lower growing species like P. ambiguus at the feet of a strong architectural form plant like the indigenous Dragon tree, Dracaena aletriformis. This forest and woodland species has strong, long leathery leaves, dark green and glossy and in spring to summer large bunches of sweetly fragranced white to cream flowers grow on large flowering stems that appear almost too heavy for the plant. Bright orange pulpy seeds form thereafter and are loved by a wide variety of birds. Plectranthus fruticosus with its large soft leaves and low mounding growth habit, and the fluffy plumes of P. ambiguus contrast well against this strong form.

Skirting the tree trunksUse a mix of Plectranthus species as a backdrop against which the strong lines of a tree trunk can be viewed. Here a mix of

Plectranthus hybrids work well and are shown off by the lime green leaves of Bulbine natalensis and P. ciliatus ‘ Sasha’. Warm, full of colour and begs a closer look. As a driveway bed, it is a showstopper!

It is easy to be creative with Plecs – throw in a few bulbs and perennials as surprises through the season. Each year can be different with new additions! And don’t forget to prune at the end of winter. If any frost damage occurs only cut off damaged parts as the temperatures warm up.

THE BEAUTY OF CHANGEFrom caterpillar to butterfly...how many of us get to see this wonderous stage in the life-cy-cle of a butterfly. From this pupa will emerge a Blood-Red Acraea Images ©Steve Woodhall.

17

18:40 pm, the cremaster is hooked up The thorax can be seen just beginning 21:19... More of the thorax is pushing and it will begin to push to emerge from the skin through

21:20... almost there as the thorax con-tinues to push through the skin

21:21 The proboscis is now out... The pupa is still trying to get rid of the old skin

21:26.It has been wriggling for five min-utes but does need to conserve energy to emerge as a butterfly!

21:32. Skin is now gone and it can now relax and expand the wing cases

A fully hardened pupa. Next month.... a butterfly emerges...

A slab of lawn is gardening by defaut! Why not let the creative juices flow and design for interest and posterity By Jenny Dean

FROM GRASS TO GARDEN

19

There is a trend afoot in the gardening world. The traditional lawn, manicured, fertilised and mowed like an army crew cut

is fast fading in popularity...

The bright green, weed- free half acre lawn of old is like a demanding mistress needing lots of attention. Water, herbicide, fertiliser to encourage fast luxuriant growth in order to be mown down - all so we can start the cycle again...

There has to be a better way! And there is. Think carefully about how much of this sterile medium you actually need. By sterile I mean this – a lawn supports little or no insect activity and any creatures that do dare to venture into Mans prized green acre are usually swiftly dispatched. Too often I am asked what to do about an “ant problem “or an “invasion of crickets”. If our aim is to encourage wildlife and bring some eco sanity into our lives then surely we can do things differently.

I suggest you leave a small patch suitable for your needs (kids ball games, dogs to stretch legs etc) and dig up the rest! A bold step I agree. I have followed my own advice and never regret-ted the choice. I have a tiny patch of lawn in front of my house, enough for a table and chairs and a place for the dogs to do their business.

I have a relaxed attitude to so called weeds and would certainly never use an herbicide to “control” them. The rest of my tiny space has been turned over to real grass – a mosaic of wild grasses with a few authentic grassland bulbs and aloes added for interest and colour. Bordering this is an equally tiny veg-etable garden right outside the kitchen door. The black eyed bulbuls and Mousebirds really enjoy the abundance of cherry tomatoes and I happily share my crop with them.

The garden pictured here was a mangy piece of lawn with the usual tired bed under the windows. This is the entrance to the house and was uninteresting for the human inhabitants and certainly held no attraction for birds or other creatures. A steep short grassy bank flanked the road in front of the house and was difficult to mow and maintain in a decent state.

The grass was first to go – we left just a little alongside the path.

Then we shaped the bank so the slope was not quite so severe. Beautiful rocks from a local quarry went in next. Please note: NEVER use weathered rocks in your garden – it is illegal to do so and results in the destruction of the habitat from which they have been obtained. The planting – always the fun part – followed.

The first thing to note is where the sun shines... this area was tricky as it gets lots of sun in Summer and less in Winter and it is important to plant accordingly. In the sunny hot piece we used aloes and succulents – Aloe ferox for form and splendid

20

red/orange blooms in June , for medium height my favourite Aloe vanbaleni – wonderful lime green leaves in a knee high rosette. The foliage turns a pinkish red in the dry conditions of winter and the flowers are majestic gold spikes. Added to the mix are Aloe chabaudii with short fat red heads and Aloe maculata - sometimes red sometimes orange.

