Latest Posts

3 Fast-Growing Shrubs

January 30, 2025 1:22 pm Published by

Most gardeners who plant new shrubs will tell you that they have a great impatience to see them grow fast…

string of hearts

String of Hearts

November 25, 2022 9:35 am Published by

String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is an indigenous evergreen, trailing vine with opposite pairs of dainty heart-shaped dark-green leaves marbled…

indoor plant-scaping

The Great Indoors

November 22, 2021 10:51 am Published by

How to enhance your interior with plants. The choices for indoor plant-scaping are endless – a large potted palm, a…

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Callistemon

December 2, 2019 11:52 am Published by

Citrinus Little John, Bottlebrush, Hot Pink, Endeavour A beginner gardener who cannot decide which flowering shrub to buy, won’t regret…

The pot goes on

February 14, 2018 1:48 pm Published by

The Pot that Goes on and on In the October 2013 issue of the magazine, we featured a pot within…

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Trachelospermum jasminoides

January 12, 2018 2:41 pm Published by

Confederate Jasmine, Star Jasmine Trachelospermum Jasminoides is an exceptional cultivar that is not grown for its flowers but rather for…

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Solanum Rantonnetii

January 11, 2018 12:54 pm Published by

In the days when we quickly had to order a few flowering shrubs to fill the instant colour aisles of…

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Nymphoides thunbergiana

January 8, 2018 12:21 pm Published by

Fairy Water Lily The decorative leaves of indigenous aquatics, like the Fairy Water Lily, and the showy blooms in season…

Magnolia grandiflora

January 8, 2018 11:09 am Published by

Little Gem Magnolia grandiflora is a handsome evergreen tree that originates from the South Eastern parts of the USA. Today…

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Lantana montevidensis

January 8, 2018 9:14 am Published by

Trailing Lantana Lantana Montevidensis is a trailing, semi-woody evergreen that can either be used as a ground cover or to…

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Lonicera x americana

January 8, 2018 8:29 am Published by

Honeysuckle Lonicera, or Honeysuckles as they are commonly called, are found growing naturally in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere.…

Grewia Occidentalis

December 20, 2017 8:15 am Published by

Cross-Berry The Cross Berry forms a shrub or small tree that grows up to 3 metres tall and 2 metres…

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Fortunella japonica

December 19, 2017 10:28 am Published by

The ‘Kumquat’ Tree The ‘Kumquat’ is a most useful and versatile plant that bears  attractive fruit. It’s neat, compact growth…

Ficus trichopoda

December 19, 2017 10:25 am Published by

Hippopotamus Fig or Swamp Fig From a bird-attracting perspective, this wild fig species ranks amongst the very best of the…

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Dieramas

December 18, 2017 12:47 pm Published by

Harebells, Fairy Bells Dieramas are members of the iris family, Iridaceae, and are noted for their graceful, arching sprays of…

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Dianella tasmanica

December 18, 2017 12:38 pm Published by

Tasman Flax Lily Dianella Tasmanica, commonly known as the Tasman Flax Lily is a grass-like, evergreen perennial that provides a…

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Duranta

December 18, 2017 12:14 pm Published by

The genus Duranta includes a number of tree and shrub species that originate in the tropical Americas and include many…

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Couroupita guianensis

December 15, 2017 1:39 pm Published by

Cannonball Tree or Ayahuma The words ‘striking’ and ‘strange’ are often used to describe Cannonball Tree, a large evergreen tree…

bauhinia

Bauhinia

December 14, 2017 11:21 am Published by

Galpinii, Bowkerii, Tomentosa and Petersiana Pride of de Kaap The Bauhinia belongs to one of the world’s largest plant families,…

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Aponogeton Distachyos

December 13, 2017 3:05 pm Published by

Cape Pond Weed The decorative leaves of indigenous aquatics and the showy blooms in season always command attention. Cape Pond…

alocasia cucullata

Alocasia cucullata

December 13, 2017 2:54 pm Published by

Spear Queen Alocasia Cucullata is a spectacular evergreen foliage plant belonging to the Elephant’s Ear family. Upright, fleshy, rhizomatous stems…

Leucosidea sericea

April 4, 2017 11:37 am Published by

Oldwood, Ouhout Leucosidea Sericea (Oldwood, Ouhout) is a very cold-hardy, evergreen small tree that can tolerate lots of water but…

Watsonia species and hybrids

January 18, 2016 8:51 am Published by

This is an indigenous cut flower that continues to impress globally. Some Watsonia form evergreen clumps of sword-like foliage whilst…

Tanacetum vulgare

January 18, 2016 6:18 am Published by

Tansy Tanacetum Vulgare is an aromatic perennial that is evergreen and frost tolerant. With its grey-green, finely divided, ferny foliage…

Syzygium paniculatum

Syzygium paniculatum

January 15, 2016 11:09 am Published by

Syzygium Paniculatum is a well-known garden shrub with a multitude of uses. It is evergreen, has dense foliage, and grows rapidly…

Stachys byzantine

January 15, 2016 7:33 am Published by

Lamb’s Ear Children and adults alike are fascinated with the soft texture of Lamb’s Ear, it immediately attracts people to…

Scaevola aemula

January 14, 2016 11:21 am Published by

One Australian perennial that contributes a new hybrid almost yearly is Scaevola Aemula, and sometimes the new release differs only…

Magnolia x soulangeana

August 25, 2015 6:29 am Published by

Saucer Magnolia Magnolia x Soulangeana is a small, deciduous tree that grows to approximately 6 x 6 m, making it ideal…

Mackaya bella

August 25, 2015 6:24 am Published by

River Bells Mackaya bella, commonly called River Bells, this evergreen shrub grows naturally under trees and close to water. Hence…

Hellebores

July 28, 2015 6:55 am Published by

Falling in love three or more times a day (and not getting into trouble) is a distinct possibility when you…

Gelsemium sempervirens

July 23, 2015 9:53 am Published by

Trumpet Flower, Evening Trumpet Flower The Trumpet Flower is a light and quick-growing evergreen climber that clings by twining its slender…

Erigeron karvinskianus

June 1, 2015 10:51 am Published by

 Mexican Fleabane, Latin American Fleabane, Santa Barbara Daisy, Spanish Daisy, Karwinsky’s Fleabane, or Bony-tip Fleabane. Erigeron Karvinskianus is an inexpensive, evergreen diehard that will…

Elegia capensis

June 1, 2015 10:37 am Published by

Elegia is one of many plant species belonging to the family Restionaceae, a group of rush-like plants found largely in…

Clerodendrum thomsoniae

March 26, 2015 11:06 am Published by

Bleeding Heart The genus Clerodendrum consists of numerous trees, shrubs and climbers, including the Bleeding Heart, that originate largely in…

carex

Carex Varieties

March 25, 2015 7:53 am Published by

Bronze Form, Bronze New Zealand Hair Sedge, Bronze Perfection There are many varieties to choose from in the genus Carex. Some are stately ornamental grasses…

camellia

Camellia

March 25, 2015 7:34 am Published by

Japonica, Common Camellia or Japanese Camellia, Sasanqua, Camellia Japonica has dark green, lustrous, leathery leaves and its size varies according to…

pompom tree

Dais cotinifolia

August 21, 2014 6:05 pm Published by

Pompom Tree The slender Pompom Tree is the perfect size for a small townhouse garden. It has a rounded crown,…