This is our August newsletter (a little late because - well, life happens). Instead of wishing everyone Happy Spring Day, I can only say I hope it was a good one and that you were able to spend time outside enjoying the balmy weather and all the signs of burgeoning new life.
One of the highlights of the spring garden is the gorgeous Wisteria, but not many people are aware that there are many different varieties of this climber. A group of experts from Kew and the Royal Horticultural Society have been busy sorting out the confusion around the correct identities of these varieties, and have approached the local online publication, Plantlife, to help them establish what Wisteria varieties are grown in South Africa and identify any patterns of cultivars emerging from the various species.
If you have a flowering specimen in your garden and would like to participate, you can email photographs of your Wisteria to Kate Grieve at kw.grieve@gmail.com. The results of the research will be published in Plantlife.
What the team needs is:
· a photograph of the whole plant when in full flower, or at least the stem, showing whether it twines clockwise or anticlockwise (an important diagnostic feature);
· a close up photograph of a bunch or spray of flowers; and
· the name of your general locality.
PlantLife is a free online digital publication that aims to increase awareness and appreciation of plants (particularly our indigenous flora), and encourages citizen science activities such as this one. What a nice opportunity to contribute to advancing our botanical knowledge!
IN THE GARDEN
We seem to have a had many ups and downs in the weather recently, with warm spells and then sudden cold snaps, but spring is finally happening. We can enjoy sitting outside in the late afternoon, braai times are about to begin, and the garden is rejoicing after a long cold winter. No trouble finding blooms to photograph for the newsletter!
Abutilon
African dogrose
Marmelade bush
Eranthemum pulchellum
Akebia quintata
IN THE NURSERY
Click here to view all the plants in this newsletter on one website page.
Indigenous plants
Leonotus leonorus, the wild dagga, is a showy branched shrub with narrow rough toothed leaves and velvety orange flowers from autumn to spring. Evergreen, very hardy and reaching a height of about 2m, it wants full sun. The sunbirds love it!
Linum africanum is a compact bushy evergreen perennial with small leaves, and lovely yellow flowers in summer. It likes sun to semi-shade but wants dry sandy soil. It grows about 40cm high.
Indigenous to the eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, the scandent shrub Senecio oxyodontus has pretty feathery foliage and panicles of yellow flowers from spring to autumn. Evergreen and very hardy, it grows about 1.2m high and likes sun to semi-shade.
The tough Senecio speciosus is one of my personal favourites. A clump forming perennial with a basal rosette of toothed leaves and sprays of lilac pink flowers from winter to summer, it grows on average 50cm high. Plant in full sun but moist soil.
Exotic plants
One of the best plants in our garden is the striking Angelica archangel – an evergreen, very hardy perennial whose umbels of greenish white flowers always create a stir in summer. It grows about 75cm high, and likes full sun but moist soil.
Geranium maderense is a rare robust evergreen biennial with a stout ‘trunk’ which radiates brittle looking stalks. It has dissected dark green leaves and bouquets of showy purple pink flowers from winter to summer. Growing about 1.2m high, it is happy in sun or shade. We also have the white form for sale.
The Chinese foxglove, Rehmannia elata, is an upright very hardy perennial with a mat-like rosette of grey green leaves, and tall stalks of two-lipped dark pink trumpet-like flowers from spring to autumn. It grows about 90cm high and can take sun to semi-shade.
The gorgeous Stephanotis floribunda is no stranger to container gardeners. This semi-hardy evergreen climber has attractive dark green leathery leaves and clusters of scented white waxy flowers in summer. It likes semi-shade and enjoys being misted.
SNIPPETS
Of course, it is that exciting time of year when we can look forward to open gardens around the country. Click here to whet your appetite!
Happy gardening!
Leoné
082 482 0257