A wonderful filler for between the aloes is Crassula capitella – lime green with dainty white flowers which are a magnet to tiny blue butterflies. Also useful as a colourful filler is Cras-sula multicava; I love the form with the red underside to the leaf. They divide up easily – simply break pieces off and plant – no roots needed. Bulbine natalensis is another stalwart in a garden such as this as it will tolerate some sun and yet thrives in the shady winter conditions.

We used a succulent species from the Cape – one of the Glot-tiphyllums – bright yellow flowers and fat green fingers for leaves – It never becomes rampant, forming a little puddle of yellow delight. Kalanchoe thyrsiflora or White lady always re-minds me of cabbages – quite gorgeous with grey round leaves and pink edges. This plant always adds interest to a garden. Here and there we planted the Kraal aloe, Aloe arborescens – very common but a favourite of mine as it flowers so prolifically

in winter. In the beds against the walls we left the clients original fuschias which are very happy here. Plectranthus “Mona Lavender” went in with the White Snowbrush (Haemanthus albiflos) at their toes. These delightful plants push up white paint brush like flowers in autumn. Bright red berries follow, these glow luminescent red in the shade. Double colour!

Burchellia bubalina, the Wild Pomegranate went in the space between the windows to provide height and orange blooms in spring. Indigofera micrantha – a dainty shade loving beauty is also here. When in bloom it looks as if it is covered in tiny snowflakes. Arum lilies thrive around the bird bath which is a lovely feature just to the left of the front door. Clumps of Anthericum saundersaie and dwarf Agapanthus both blue and white soften the whole look.

This little garden is in its infancy and in time will thicken and fill out until no bare soil is visible. It needs little or no water and is already proving to be attractive to birds.

Remove superfluous lawn and see what planting opportunities open up. You can do so much in a little space!

GUERRILLA GARDENING - preparing the trenches by Louise TorrStrategisingNo battle can be won without long-term planning and strategising. To be impervious to attack, ground work must be done: soil must be fortified and prepared, and the terrain must remain advantageous to all the foot soldiers that shield and defend it against adversity. The blueprint of this campaign is built on the principle of sustainability, as practised in permaculture, a hard-core and seditious form of gardening.

Recycling and re-creation

Method There is no need to attack and bombard the ground with lethal spades and forks that loosen soil, turn it upside down and dehydrate it. This is akin to starving the enemy and chemical warfare, annihilating beneficial infantry in the garden and their micro-organic soil allies, exterminating their habitats and leaving it all to be finished off by the scorching sun and hostile wind. The result is ground zero. There is a far better tactic with intelligent underground manoeuvres, which does not involve rocket science. The code is MULCH - underground and top-secret! It surreptitiously keeps the soil moist, fed and naturally well-drained, usually impervious to attack.

MunitionsIt does not cost the earth to acquire munitions for mulching. A thrifty quarter-master can perform this duty. In our case we do it with discarded household resources and from detritus left by the public who assume that the park is a landfill site, where methane gas is manufactured. Our guest house Mackaya Bella, alongside the park, provides sufficient ammunition for our current campaign. We have a stash of egg boxes, and pizza boxes disrespectfully ditched by guests. Secret and treasonable documents, destroyed in the office shredder form a particularly premeditated tactic and supply source to our underground campaign.From the park, we capitalise on dead branches and twigs of trees that fall to the ground. Garden warriors help to cut these down to size so that we can demarcate garden zones. Our greatest ally is the tractor driver, mowing down the knee high grass before

Used pizza boxes, egg boxes and shredded paper will stop the grass from growing. Covered with grass cutting from the park, it will all soon start to decompose and form a shallow compost heap, ready for planting in a month’s time.

cold-heartedly moving onto his next killing field. His wasteland is our paradise. Within a day these cuttings begin to dry out and decompose, and form the fuel of our underground campaign.Our ploy is to place the cardboard and paperwatse directly onto the ground, immediately depriving the grass below of light. The cardboard absorbs the moisture from the ground and retains it while slowly breaking down. Garden warriors collect the grass cuttings into veritable haystacks, and cover the cardboard so that it does not blow away, thereby hiding it from the enemy, quick to report our clandestine operations to authorities.

