Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2015 i The Gardener Magazine

Gardeners and landscape designers have always recognised plants with large or bold foliage for the dramatic impact they lend to mixed plantings. This principle pertains to larger plants like trees and shrubs, as well as lesser herbaceous perennials and groundcovers. Many publications feature listings of plants with ‘bold foliage’ for the express purpose of creating an awareness of this distinctive garden flora. Large leaves contrast strikingly with other plants with smaller foliage and finer textures, and such combinations have a dramatic effect on the overall landscape. Bold foliage is vital in most gardens, especially succulent plantings where agaves, aloes and echeverias contribute significantly to the intrinsic beauty of a ‘desertscape’. Other garden styles need a fair smattering of bold foliage in much the same way. Use large-leafed plants to enhance…

Mature gardens are often plagued by shaded areas created by large trees and shrubs, which pose a challenge when it comes to finding plants that grow successfully in difficult conditions. Shade, drip from overhanging trees, dampness or dryness, shallow soils and competing tree roots are all encountered in shaded areas. This obviously decreases the numbers of viable plant types enormously. One group of plants that fills this role on the floors of evergreen forests is ferns and clubmosses. They grow well in gardens and can transform otherwise bare tracts of soil into lush carpets of leafy foliage. Many ferns are often grown as indoor houseplants, but in fact grow even better in the garden. They require well-prepared soil with plenty of compost and regular watering. Some grow into clumps while…

Fish is perfect summer fare, light on calories, quick to prepare and in tune with summer holidays by the sea. Preparing tasty fish, however, requires some flair, and that is where herbs play a role. The herbs to choose are those that complement the subtle flavour of fish and don’t overpower it. Think dill, lemon balm, chives, Italian parsley, French tarragon and lemon thyme. An exception is Asian cuisine and here the flavours can be more zesty: ginger, horseradish, Vietnamese coriander (also known as hot mint), coriander and fennel. These spicy flavours work well with prawns and other shellfish. Herb butter Make herb butter for flavouring fish seared on the braai or under the grill. Herb butter can be as simple as softening 60 g of butter, mixing in 2…

Zen Nippon Airinkai (ZNA) has announced its 2016 Special Variety Koi – the Yamabuki Ogon. The ZNA was started by a group of Japanese koi hobbyists. Originally called Koi Kichi (‘Koi Maniacs’), it evolved into a true national and international organisation and in 1968 became known as Zen Nippon Airinkai. The original Yamabuki Ogon (an Ogon is a metallic koi of a single colour, while ‘yamabuki’ means ‘yellow’) came into being in 1957, when Ki-go and Ogons were hybridised. As with most hybrids, Ogons were initially rare and highly prized, and therefore expensive. But over the years they became more common as breeders managed to produce high-quality specimens. Today they are widely available and far more affordable. A champion Ogon koi must possess a number of characteristics, and you will…

EASTERN CAPE Saturday 31 October – Sunday 1 November In the Garden Expo DF Malherbe fields, Main Road, Walmer, Port Elizabeth The event opens on Friday 30 October at 19:00 with a talk by Tanya Visser. Talk tickets cost R40. Enquiries: Liza 083 327 2938, liza@inthegardenexpo.co.za Saturday 21 – Sunday 29 Border Bonsai Society Annual Show Pioneer Nursery, East London The show will offer repotting services, as well as sales of bonsai trees, tools and wire. Enquiries: alistairsparg@hotmail.com GAUTENG Sunday 8 The Herb and Indigenous Plant Guild Annual Craft Market Patsy’s Potions/The Herb and Indigenous Plant Guild,161 Rienert Avenue, Kempton Park West There will be homemade crafts, a large variety of plants and natural products on sale. Enquiries: 011 393 3427 or 076 265 4948, office hours only. Wednesday…

There are numerous different types of begonias, each one with a specific attribute that has led to cultivation in gardens and homes. Amongst the most rewarding are shrubby begonias, which make a stunning display in the shaded areas of frost-free gardens. Often overlooked for being ‘old fashioned’, they still perform an exemplary function in mature garden settings with lots of shady corners. Begonia coccinea ‘Alba’ is the white-flowered form of the common cane begonia. Stately stems develop into a shrubby clump clothed in green or speckled leaves shaped like angel’s wings. The stems are soft and fleshy, and the leaves succulent. Clusters of white flowers appear terminally through spring to autumn. These large begonia plants are ideal for background planting in mixed borders. The white flowers also help…

Good to know It’s now possible to mail-order heirloom or open-pollinated vegetable and herb seedlings. Living Seeds can courier orders of seedlings anywhere in the country, and they make up orders according to your specific needs. Visit www.livingseeds.co.za for more information. Three FAQ’s Thismayhappenwhenthe vine is overloaded with fruit, and it is a natural measure. Cutting off surplus fruit will strengthen the plant. Remove the rotten fruit so that it doesn’t spread disease. Yesifitis wood ash, because it contains potash. Use one spade per square meter. Do not use the ash from coal or anthracite – it is not good for plants. Celeryneedsveryfertilesoil and ample water. For white stems, loosely tie newspaper or black plastic around the stems to a height of 40 cm some three weeks…

