Open Gardens of South Africa 2022

It’s good to get out!

At this late stage of Covid (I wish I could say ‘After Covid’), every one of us is desperate to get out and go – anywhere! We want to explore, to socialise, to mingle. But while we’re happy at the thought of being free and out and about, many of us still feel anxious at the thought of crowded indoor events. So, outdoors it is!

Luckily, the Open Gardens season is upon us, and once again gardeners across the country have opened their private gardens for us to explore, so that we can steal their clever ideas and implement them in our own gardens. The gardens that have become an even more important part of our lives over the last two years – even if it’s just a balcony.

The committee busy bees behind the scenes have been cajoling and persuading garden owners (and there is probably even a little bribery going on) to open their gardens to the public for a weekend or two. Let’s face it, it’s so much hard work for a gardener to get a garden ready for show day, let alone the expense. It’s also very stressful waiting for that pruned bush to spring to life and flower just before the gates open, or the new grass to green up in time. And then there are garden disasters, just like there are kitchen disasters, that have to be managed or ignored on the day, with hopes that not too many people will be hyper-critical. This is something to remember the next time you visit an open garden: these are not the gardens of professional landscapers or horticulturalists, but garden-lovers just like you and I, and aren’t we lucky that they decided to share their gardens with us? Besides, it’s just good to be out, isn’t it!

This magazine could not be possible without the support of the champions of the various open garden events around the country, who gather information and diligently send it onto me… by the deadline! By running open gardens in your area, you are not only volunteering your time, you are supporting local businesses, donating to charities and giving the garden visitors a great day out! For that we are grateful, as we are that we can be a small part of helping out.

A large helping hand has also been given by our sponsors, STIHL. They are our champions and have been supporters of open gardens events around the country for many years. Theirs are often the tools behind that perfectly trimmed hedge or that extra-neat lawn edging. Take a look through this magazine to see all that they offer.

It’s time, garden-lovers! Grab your walking shoes and your umbrella (just in case) and let’s explore the gorgeous spring and summer gardens that our beautiful country has to offer.

Happy exploring,

Wendy