MulchingHealthy soil means healthy plants. Mulching and composting are the cornerstones of our covert operations, and the secret of a successful campaign. Compost is to plants what a balanced diet is to people. Plants will grow without it, but they will feel much like we would on a diet depleted of nutrients, minerals and water. It is pure organic soil food without artificial additives. The most secretive approach is to make your own. You know what goes into it, and can be rest assured that there has been no bootlegging or camouflaged poisonous chemicals packaged as compost.

Making hay while the sun shines

Battlefield and theatre of war is established using branches and twigs from the park.

Comrades Jon, Tessa and Joseph doing re-creational and recycling activities in the park, and truning wrongs into rights.

ConspiratorsEisenia Fetida make up a disciplined army of red worms that help create beneficial chemical weapons, transforming decomposing food into a rich vermicompost and fertiliser. They never tire of battle, even in the filthiest of trenches and turn putrid green kitchen waste into gun powder for the soil. Kitchen waste is placed it in the top tray and processed waste harvested from the bottom tray (see insert). The army of red worms wriggle upwards towards the fresh waste in the top division. When the vermicompost is ready in the bottom division, it goes straight to the garden.

Another top secret – if you are wondering where the best strategic position is for your red army and your compost heap, ask yourself whether you would take an armchair and sit there yourself. If the answer is no, then change your strategy and position. The best place for your garden allies is under a lovely shady tree, where you can put your feet up, have a G&T and survey your territory. Commanders-in-chief treat their allies with respect and consideration if they want peak performance.

Dodging the snipersGuerrilla gardening is not without the risks of warfare. Enemies hide

Eisenia Fetida or red wrigglers living off household waste and transforming it into a rich vermicompost, used in the

guerilla garden (insert).

behind many bushes and guises. On Easter Monday, comrades valiantly recycled builder’s rubble into their guerrilla garden. The rubble was dumped by the engineers of the fortified barricade recently erected by sworn enemies of nature conservation. Two police officers drew up in their car, further drawing the lines of battle.Clutching onto our pitchforks, our ragamuffin and dishevelled troop stood our ground and defended our patch. The officers were far from hostile - they had noticed other battlefields of guerrilla gardening throughout the city. We soon realised that they could be persuaded to join forces with us.

We closely missed being drawn and quartered.

CLEMATIS BRACHIATA Fragrant and quite stunning our indigenous Clematis is every bit as gorgeous as the exotic hybrids

Around the country the sweetly fragranced creamy flowers of this species, arguably the most beautiful of our climbers, spills out of tree canopies and

shrubberies in the wild. Perhaps not as well know as the highly ornamental and wildly popular hybrids seen in Europe, our own indigenous original is as beautiful and quite easy to grow and maintain. With an extensive distribution around the country this versatile deciduous climber can be used in just about any garden. Currently in flower (February to May) the Clematis is one of the most rewarding of our creepers as the flowers form masses, completely cover-ing the creeper in creamy white flowers, each flower with 5 pointed petals like stars. The centre stamens are a fluffy yellow and very showy. The flowers are over by the end of May to be followed by seeds that are as decorative in their own right, appearing from May through to August. Being wind dispersed they are have very light silky tails which assists them being borne about by a strong wind or even a soft breeze.

Habitat and distrubution:Occurring in most provinces and at altitudes from sea-level to the upper reaches of the Drakensberg, C. brachiata is drought resistant, frost hardy (although probably doesn’t do as well at temperatures below -7OC) and happy in summer and winter rainfall regions – indicative of its very wide natural range. It is said to possess wonderful medicinal properties used by traveller’s long ago who were able to make use of its properties to ease the difficulties of long journeys where ever they travelled such is its widespread occurrence.

Within the garden:Growing some 5m or so Clematis brachtiata should be given strong sup-port in the form of a tree, large thicket over which it can scramble as it does in the wild, or the standard pergola, trellis or fence. It also does well if left to scramble down a slope as a groundcover. It does seem to enjoy having the roots in shade with the foliage able to reach up into the bright sun. This is easy enough to do: simply place a paving stone or group of rocks around the roots. If a severe frost does damage the plant prune back only when the temperatures begin to warm and it will soon send up new shoots in spring. A light pruning of the easy to reach creepers twining over man-made supports at the end of winter will encourage fresh more compact growth and help to tidy it up after its growing season. Those growing up trees and over large shrubs will have to

let nature takes it course! Mix it with other lighter creepers that flower at different times for an ex-tended flowering display over its support – choose one indigenous to your area. To make the most of its wonderfully sweet fragrance plant close to the evening patio or intermingle it in a shrubbery around the fire pit at the bottom of the garden – a great way of enticing friends and family to enjoy the far reaches of your indigenous garden rather than simply viewing it from the tame sanctity of the patio!

