Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i The Gardener Magazine

Hot off the press this month is our in-depth look at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show. ‘Taming the Wild’ was a HOT trend that was evident in many gardens, to the extent that some even showcased the concept of nurturing weeds (oh, I uttered the ‘W’ word!). Is it even possible that wildness and weeds were presented at the World’s Premier Garden Show, which sets gardening trends for years to come? I am delighted! What we are seeing is the next step in garden culture, moving from ‘whimsical planting’ to intentionally planting to foster biodiversity, balance and, probably the best reason, to be different. Yes, of course we can’t grow many of England’s ‘weeds’, but a clear example of how we can introduce such plants into our gardens is the…

A GALLERY OF SILVERS Lavandula stoechas ‘Silver Anouk’ Outstanding silver-white foliage with a blue cast. Fragrant dark violet flowers topped with lavender bracts or petals in spring – reblooming in other seasons. Sprightly upright growth habit (46cm x 36cm). Use in borders, as a low hedge or plant your inapot Lychnis coronaria (rose campion) Perennial or biennial grown for both its silvery-grey velvety leaves and a profusion of flowers in spring and summer. Clump-forming with ovate, densely woolly leaves. Perfect for mass planting in a border. Size approximately 80cm x 45cm. Podalyria sericea (silver sweet pea bush) Very decorative but unfortunately vulnerable indigenous shrub. The soft evergreen, silky, silver-grey foliage gives the whole plant a shiny lustre. Pretty pink pea-like flowers appear in winter and are followed by swollen velvety…

Members of the genus Pavettaare dwarf shrubs or small trees belonging to the coffee family Rubiaceae, and there are about 400 species, spread over tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Australia. In South Africa there are more than 20 species, occurring only in the summer-rainfall areas from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo. P. zeyheri comprises two subspecies. The first, subsp. middelburgensis, is a low, sprawling shrub that is confined to the Middelburg area of Mpumalanga, and the second, subsp. zeyheri, also known as the bride’s bush, is the subject of this article. This is the one most often cultivated, and it occurs in the Free State and northern provinces of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and North West, as well as in Botswana. It is a much-branched shrub or small tree 3…

Venison is becoming more easily available, even in supermarkets, and the good news is that it is organic and free range, as well as low in fat. Venison has been a part of our culinary history from the earliest Khoisan hunters and it is still on the menu, although more as a gourmet treat than a survivalist food. A signature dish at La Motte Winery in the Cape Winelands is their venison pie. The venison is marinated and then slowly stewed with marrow bones, bacon or mutton-tail fat. It is a recipe that has been passed down through the generations. Sage, thyme and rosemary can be added for extra flavour. South African venison is generally meat from impala, kudu, eland, gemsbok, springbok or blesbok, and is available as meatballs and…

Chemical pest control and plant nutrition have become the norm over the past 80 years, though, with many negative side effects recently emerging. The good news is that new natural innovations, offering a long-term holistic alternative, are now emerging – ‘biologicals’. A biological approach centres around nature, embracing the synergistic relationships that occur naturally to ensure survival and sustainability. As gardeners we have been taught to view bacteria as germs, fungi as diseases, and insects and weeds as pests. However, the scientific truth is that many of these critters are beneficial, even essential, to healthy plant growth and development. When there is an excess of one pest species it is often an indication that the natural balance has been disturbed and an indication of vulnerability. Natural biological control takes place…

1 Eish! Go for ‘Evka’… Pelargonium peltatum ‘Evka’ is an ivy geranium with red single flowers and white edged foliage – a fantastic combination that makes this hybrid pop with attractive colour. It has a semi-trailing habit and is ideal for pots, baskets and borders. Flowering success with all types of pelargoniums relies on at least five hours of sun each day, water only when dry, and feeding as often as every two weeks, as these are hungry plants. 2 Lawns need love now For the lawn, the low cut, spiking and firm raking, levelling out, generous feeding, and covering with a nutritious blanket of organic lawn dressing is called ‘the spring treatment’ and is normally done in August, while September is still fine for colder areas. This treatment is…

‘Big Rainbow’ We just love the variety in colour and shape of heirloom tomatoes, and ‘Big Rainbow’ is a great example of this. Obviously the fruit is full of colour, graduating from goldenorange to red accents, but the shape is also of interest. Instead of being round or oval, the fruit of ‘Big Rainbow’ looks a bit like a small pumpkin, fluted and ribbed and that delicious shade of orange. It’s one of the beefsteak tomatoes, which means that the fruit is very large (up to 10cm in diameter and almost 1kg each in the case of ‘Big Rainbow’!) and with firm, juicy flesh. It is well suited to being eaten raw, and slices particularly well. The indeterminate vine reaches about 2m in height and produces a copious amount of…

