3 Happiness Flowers
January 23, 2023 10:57 amSome of midsummer’s flowers are like garden Prozac. Being amongst them has the ability to turn anxiety and a ‘down’…
Bidens Ferulifolia – Beggartick
October 25, 2022 3:14 pmBidens ferulifolia is a lovely treat for pollinators. In the olden days we planted Bidens ferulifolia (beggartick) on a whim…
DIY Bromeliad Log
November 30, 2021 1:44 pmCreate a gorgeous centrepiece with a piece of driftwood and some guzmanias, a Vriesea ‘Splenriet’, a string of lights and…
Tropical Style for Indoors
November 30, 2021 1:27 pmBromeliads can add intrigue as well as wonderful forms and colours to your home. Bromeliads have made an effortless leap…
Dazzle with begonias
November 22, 2021 11:05 amIf you really want to know how to make a splash with begonias, visit parks and gardens in summer and…
Indigenous Spring Beauty Nemesias
September 14, 2021 10:37 amSpring flowers the world over have a softness and beauty that captures the spirit of the season itself. Our indigenous…
8 Flowers for Winter Colour
July 9, 2021 12:34 pmIf you wake up one morning and think, “I’m tired of browns and greys and leafless trees, I want colour!”,…
Propagating Begonia Rex
May 18, 2021 12:28 pmHave you ever wondered if it’s possible to try propagating you Begonia rex (painted-leaf begonia)? Well, if you have a…
Garden Structures: pergolas, arbours and gazebos
May 17, 2021 2:33 pmGarden structures outside your house can enhance the look of the garden by making it more appealing and professionally finished.…
Benefits of Indoor Plants
April 22, 2021 11:41 amWhy we need indoor plants As you may have noticed when strolling through interior shops lately, nature is a huge…
Blushing Beauties – Harness the Power of Pink
January 28, 2021 10:54 amSummer gardens are potentially the brightest and showiest of all the seasons. Plant growth is rapid and the results are…
The Best Plants for Retaining Walls
January 21, 2021 1:16 pmRetaining walls present unique challenges to the gardener. This is how you overcome them. Problem: Dull retaining walls The pre-cast,…
Border Charmers
December 17, 2020 4:40 pmEdging Plants to Complement Good edging plants that either calmly complement or create a bright colour contrast are just what…
How to Create a Topiary
December 17, 2020 4:03 pmReady-made topiaries are much admired but fairly expensive. Luckily it is not too difficult to create your own topiary at…
Callistemon
December 2, 2019 11:52 amCitrinus Little John, Bottlebrush, Hot Pink, Endeavour A beginner gardener who cannot decide which flowering shrub to buy, won’t regret…
Begonia ‘Summerwings’
November 14, 2019 9:13 amBegonia ‘Summerwings’ is a new and improved begonia range for hanging baskets. They are gifted with beautiful, decorative flowers and…
Beacon Impatiens
August 26, 2019 2:00 pmWelcome back summer’s best-loved flowers for shade. The fast-filling bedding Impatiens Walleriana, which all but vanished from summer shade gardens,…
Aloe Orange Delight
May 7, 2019 12:52 pmAloe…is it me you’re looking for? This Aloe is a delightful, small to medium aloe that is similar to hedgehog…
Three small indigenous trees
December 18, 2018 12:43 pmLees in Afrikaans Gardens around the globe are shrinking in size, necessitating the planting of smaller trees and shrubs to…
Bridelia Micrantha
November 27, 2018 12:13 pmMitzeeri or Coastal Golden Leaf Bridelia Micrantha is a medium to large deciduous tree (can reach 20m, though normally 8…
Black Diamond Crape Myrtle
February 28, 2018 9:01 amIf you’re looking for something different to plant, take a look at Black Diamond Crape Myrtle. This stunning new crape…
Buxom Buxus
February 19, 2018 1:24 pmPotted Plant Recipe Using Buxus The entrance to a home is much more welcoming when there’s a green focal point…
Watsonia pillansii