Most gardeners will be satisfied with only one of these large creepers but they can be propagated via seed sown in spring or from cuttings taken through summer.

A part of the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae): common names: Traveller’s Joy, Wild Clematis, Klimop and Lemoenbloeisels, Umdlonzo (Z)

24

25

QUIRKY GARDENING IDEASMEASURING MADE SIMPLE...

Handy measurements:

When planting a new bed the mature size of the plant indicates how far apart each plant needs to be.

Rather than carrying a ruler or measuring tape make use of these simple measuring tools that you literally carry around with you by default!

Whole hand: from the wrist to tip of middle finger (on most people, approximately 18 to 25 centimeters),

Finger distances: spreading out your digits as if playing an entire octave on the piano the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger is approximately 20 – 22 cm. As the recommended planting distance between many groundcovers is 20 cm this is a very useful measure.

Hand’s inside span: from crook at base of thumb to tip of index finger (generally around 14 centimeters), Thumb’s rule: the length of the last joint of the thumb (generally 2 to 5 centimeters).

Measure your own hand first for more accuracy.

Organic plant food:Water potted patio plants with the water from boiled or steamed vegetables - the plants respond well to this organic “vegetable soup.”

Sprinkle old tea bags and coffee grounds in the soil around acid loving plants. A light sprinkling of about 2/3s of a teaspoon once a month will keep the pH of the soil on the acidic side. Most of the fynbos species like to grow in acid soils.

Weather guage:To make an old rain gauge easy to read from a distance, just add a few drops of food colouring. Each time you empty the gauge, add a few fresh drops.

Ecological SuccessionHow does knowledge of this natural process help us design our gardens?Within the field of ecology succession is defined as ‘The gradual and orderly process of change in an ecosystem brought about by the progressive replacement of one community by another until a stable climax is established’. To put it more simply: it is a process by which plants and other organisims succeed each other (where one species takes the place of another) resulting in a change of species composition within an eco-system. Many ecologists are now of the opinion though that, as a result of constant disturbance, a stable climax is never reached, that eco-systems are constantly changing.

Whether it is a flood or fire, clearing the land for urban develop-ment, the maturing of a habitat, the clearing of a forest or the bulldozing of a meadow species succession will begin to take place quite quickly.

Disturbed sites are naturally colonised by pioneers. These are opportunist plants, usually with a wide distribution range that happily take root in a wide variety of soils – disturbed soils are often mineral deficient – and by the simple act of growing, seeding and dying they improve the soil structure: dead leaves make mulch and build humus, the roots break up the soils and rocks and add minerals like Nitrogen and these plants begin to

create shade. This creates better conditions for other to become established but which then become unfavourable to the pioneer species – an in-built obsolescence. In many instances as a result of the level of disturbance the original species will have died out or moved off but many plant species may still be left in the soil as a seed bank.

The progression of successional change is influenced by changes in soil properties, nutrient cycles, local climate condi-tions, changing sun and shade conditions and so on. Changes in soil conditions occur as organic matter and humus levels in-crease and as the micro-organisms change both of which cause changes in water levels within the soils. Thus the ph of the soil and general nutrients become more favourable for the successful growth of a more diverse group of plants.

Why does succession take place?

Environmental conditions of an area gradually change over time and with this change those species that are unable to adapt will make way for other species that find these new conditions highly favourable to their growth.

What can initiate succession?• A natural disturbance – fire, frost, flood, • Man-made disturbance – urban development, erosion, impoverishment of soils through lack of cover or suitable habitat• Animal disturbances: pollinators, dispersers and browsers; ants and moles are able to shift soils and change the nutrient content through their activities for example.• Changes in weather conditions whether natural or man-made: this will affect plant and animal life with knock-on effects.

So how does this process apply to the urban garden?

In nature succession moves along a predictable path in its own time depending on various prevailing conditions. In an urban garden the gardener is hurrying along this process. Certain stages have to be left to the natural movement of time – the growth of a tree is relatively unchangeable - as it grows it affects the areas of sun and shade; other stages we are able to fast track – adding quantities of compost and leaf mulch to im-prove the soil, covering the bare earth without having to wait for germinating seeds and preventing erosion on a newly disturbed site for example. Your gardening practices can positively influ-ence the composition of the soils which will affect the micro-organisims within it with the knock on effect for plant and animal life. We are able to buy larger plants too, rather than waiting for seedlings to germinate and grow allowing a faster covering of plant species than would naturally occur.