1 Secure the standard roses The August winds can easily snap the heads off of standard roses if they are not secure. Make sure the stake is tall enough so that the end reaches into the crown. The ideal stake has a T-bar at the top, to which the crown can be tied to avoid any twisting. I like to use strips of shade cloth that are wrapped all the way up into the crown and secured. You can also use strips of pantyhose or any broad tying material, but not wire or cable ties, which can eventually strangle the stem. Make quite sure that the ties are not too tight. 2 Tidy up climbing roses Climbing roses flower best on the previous season’s growth so they don’t need pruning…

WHAT YOU NEED 1 x Stevia rebaudiana2 x Kale ‘Songbird White’1 x white Pelargonium peltatum1 x seedling tray or small plants of lychnis1 x seedling tray of white pansiesTrowelPotting soilBonemealAtlantic Bio Ocean STEPS Longevity Both stevia and pelargonium flowers are edible so make the most of them. They fill out, offering cascading colour and complementing the rigid look of the kale. The kale lasts for months on end and will slowly transform, producing a vertical spike out the middle of the plant with spikes of yellow flowers that the bees adore. The final crescendo later in summer is the flowering of the bright shocking pink lychnis. Set against the grey foliage they are a showstopper.…

Invite your girlfriends out for a day to be spoilt at The Herb Farm! You will be treated with a delightful High Tea, get to taste the latest harvest from Reyneke Organic Wines, offered a variety of herbal teas to taste, receive a Hand and Feet Pamper Session by Herb Afrique, and be able to attend a fun workshop with Lizette Jonker, teaching us how to use herbs in our daily cooking, in sauces and salad dressings. And go home with a goodie bag just for you! For more information or to book: info@herbfarm.co.za 010 447 3517 Herbfarm.co.za The Herb Farm, 264 Summit Road, Blue Hills, Midrand…

Highveld and KwaZulu-Natal Midlands SOW: Bush and runner beans, beetroots, brinjals (start indoors), cabbages, capsicums (start indoors), carrots, lettuce, garden peas, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, Swiss chard, tomatoes (sow indoors), turnips Middleveld (Tshwane and other less frosty areas) SOW: Lettuce, bush and runner beans, beetroots, brinjals (start indoors), cabbages, capsicums (start indoors), carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, mealies, melons, parsnips, pumpkins, radishes, rhubarb, spinach and Swiss chard, bush and trailing squashes, tomatoes (indoors), turnips Eastern Cape and Little Karoo SOW: Beetroots, brinjals (start indoors), cabbages, capsicums (start indoors), carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, parsnips, radishes, rhubarb, spinach and Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips Western Cape and southern coast SOW: Beetroots, brinjals (start indoors), capsicums, (start indoors), carrots, lettuce, mealies, parsnips, garden peas, radishes, rhubarb, bush and trailing squashes, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips Northern Cape and Great…

The tasselberry is a good choice for those wanting to attract wildlife to their gardens. The long sprays of white to cream flowers that can reach up to 160mm long hang down and cover the tree from October to January and attract a multitude and wide range of insects and butterflies. Then the berries appear from January to May and form large tassels that are enjoyed by many bird species and small mammals. The berries ripen at different intervals, changing colour from white to green to red and to black. This gives the tree a good chance of seed being dispersed and pollinated by birds. Description In the wild this tree can grow up to 15m tall, but in a garden setting the size is more likely to be around…

GAUTENG 31 August and 1 September • Clivia, Bonsai and Orchid Spring Fair This is a wonderful occasion, and a great opportunity to see some of the most beautiful examples of these diverse groups of plants. Rare and exceptional plants will be available for sale, while top breeders in their respective fields will be on sight to answer questions and give freely of their expertise. Venue: Laerskool Rooihuiskraal, c/o Panorama and Maraboe Streets, Rooihuiskraal, Centurion Time: 08:00 – 16:00 Entrance: Free Enquiries: Martin 083 937 5216 WESTERN CAPE 29 August – 1 September •Cape Town HOMEMAKERS Expo This year visitors will be able to see, touch and feel the very latest in home, décor, design and lifestyle trends, as well as see some new and exciting designs for our furry…

Lunar gardeners time their gardening chores to the ebb and flow of the moon's cycle, and report higher yields and more gardening pleasure. Note in this pre-spring cycle, "leaf• days are for frost-free areas. In frosty regions, plant delicate herbs under cover or delay until next month. The semi-fertile days before full moon suit the planting of trees and shrubs, and the weekend after full moon suits bulb and root veg planting. From last quarter to new moon clear and prepare beds for spring and summer veg and bedding plants. BEST DAYS FOR AUGUST…

