fbpx

Perennials

Growing Hibiscus

Growing Hibiscuses

February 27, 2023 2:07 pm Published by

Want to take a selfie with a bright flower sitting behind your ear and another garnishing your cocktail? Then you…

Happy Bean Peperomia

November 25, 2022 10:46 am Published by

The happy bean peperomia or pincushion peperomia (Peperomia ferreyrae) is a weird little perennial epiphyte hailing from South American rainforests,…

Phlox Paniculata

Phlox paniculata

November 25, 2022 8:25 am Published by

An old but beautiful classic! Phlox paniculata (garden phlox or autumn phlox) is a typical herbaceous perennial of the high…

The Princess Lavender

August 2, 2022 12:21 pm Published by

An award-winning plant that is fairly new on the market is the vivid pink Princess Lavender. When this plant is…

Poppy Enchantment

June 9, 2022 12:57 pm Published by

Time for the four P’s There are four annuals with pretty petals and names starting with the letter ‘P’ that…

kangaroo paws

Kangaroo Paws

August 5, 2021 3:30 pm Published by

Fill up your low-water zones like the gravel garden, rock garden and sunny low maintenance areas with new and very…

Lysimachia nummularia edging plants

Border Charmers

December 17, 2020 4:40 pm Published by

Edging Plants to Complement Good edging plants that either calmly complement or create a bright colour contrast are just what…

Always Agapanthus

April 24, 2020 1:09 pm Published by

The name agapanthus is derived from the Greek words agape which means love and anthos flower. So these truly South…

Echinaceas

April 2, 2020 2:31 pm Published by

Rugged beauties, daisies on steroids, call them what you will – Echinacea purpurea, otherwise known as the purple coneflower, is…

Grow Fuchsias From Cuttings

October 21, 2019 10:24 am Published by

Fuchsias, with their beautiful and exotic flowers, are perfect additions to summer gardens, patio pots and hanging baskets. Don’t forget…

The Inca Lily

October 15, 2019 12:00 pm Published by

Originating from South America with its home in the Andes mountains, the Inca Lily is a welcomed import to South…

How to repot anthuriums

June 20, 2019 10:44 am Published by

When is the Best Time to Re-pot Anthuriums? Roots are growing through the drainage holes of the pots. There is…

Beat the heat

January 15, 2019 11:55 am Published by

Help your Roses to Keep their Cool • Hot nights bother the roses more than the heat during the day.…

Exuberant sun lovers

February 19, 2018 2:07 pm Published by

We picked a large pot and filled it with some exuberant sun lovers to lead you joyfully through the quiet…

heas.jpg

Potted Spring

February 16, 2018 11:05 am Published by

To celebrate spring and inspire you to play with colour, Tanya and I spent a happy, flower-filled afternoon in her…

A cheery winter trio

February 16, 2018 10:36 am Published by

Colourful winter annuals and perennials are not scarce at this time of the year. We went shopping and found lots…

TG0215pg16-1.jpg

Boxed-in Summer

February 8, 2018 2:45 pm Published by

It’s high summer and the nurseries are filled to the brim with pots and punnets of annuals and perennials in…

container plants

Contained to Grow

February 8, 2018 1:37 pm Published by

Container Plants Instant gardening with pretty plants and a variety of containers immediately raises the spirits, and this month garden…

IMG_8903.jpg

Verbena peruviana

January 15, 2018 8:31 am Published by

Originating from South America, Verbena Peruviana is an evergreen perennial that flowers prolifically from spring to autumn. The masses of…

IMG_1423.jpg

Senecio elegans

January 11, 2018 1:02 pm Published by

Wild Cineraria Senecio is a member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family, which is the second largest family of flowering plants…

IMG_8108.jpg

Stephanotis floribunda

January 11, 2018 12:44 pm Published by

Flower of the Princesses Stephanotis Floribunda, the ‘Flower of the Princesses‘ – this rare and infinitely precious perennial creeper comes…

IMG_2427.jpg

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…

IMG_1913.jpg

Leucanthemum x superbum

January 8, 2018 8:47 am Published by

Shasta Daisy Leucanthemum ‘Shasta daisies’ are easy-to-grow. Clump-forming perennials that never fail to impress. Sturdy flower stems bearing solitary, single…

Iberis sempervirens

December 21, 2017 1:22 pm Published by

Evergreen Candytuft or Perennial Candytuft Iberis sempervirens is a charming little plant for cold, frosty gardens. This Perennial Candy Tuft forms low…

hebenstretia

Hebenstretia dura

December 20, 2017 11:16 am Published by

Cat’s Tail Hebenstretia Dura (family: Scrophulariaceae) is found from the Eastern Cape to the Northern Province. It is a hardy…

IMG_9093.jpg

Geranium incanum

December 20, 2017 8:32 am Published by

Carpet Geraniums True Geraniums or Crane’s Bills – from the Greek word geranos, a crane, owing to its fruit which…

Dissotis canescens

December 18, 2017 1:00 pm Published by

The cosmopolitan family Melastomataceae is a very large group of more than 3 000 species of perennials, climbers, shrubs and…

IMG_9369.jpg

Digitalis purpurea

December 18, 2017 12:54 pm Published by

Foxglove Described as a biennial or short-lived perennial, the common Foxglove is always assured of making a stately feature in…