Our gardens are a collection of plants that form habitats and eco-systems (hopefully mimicking natural ones as far as is pos-sible in areas constantly influenced by our presence). As plants grow and die off, our design ideas change, neighbouring proper-ties and public areas (roadside verges, nature reserves, parks and so on) develop and change over time, the conditions within our gardens will change.

The broad definition can be stretched to include natural life-cycle progressions. So within a garden we can become aware of the following systems at work:

• Changes as an ecosystem/habitat/garden matures: shade and sun areas will change as trees and shrubs grow. The plants you used as groundcovers will need to change as the area they were originally planted in will change from sun to partial –sun to shade. In nature these plants would die off

to be replaced eventually by others– the gardener though is able to move them to more suitable situations and immedi-ately put in more suitable species. Other plants may crowd out smaller less rampant ones and will need to be con-trolled or moved to where they will have room to spread.

• There will be a succession of birds and other garden wildlife as the plants grow and the habitats change with large in-crease in biodiversity. New gardens in particular, and those changing from predominantly exotic to indigenous species, will notice how the number and species of bird, butterfly and insect will change as the plant mixes within the garden develop. This natural progression can be manipulated to a certain extent by the gardener: for those in areas where woodland and forest species will be present can plant fast growing trees and shrubs, planted close together, to create suitable habitat as quickly as possible. This will lure forest and forest-edge birds into the garden, bringing with them the seeds from areas close by. As fruit bearing shrubs ma-ture the larger vrugivores will arrive.

• Through the year from season to season changes in rainfall, flowering and fruiting species, temperatures etc change and the aware gardener can plan to ensure there is a range of foods/flowers/foliage through a season in each habitat. If not then the wildlife will move elsewhere and will be unable to complete their life-cycles in your area. For example, within your grassland plan to have different flowering plants for as many months as possible using locally occurring species. Plant a succession of fruiting shrubs and trees to cover each season rather than a flush for only part of the year.

• Each flowering plant will go through changes, each one as important and as necessary as the other – growth of leaves, flowers, seed and fruit and the dying off of leaves for exam-ple. In the wild each one of these stages plays an important

sunbird feating on the newly opening Leonotus florets

27

role so we need to allow them to do so in our gardens. Leave the leaves to eventually fall and mulch the soils after providing the needed warm hide-aways for over-wintering species. Don’t cut off too many flower heads once they have finished their display – many animals will feed on the developing seeds and will disperse to suitable areas within range, as well as within your own garden. It is important not to interrupt this natural succession if you wish to encourage pollen, nectar, fruit, insects and seed eaters into your space.

• Plants ensure their pollination and seed dispersal in many clever ways. Sunbirds in particular have a close relationship with red flowering plants and they work together to ensure successional feeding through the winter season. By not flowering at the same time there is no competition for the attention of their main pollinators. Take advantage of this very clever natural design to create a progressive flowering display in your garden whilst providing nectar in the garden year round.

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DECA

C

D

C

DE

D

GGH

A

BCB

D

A

E EF F

HI

For example: towards the end of winter and into spring the large Erythrina species are in full flower followed by Halleria lucida, the tree fuschia. Scho-tia brachypetala, a magnet for many bird species begins its display towards the end of spring and through into summer and is followed by the dwarf Erythrina, E. humeana and the large flowering shrub Syncolostemon densiflorous through most of sum-mer (although this is more pink than red it is seen

as the same hue by the birds). As summer wanes Burchelia bubalina takes over the show moving into the beginnings of a cooler autumn. By that stage the wonderful Leonotus species and our world famous Aloe like A. arborescens come into flower and help to bridge the gap until the winter flowering Kniphofia species open. This yearly cycle ends again with the Erythrinas in flower. This spread of flowers will keep many birds happy and in your gardens year round.

* Schotia enjoys warm temperatures. cold area gardeners can plants Greyia sutherlandii instead.

** Use Aloe and Kniphofia species suitable to your areas and slot them into this table

A Erythrina species F Burchellia bubalina

B Halleria lucida G Kniphofia species

C Schotia brachypetala H Aloe arborescens

D Erythrina humeana I Leonotus leonurus

E Syncolostemon densiflorus

A SUCCESSION OF RED FLOWERING PLANTS THROUGH THE YEAR

28

• At the same time as providing a succession of food, many of these red flowering plants provide a succession of flowers ensuring continued attention over a longer period of time. Leonotus species are an excellent example of this with each flowering section opening progressively up the flowering stalk rather than all at once extending the flowering season.