The Savills and David Harber Garden This was my very first visit to Chelsea, and hopefully the first of many. I’d spent the afternoon before walking around Sloane Square where Chelsea fever was in full swing. Shop owners were adorning their shop windows with masses of flowers and decorative motifs. Word on the street was that Chelsea 2019’s main takehome message is bold: get out there and celebrate the regenerative power of nature. Usually I’m behind the scenes designing layouts for The Gardener, and now I was fortunate to attend Press Day at the most prestigious Flower Show in the world. After collecting my press packs I set off to find Main Avenue, where some of Britain’s best designers have worked for the past three weeks to construct and plant…

Violas are irresistible. They are petite, fragrant, flowers without any fuss and come in every colour of the rainbow. What more could a gardener desire? Violas planted in August will kickstart the spring garden, and if planted in a sunny but cool position (morning sun or dappled sun) they will flower through to November or for even longer. Bedding violas produce a mass of tiny blooms that stand out as garden edgings or borders, as groundcovers under deciduous trees, and for filling crevices in rock walls or loffelstein block terraces. Their flowers are edible, which also makes them suitable for the winter veggie and herb garden. Planting tips When preparing the soil, dig in compost and a controlled-release fertiliser that will slowly release nutrition over the following months. Violas like…

Spring can be a hectic period for gardeners, bonsai growers included. Everything seems to happen at once, and if you have more than just a few bonsai things can get out of hand very quickly. As the days begin to get longer, new shoots and leaves seem to burst out of every conceivable place on trees. This is a good thing, of course, but if you don’t control the growth then bonsai can quickly lose their shape and become bushes. Most often, trees in spring put out new shoots in places where we don’t actually want branches to grow. Leaving these branches to develop can be quite detrimental to a tree, and can use nutrients that would be better used in other places on the plant. Water shoots are shoots…

There is a cheap way to turn fallen autumn leaves, lawn clippings and other organic material that has been cut into smaller pieces into valuable compost for your garden without the need to actually make a large compost heap or buy a proper composter. All you need is Sturdy black plastic bags A few handfuls of chicken manure Garden refuse Old newspapers Do this… In a strong black plastic bag, make a first layer of garden refuse (this can be a mix of leaves, small twigs and other rough material such as the parts and stems of blown perennials and annuals that have been pruned or dug up). Next add a thin layer of torn newspaper. Now sprinkle over a layer (no thicker than about 1cm) of well-composted chicken manure.…

WHAT YOU NEED 32mm pine cut to the following dimensions:3 x 1000mm x 100mm x 32mm (bench top)1 x 820mm x 100mm x 32mm (spine)4 x 460mm x 100mm x 32mm (legs)2 x 260mm x 100mm x 32mm (leg braces) Wood glueWood primerPaint50mm Kreg screwsKreg plugs5mm x 55mm full-thread cut screws Tools Kreg Jig K4 Master System, Festool cordless drill driver, TorkCraft sanding glove, paintbrush, paint roller WHAT YOU DO 1 Cut all pieces to size, as per the diagram. The ends of the legs are angled and parallel. To do this measure 10mm in on opposite long sides and make a mark, then a draw a line from the mark to the closest corner and then cut along this line. See the diagram for a clearer understanding. 2 Use…

The versatile and lightweight Lavor Wash NINJA 120 pressure washer is the ideal addition to your home-cleaning arsenal, and is now available in South Africa. Did you know that water consumption using a high-pressure cleaner is nine times less than using a normal garden hose? This pressure washer offers top quality performance and reliability. Its compact design makes it handy and ideal for any outdoor cleaning requirement. It is best used for cleaning terraces, porches, patios, driveways, garden furniture, cars, motorcycles, caravans, bikes, gutters, drain channels, gates, boats and personal watercraft. It features a three-piston aluminium pump head with built-in by-pass valves with automatic stop system to protect the motor. The ergonomic handle and wheels offer excellent mobility for in and around the home. It comes with a 1-year warranty…

The hands in my household were not made for fixing stuff, be it with wood, brick, cement, paint or even glue. Although we do have a much-loved and fairly functional table on the stoep that my spouse hammered together many decades ago when he still had a double garage full of state-of-the-art wood-working tools. He is an avid tool and gadget buyer, even today, but I am afraid most of them end up in different pieces in a storeroom, never to be assembled again. The intention is always good but the staying power is lacking. I can’t decide if it is due to him having ten thumbs, a lack of commitment, or the fact that he is a Gemini – Geminis are apparently known to get bored very quickly! I…