Diascia barberae

December 18, 2017 12:40 pm Published by

Twinspur The Diascia Barberae is a dainty little perennial plant originating from the Drakensberg mountain range. It produces numerous upright…

IMG_7665.jpg

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…

IMG_5645.jpg

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora

December 18, 2017 12:30 pm Published by

 Blue Ginger Gardeners have always enjoyed and admired plants with blue flowers, possibly because of the apparent scarcity of blue,…

sour fig

Carpobrotus edulis

December 15, 2017 11:56 am Published by

Sour Fig (Suurvy) No garden should be without the Sour Fig, an extremely valuable indigenous medicinal plant which originally occurred…

artemesia.jpg

Artemisia Afra

December 14, 2017 10:53 am Published by

Wild Wormwood, Wildeals Wild Wormwood is a highly aromatic, many-branched and bushy upright perennial shrub. Artemisia Afra can grow up…

Antirrhinum Majus 

December 13, 2017 3:04 pm Published by

The ‘Snapdragon’ For gardeners wanting an easy growing winter annual it is worth re-stating all the good qualities of Antirrhinum…

Bellis Perennis

November 15, 2017 11:38 am Published by

English Daisy The English Daisy is a dainty little perennial often treated as an annual in the warm African climate…

Tulbaghia violacea

August 31, 2017 12:17 pm Published by

Social Garlic, Wild Garlic The hardy and easy-to-grow Tulbaghia Violacea has always been a very popular indigenous perennial, grown for…

Autumn Gardening

April 19, 2017 11:53 am Published by

AUTUMN – a busy time of year for gardening enthusiasts! The crisp morning air and longer nights is a sign…

The Bearded Iris

January 18, 2016 6:45 am Published by

The Bearded Iris is rated amongst the most beautiful of all the flowering perennials and they have also, over many…

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…

Scaevola aemula

January 14, 2016 11:21 am Published by

Fairy Fan Flower One Australian perennial that contributes a new hybrid almost yearly is Scaevola Aemula, and sometimes the new…

scabiosa

Scabiosa

January 14, 2016 10:49 am Published by

Our colleague, Gerald Schofield, once described the hybrids of Scabiosa as ‘totally loveable’ plants. Most gardeners agree with his description of this…

pelargoniums

Pelargoniums

September 2, 2015 8:08 am Published by

One can fill pots and barrels with bush and king pelargoniums, and fill hanging baskets and window boxes with ivy-leaved…

Lobelia x gerardii

August 17, 2015 11:35 am Published by

Blue Lobelia The Blue Lobelia that most gardeners know is a tiny edging plant that is unparalleled for its intensity…

hostas

Hostas

July 29, 2015 11:08 am Published by

Hostas have always been useful perennials for shade gardens, especially very cold gardens. This is perhaps why, over the years,…

gaillardia galya

Gaillardia Galya

July 14, 2015 8:21 am Published by

Wild Fire Blanket Flower Gaillardia or Blanket Flowers, are perennial daisies. They are valued for their extended flowering season, blooming…

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…

Down Many Garden Paths

June 1, 2015 6:55 am Published by

In the Garden with Anna Recently, while visiting open gardens and garden shows, and judging gardening competitions, I met up…

dahlias

Dazzling dahlias

April 23, 2015 6:58 am Published by

Isn’t it strange how some flowers just go out of fashion, for no good reason? That’s been the fate of…

global artichoke

Cynara scolymus

April 23, 2015 6:29 am Published by

Globe Artichoke The Globe Artichoke is perhaps more commonly associated with the vegetable garden because the flower buds are usually…

acorus gramineus

Acorus Gramineus

August 22, 2014 9:32 am Published by

‘Golden Edge’, ‘Mini-Gold’ & Variegatus Acorus Gramineus ‘Golden Edge’ is a grass-like evergreen perennial with delicate, slightly curved foliage that…

Bacopa

August 21, 2014 9:10 am Published by

Bacopa, Indigenous Phlox, Sutera or James Brittennia. Whatever the name, the Bacopa, an ankle-high ground cover, with tits graceful flowers…

Anigozanthus hybrids

August 18, 2014 6:55 am Published by

Cat’s Paw or Kangaroo Paw The cat’s paw, a plant of Australian origin, is a perennial that is available in…

angelonia

Angelonia Angustifolia

August 18, 2014 6:47 am Published by

‘Angelface’, ‘Summer Snapdragon’ & ‘Serena Lavender’ Looking at the sweet hybrids of Angelonia Angustifolia, it is hard to believe that…

Anemone x hybrida

August 18, 2014 6:42 am Published by

Japanese Anemone Spectacular when in full bloom and forming ever-increasing clumps, the Japanese Anemone is easy-to-grow herbaceous perennials die down…

alstroemeria

Alstroemeria

August 14, 2014 12:01 pm Published by

Inca or Peruvian Lily As its common name implies, the Alstroemeria, or Inca Lily, originates from South America. Alstroemeria is…

Agapanthus ‘Amethyst’

August 14, 2014 7:34 am Published by

Agapanthus ‘Amethyst’ has soft, lilac coloured flowers with a darker, amethyst-coloured stripe running down the centre of each petal. The…

bear's breeches

Acanthus mollis

August 14, 2014 6:55 am Published by

Bear’s Breeches Bear’s Breeches comes from Southern Europe and is considered one of the earliest cultivated garden plants. It has…

The Gardener