What you need 3 x (660 mm x 220 mm x 40 mm) pine planks Wood glue Garden fork with a wooden shaft 16 mm dowel, cut to 600 mm Wood sealer (we used Rystix Exterior Armadek) 2 strong 100 mm hinges 40 mm cut screws 4 x (100 mm x 40 mm x 20 mm) pine blocks 345 mm x 18 mm x 3 mm piece of scrap wood Tools 3 long sash clamps Jigsaw Tablesaw or circular saw Sander Holesaw bit, the same diameter as the fork’s shaft Drill 16 mm drill bit Paintbrush Pencil What you do 1 The first step is to glue the three 660 mm x 220 mm x 40 mm pine planks together, to form a 660 mm square. To do this, lay…

IN BRIEF Location: Mountain View, Johannesburg Climate: Temperate Size: 2 acres Soil: Quartz-derived Aspect: North Age: 33 years Designers: Chris and Lorna Rayner Photographed: October It’s not often that we showcase a ‘public’ garden, but this one is special. Shepstone Gardens may have evolved from a private family garden into the landmark Johannesburg wedding venue it is today, but it retains the indelibly personal footprint of a passionate husband-and-wife team, and they continue to develop and nurture the garden 33 years after they moved here. So there is nothing ‘corporate’ about this garden, despite its crucial role in the impressive family-owned business. “From one spectacular vista to the next...” A personal stamp Abounding in romance, Shepstone Gardens sets the stage for a…

GET THE LOOK Not everyone feels comfortable using red in the garden. It can be dominating and individualistic, and is not really a team player when used alongside other colours. Yet it is dramatic, as this archway of ‘Cherry Garland’ demonstrates. Here it frames the pathway and allows the eye to rest on the immaculately clipped hedges leading into the distance. Red and green are harmonious partners that show each other off to best effect, and that’s another reason why this vista is so effective. Red adds vitality and demands our attention, and so is best used as a feature or accent, rather than en masse. Another very good red climbing rose is the new ‘Count Dracula’, which just keeps on flowering. Other good garden red roses are: ‘Annique’(Antico Moderno),…

As gardeners, we usually appreciate plants for their aesthetic value, but isn’t it nice when they have practical applications too? For example, some plants (indigenous ones included) fulfil a wide range of functions, such as stabilising soil, but how do we go about applying this knowledge in the home garden? Here are some practical examples. Soil stabilisation You probably learned about this in school: plant cover prevents soil erosion. That’s all well and good, but how would this apply to your suburban garden? If you live on a sloping site, you may have problems with soil erosion developing in your own yard. I’ve seen sloping residential sites simply slide away during heavy rains, and sometimes the results are absolutely disastrous. Also remember that the steeper the slope, the greater the…

Five minutes to spare Pinch out the growing tips when plants are 20 cm high, to make them bushy. If necessary, support the stem with a stake once the fruit starts to form and weigh down the plant. Sweet pepper varieties ‘California Wonder’ is a good pepper for beginners and grows well in pots, too. For a greater variety, check out the websites of seed suppliers like Living Seeds (www.livingseeds.co.za), who have ‘Orange Sun’, ‘Marconi Golden’ and two varieties that look like chillies but aren’t: ‘Padron Spanish Fryer’ and ‘Venezuelan Red’. A mini sweet pepper is ‘Cute Stuff’, with red or gold fruit (8 cm in diameter) for growing in pots as a patio veggie. It’s available in a pot from garden centres. Growing sweet peppers in pots While sweet…

Food garden tasks Water regularly: most vegetables like consistent watering and don’t respond well to dry spells. Keep mulching. Do daily pest patrols. Thin out seedlings. Transplant in the late afternoon to let seedlings settle in overnight. Keep up with succession sowing or planting. 10 minutes to spare Keep on earthing up potatoes. Tubers should never be exposed to light as this can cause them to develop toxic green patches.…

KWAZULU-NATAL Tuesday 1 September – Monday 30 November Stihl Open Gardens The colourful gardens of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands will be celebrated in the spring Stihl Open Gardens this September, October and November. Enquiries: www.stihl.co.za, or email Gail (gail@spottedowl.co.za) for a full listing of the open gardens. September to November Midlands Open Gardens The 2015 Harcourts Open Midlands Gardens is full of fabulous new gardens that will delight, tempt and inspire you. The Midlands Rose Society will also be holding a rose show and plant fair at the Hilton Quarry Centre (24-25 October). Underberg – 7-8 November Curry’s Post – 14-15 November Rosetta/Mooi River/Curry’s Post – 21-22 November Howick/Karkloof – 27-28 November Enquiries: www.openmidlandsgardens. co.za Friday 30 – Sunday 1 November Encounter EG Country and Garden Festival Encounter EG…

As summer temperatures soar, tender flower and fruit annuals are at risk of midday wilt. Prevent this by mulching and irrigating well on the first days. The last quarter phase is perfect for pest control, as is the day of, and before, full moon. Best to remove snails by hand. This month's full moon is barren; suited for planting grains and grasses only. Note the two days before and after are fertile and particularly good for all kitchen garden varieties. Plant above ground fruit veg before full, and below ground produce after full. By IlonaThorndike…

Trains have been very much in the news lately, with newspaper headlines screaming that the new Prasa locomotives bought from Spain ‘don’t fit’ between the railway track and powerline, that they do not ‘speak’ English (apparently all the technical stuff is in Spanish), and that they might not have an adequate braking system that’s up to stopping a runaway train. This debacle, run in typical South African style, evoked a lot of fond train memories among some retired columnists. They started gently arguing with each other in newsprint about the origin of a legendary train called ‘Makadas’. Some believed that this train used to run between Ladysmith and Touwsrivier, and that the colloquial ‘Makadas’ was derived from the words ‘muck and dust’. Others remembered that it used to be a…