January 15, 2018 8:47 amPillans Watsonia, Beatrice Watsonia, Bugle Lily Watsonia Pillansii is a medium-sized irid, growing from 0.45 to 1.2 m high. It is widely distributed…
Serruria florida
January 11, 2018 12:59 pmBlushing Bride, Pride of Franschhoek First recorded in 1773, the Serruria Florida, a well-known plant belonging to the Proteaceae family,…
Sisyrinchium ‘E.K Balls’
January 11, 2018 12:57 pmBlue Eyed Grass The Blue Eyed Grass is a charming little clump-forming perennial comprising of narrow, sword-like leaves growing to…
Solanum Rantonnetii
January 11, 2018 12:54 pmIn the days when we quickly had to order a few flowering shrubs to fill the instant colour aisles of…
Spiraea ‘Arguta’
January 11, 2018 12:31 pmBridal Wreath, Foam of May Normal gardens have been fashionable around the world since the times of early civilisations and…
Psychotria capensis
January 8, 2018 1:21 pmBlack Bird Berry Psychotria capensis is one of the most useful plants in a garden because it can be grown…
Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea
January 8, 2018 12:24 pmBlue Water Lily, Frog’s Pulpit The decorative leaves of indigenous aquatics, like the Nymphaea Nouchali, and the showy blooms in…
Ilex Crenata Hedges
December 21, 2017 1:17 pmBox-leaved Holly Formal gardens have been fashionable around the world since the times of early civilisations and still today they…
Dichorisandra thyrsiflora
December 18, 2017 12:30 pmBlue Ginger Gardeners have always enjoyed and admired plants with blue flowers, possibly because of the apparent scarcity of blue,…
Cymbidium hybrids
December 15, 2017 1:16 pmBoat Orchid The genus Cymbidium in the Orchidaceae (Orchid) family consists of about 50 species, from which many thousands of…
Calandiva
December 15, 2017 12:04 pmDouble Kalanchoe Calandiva plants are ideal ‘no-brainers’, pleasing the intrepid indoor gardener with long-lasting displays of hundreds of double-petalled, brightly-coloured flowers…
Burchellia Bubalina – Wild Pomegranate
December 15, 2017 10:41 amThe Wild Pomegranate is a neat growing shrub, up to 2.5 m in height, with beautiful dark green glossy leaves.…
Bromelia Aechmea
December 15, 2017 10:39 amUrn Plant The benefits of displaying indoor plants in our homes are huge. Plants are a décor tool, moisturiser, therapist,…
Betula Pendula
December 15, 2017 10:34 amSilver or Common Birch The Silver Birch is one of the best-known trees in cultivation today, especially in temperate regions,…
Beschorneria Yuccoides
December 15, 2017 10:30 amThe Beschorneria Yuccoides is a lovely plant found in gardens around the country and yet often overlooked and possibly, to…
Bergenia Cordifolia
December 15, 2017 10:17 amHeart Leaf or Elephant Ear The common names of Heart Leaf or Elephant Ear for the Bergenia Codifolia allude to…
Aristea Capitata
December 15, 2017 9:13 amBlue Sceptre (previously knows as Aristea Major) Growing on mountain slopes, Aristea Capitata is endemic to the Western, South Western…
Acokanthera oppositifolia
December 14, 2017 11:25 amBushman’s Poison Acokanthera Oppositifolia is an evergreen shrub with dark green leaves. It grows to a height of 3 metres,…
Bauhinia
December 14, 2017 11:21 amGalpinii, Bowkerii, Tomentosa and Petersiana Pride of de Kaap The Bauhinia belongs to one of the world’s largest plant families,…
Ficus Hanging Around
December 7, 2017 1:44 pmIf you visit any stockist of indoor plants you are sure to come across small potted trees called Ficus Microcarpa…
Rosa banksiae
November 20, 2017 3:37 pmYellow Banksian Rose ‘Lutea’ The Banksiae Rose is a garden favourite around the globe. It originates in West and Central…
Buxus Sempervirens
November 15, 2017 12:08 pmBox, Boxwood, Little Leaf Boxwood Formal gardens have been fashionable around the world since the times of early civilisations and…
Brachystelma Pulchellum
November 15, 2017 12:01 pmThere are myriads of interesting and unusual plants growing in gardens and in the vast tracts of unspoilt wilderness that…