• Succession of plant categories – trees, a variety of shrub sizes, creepers, perennials, groundcovers and bulbs - within a habitat or garden bed will provide for different needs of a variety of creatures life-cycle needs: for example the butterfly requires nectar but the larvae require foliage. Many smaller mammals feed on bulbs and chameleons use grasses, shrubs and trees – this may differ with each specie which are very area specific so local knowledge is necessary to provide the correct habitats. This will create a succession of planting levels, all of which are utilised by different species. There is a reason for each plant category!

• Succession of habitat types: many habitats within a biome naturally morph from one into the other with anatural change from one biome to the other as topography/climate changes – from coastal forest to grassland to Highveld grassland to savannah bushveld. Within a garden this can be created by offering gradual changes from open areas to woodland to forest; from open areas to water ponds and wetlands and then onto woodland or shrubberies close by for protection. When designing your garden space, factor in this need for progressive habitat changes and keep the habitat types planted up with local species that support your local wildlife.

If you want to truly garden with the health of the future planet in mind there is a lot more to think about when planning your garden.– but this is a much more exciting way of gardening that enriches the lives of all who participate in its createion. A challange that brings rich rewards that make the time and effort taken in the planning well worth the effort.

Anastrabe integerrima: One of the lesser known of our large shrubs the common turkeyberry is an excellent choice for a varitey of roles within a garden setting - security, screening as well as wildlife fruits and nectar. As a host plant for butterflies and moths and a wide distribution range, this is a great choice for

PAMBATI TREE

30

One of the prettiest of shrubs or small trees that deserves to be seen more often in our gardens, Anatrabe integerrima

is a shrub that performs a multitude of functions in a smaller garden. It can be grown either as a large shrub to create a wind barrier or screen, add height to divide the garden space, provide a backdrop in a mixed bed or it can be pruned up into a small tree.

Description: A multi-stemmed evergreen shrub it grows between 3 and 5 m in height within a garden setting. The pale grey/brown bark often has a few little growths on the surface. The leaves are most attractive with a shimmering silver white or creamy underside enhanced by the darker green above. Long and elliptic they have the texture of soft felt below and the edges, while usually smooth, can be serrated shaping to a sharp tip. The flowers have a subtle fragrance and are a pale, some say custard-yellow with touches of cream. These bi-sexual flowers begin as a bell shape but then inflate into a pouch shape towards the tip and cover the tips of the branches in large bunches from October

through to May. Seeds form while the shrub is still in flower and remain until July. Hidden inside an oval capsule of up to 8mm they are naturally released as the capsule dries out and splits open, a process called dehiscence (opening spontaneously when ripe).

In the garden:

This is an easy plant to grow in the correct habitat which is quite varied from full sun to partial shade, in coastal forest and on drier forest margins as well as in wooded ravines and along streams. It also favours sandstone cliffs and rocky outcrops. Found from the coastal areas up to 1200 m in altitude from the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. The Pambati tree is part of the Scrophulariaceae family which include some well known species like Freylinia, Nemesia, Diascia and Sutera and this family connection can be seen in the shape of the flowers.

A fast growing shrub it performs best in enriched soils and does require good rains although will cope with the normal seasonal

drought. If well protected for the first couple of years it becomes quite frost hardy.

Where to use it:

Left as a multi-stemmed shrub Anastrabe becomes a very at-tractive and solid screen creating a soft grey/green backdrop to dark leaved perennials and groundcovers. Its narrow growth and small root structure makes it a great shrub for small gardens where it works well to screen off walls and other unwanted views. Mix it with species from the same habitat type.

It can be pruned into a small multi-stemmed tree with under plantings of small sub-shrubs, perennials and groundcovers, or can even be pruned into a soft hedge. The Pambati tree flowers early on and is easily grown from seed and cuttings. Cut the fruits off the tree in autumn and keep in a packet until they split open to spill the seed. Sow them in spring and early summer by sprinkling them on the surface of the well draining potting soil, press into the soil and water well. Take cuttings from September to November or March to May and place them in well draining seedling mix and keep watered but not too wet.

It is a hard wood so is not prone to termites.

Common names: Pambati tree, pambatihout, isiPambatho

Dehiscence: opening spontaneously when ripe

31

www.theindigenousgardener.co.za