Bellis Perennis
November 15, 2017 11:38 amEnglish Daisy The English Daisy is a dainty little perennial often treated as an annual in the warm African climate…
Barleria Species
November 15, 2017 11:16 amBarleria Greenii, Wild Bush Petunia If you have never had the pleasure of seeing the Barleria Greenii in full bloom…
Pittosporum tenuifolium
May 5, 2017 12:53 pmKōhūhū and Black Matipo Pittosporum Tenuifolium is a small evergreen tree, up to 10m. It is sometimes grown under the cultivar…
The Bearded Iris
January 18, 2016 6:45 amThe Bearded Iris is rated amongst the most beautiful of all the flowering perennials and they have also, over many…
Sedum spurium ‘Bronze Carpet’
January 14, 2016 11:31 amStonecrop The Sedum Spurium plant is a vigorous, evergreen ground cover with glossy, succulent leaves that are dark coppery-red in…
Scabiosa
January 14, 2016 10:49 amOur colleague, Gerald Schofield, once described the hybrids of Scabiosa as ‘totally loveable’ plants. Most gardeners agree with his description of this…
Red Roses – Rosa Hot Point Spire (BARhop)
January 14, 2016 8:50 amRed roses are associated with Valentine’s Day and this Spire rose grows into a stately 2,5m high specimen that produces…
Rhus crenata
January 14, 2016 8:38 amDune Crowberry The Rhus crenata resembles a bamboo with thick clumps with slender side branches and delicate rosettes of foliage…
Rhamnus prinoides
January 14, 2016 8:32 amDogwood or Blinkblaar Rhamnus prinoides are bushy with shiny dark green foliage. Its small greenish, insect-attracting flowers are followed by fleshy…
Perovskia atriplicifolia
September 2, 2015 8:33 amBlue Rain Perovskias Perovskias are often underestimated in terms of the great value that they can add to the garden.…
Ophiopogon
September 1, 2015 12:17 pmOphiopogon, or Mondo Grasses have thin, curved, ribbon-like leaves and grow in dense tussocks. They are evergreen, exceptionally hardy, produce…
Meet the Bignonia family, both good and bad!
August 31, 2015 8:07 amMuch like human families, plant families, like the Bignonia Family, also count amongst their members both the gorgeous and the…
Lobelia x gerardii
August 17, 2015 11:35 amBlue Lobelia The Blue Lobelia that most gardeners know is a tiny edging plant that is unparalleled for its intensity…
Liriope Muscari
August 17, 2015 11:05 amLiriopes, commonly known as lilyturfs, are evergreen flowering plants which form thick clumps of grasslike foliage. They are unique groundcovers…
Leucadendron tinctum
August 17, 2015 8:56 amBergroos, Spicy Conebush One of the most appealing features of this greatly under-utilised Leucadendron Tinctum is the strong spicy aroma…
Hostas
July 29, 2015 11:08 amHostas have always been useful perennials for shade gardens, especially very cold gardens. This is perhaps why, over the years,…
Gaura Lindheimeri Blushing Butterflies
July 23, 2015 9:41 amButterfly Gaura Gaura Lindheimeri ‘Blushing Butterflies’ produces soft pink flowers and has leaves that are light reddish-green and become brighter…
Freylinia Tropica
July 14, 2015 7:52 amBlue Freylinia, Waterberg Bell-Bush, Blue Splash, Blue Honey-Bell Freylinia Tropica with its delicate foliage and light mauve to pretty blue…
Evolvulus ‘Blue My Mind’
June 11, 2015 7:34 amDwarf Morning Glory Delicate, petite blue flowers cover these grey-foliage plants for months on end. Evolvulus, heat and drought-tolerant, these…
Erigeron karvinskianus
June 1, 2015 10:51 amMexican 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…
Distictis buccinatoria
May 8, 2015 7:59 amMexican Blood-Trumpet This showy climber, the Mexican Blood Trumpet, from Mexico was planted extensively by local gardeners during the latter…
Diospyros whyteana
May 8, 2015 7:57 amBladdernut The Bladdernut is one of those small trees with so many uses in both small and larger gardens. Its…
Clivia miniata
March 26, 2015 11:21 amNatal Lily, Bush Lily The Natal Lily are lovely shade loving plants that will produce an absolute spectacle in spring with…
Clerodendrum thomsoniae
March 26, 2015 11:06 amBleeding Heart The genus Clerodendrum consists of numerous trees, shrubs and climbers, including the Bleeding Heart, that originate largely in…
Carex Varieties
March 25, 2015 7:53 amBronze Form, Bronze New Zealand Hair Sedge, Bronze Perfection There are many varieties to choose from in the genus Carex. Some are stately ornamental grasses…
Festuca gautieri
August 21, 2014 6:13 pmSpiky Fescue or Bearskin Fescue Festuca Gautieri has fine, bright green blades and grows to about 20 x 20 cm. A stretch…
Butia Capitata
August 21, 2014 10:48 amYatay or Jelly Palm Yatay or Jelly Palm is a stately, single-stemmed palm tree originating from Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina…
Burgundy Iceberg
August 21, 2014 10:39 amBurgundy Icebergs are beautiful, eye-catching roses worth planting en masse. Masses of velvety, generally wine-red flowers with a very delicate…
Buddleja Saligna
August 21, 2014 10:27 amWhite Olive Use the hardy Buddleja Saligna, a fast-growing small tree or large shrub, as a windbreak or hedge in…
Brunfelsia Pauciflora ‘Floribunda’
August 21, 2014 10:18 amWherever a yesterday, today and tomorrow – Brunfelsia Pauciflora ‘Floribunda’ – grows there will be the sweet and unmistakable scent…
Bougainvillea ‘Temple Fire’
August 21, 2014 9:49 amBougainvillea ‘Temple Fire’ is a cute dwarf plant (about 50 x 70 cm). Its purple bracts have a touch of…
Bolusanthus Speciosus
August 21, 2014 9:38 amTree Wisteria The Tree Wisteria is a truly elegant deciduous tree with a neat, elongated silhouette in the landscape. It…
Blechnum Ferns
August 21, 2014 9:33 amThe genus Blechnum, from the family Blechnaceae, was derived from the Greek word blechnon meaning a fern. Blechnum are mostly evergreen ferns…
Bersama Lucens
August 21, 2014 9:20 amGlossy White Ash Type: Small tree, 4m. Form: Compact multi-stemmed tree, prominent foliage. Flowers: Spikes of small, greenish flowers, from…
Berberis ‘Golden Ring’
August 21, 2014 9:15 amJapanese Barberry This splendid foliage shrub is a specially selected form of the Japanese Barberry, Berberis Thunbergii Fatropurpurea. It has many…
Bacopa
August 21, 2014 9:10 amBacopa, Indigenous Phlox, Sutera or James Brittennia. Whatever the name, the Bacopa, an ankle-high ground cover, with tits graceful flowers…
Argyranthemum frutescens
August 18, 2014 11:21 amCrazy Daisy, Bush Daisy, Marguerite Daisy, Starlight Red, Summersong White For quick colour, few plants beat the old-fashioned daisy bush,…
Aloe polyphylla
August 14, 2014 10:52 amSpiral aloe Aloe polyphylla is a stemless aloe with short, thorny, grey-green, upright leaves arranged in a perfect spiral. The leaf…
Aloe plicatilis
August 14, 2014 10:48 amFan Aloe Aloe plicatilis (fan aloe) is always pretty, whether it is in the form of a hundred-year-old giant or…
Aloe peglerae
August 14, 2014 10:44 amFez aloe Type: Small shrub-like aloe, 40cm.Form: Succulent with inwardly curving leaves that assume a ‘soccer ball’ shape.Flowers: Red-orange tubular…
Agapanthus praecox subsp. orientalis ‘Blue Velvet’
August 14, 2014 8:21 amBlue Lily, African Lily, or Lily of the Nile Agapanthus, being a plant that is reliable, tough, enduring, very easy…
Agapanthus ‘Blue Ice’
August 14, 2014 7:49 amAgapanthus ‘Blue Ice’ has unique flowers that are blue at the bases, while the rest of each petal is almost…
Agapanthus ‘Black Pantha’
August 14, 2014 7:41 amAgapanthus Black Pantha bears closed buds that are almost black, opening to violet blue. The flowers are fantastic as cut…
Acanthus mollis
August 14, 2014 6:55 amBear’s Breeches Bear’s Breeches comes from Southern Europe and is considered one of the earliest cultivated garden plants. It has…
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