Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2023 i The Gardener Magazine

Subscriptions Deal Save 30% and subscribe now! • Print magazine 12 issues R490 Save R206 - 30% discount on the cover price • Digital magazine 12 issues R390 Save R306 - 44% discount on the cover price How to Subscribe? • Call us 031 003 0940 • Email us at subs@thegardener.co.za • Fill in the form below and WhatsApp it through • Scan the QR code to subscribe online and pay by Credit card SCAN ME How do we deliver your subscription? Delivery is done by a hand delivery service provider in the urban areas. Rural area subscriptions are sent via the South African Postal Service, or ask us for a quote to get your magazine delivered by courier every month. Fill in the form below, take a photo and…

ALICE SPENSER-HIGGS “We have become so much more aware of the importance of pollinators, especially bees, of planting for diversity (including non-indigenous) and the health of our environment and our families.” The Gardener magazine and Tanya blew into the rather staid world of garden magazines like a blast of fresh air. I loved the energy and the passion to share the joy of gardening with gardeners. It was as simple as that. Since then, The Gardener has been a part of my life, starting with writing about roses (with Ludwig) and then adding herbs, vegetables and bedding plants to the mix. I will always be grateful for this wonderful opportunity to write about gardening, even if the monthly deadlines make me sweat. Garden styles have certainly changed, from Tuscan, topiary and…

NANCY GARDINER 1921-2020 “I admired her courage, independence and, most of all, her vast knowledge on plants and gardening.” One of our favourite gardening legends is undoubtedly Nancy Gardiner. She started writing for The Gardener in early 2004 and was a long-time contributor giving her expert gardening advice to our readers for many years. Here are some of Tanya’s fondest memories of Nancy: “Of course, everyone in the gardening world knew the name Nancy Gardiner. While I was still a young seedling in the gardening world, working at Dunrobin Garden Centre in Botha’s Hill, KwaZulu-Natal, Nancy would often visit the nursery. This was a BIG deal for me: a celebrity gardener, author of books and photographer in our own garden centre! Well, needless to say, I stuck to her like…

We have veered off the beaten track sometimes with feature stories. Our local customs, culture and sport inspired some wild and weird ideas… Like this article from January 2012: During rugby season, the coach will have his hands full to select the men which will have the honor to wear the coveted Green and Gold. A gardener wishing to grow a stunning garden filled with a winning team of backbone plants, might also find it daunting to make the right choices. But the main object should be to think as strategically as is expected of a rugby coach when choosing the best players. You simply cannot make a mistake if you choose your Springbok team of plants from the crème de la crème of our very own pool of worthy…

GARY ENGLISH “I only got involved in bonsai because I thought it had something to do with surfing. . . but seriously, my parents were very house-proud people and we had a lovely garden with the most well-tended lawn on the planet.” BONSAI AND I I only got involved in bonsai because I thought it had something to do with surfing. . . but seriously, my parents were very house-proud people and we had a lovely garden with the most well-tended lawn on the planet. I was about five years old, when my grandmother explained to me how seeds grow into plants just by being put into the soil and watered. She bought me a packet of carrot seeds which I planted in a flower bed. As the little plants…

Emthunzini Hats These sunhats are not only a fashion item but come with a host of unseen properties like UPF50+ UV protection and an endorsement by CANSA. The wide brims provide shade for you neck and face while gardening and they come in a range of colour to match any outfit. Order form www.sunhats.co.za Belts for garden tools Very handy to have in the garden, made from leather to denim, every gardener needs one. Order online at www.tanyavisser.com Gumboots Over the years, the beloved gardening gumboots have been available in great colours and now also in camo. I can’t wait to see what patterns and styles will be available for the next 20 years. www.mangomooncc.co.za Braaibroekies The name says it all, wear your dishtowel for you next braai and you…

Celebrating 100 years Malanseuns Pleasure Plants was founded way back in 1913 by Danie Malan on the northern slopes of the Magaliesberg, just outside of Pretoria. Originally a fruit producing farm, surplus fruit trees were sold to the public for planting on farms and in gardens. Over time the business grew and developed to a point where four of his sons embarked on growing ornamental garden plants to complement the fruit tree sales. Today Malanseuns is a world leader in the growing and distribution of ornamental plants. The family were pioneers in the development of sustainable, organic growing mediums to alleviate the need for using topsoil for the production of container-grown plants. Containers were transformed from rusty old tins and other receptacles often retrieved from rubbish dumps and industry to…

Some or other magnetic force made me abandon my shift on the show stand of a lifestyle magazine I was working for at the time. It was at a garden show in Somerset West at the end of 2006. Why I instinctively headed straight for The Gardener magazine’s stand in an exhibition tent further down the lane, I still do not know. A shortish bird in a lime green golf t-shirt came storming up the pathway. I immediately recognised her as the inimitable Tanya Visser although we have never met in person before. When we came abreast of each other, she shouted that she came looking for me. I shouted back that I think I was on my way to look for her too. The result of this fleeting encounter…

KEITH KIRSTEN “I planted trees with Nelson Mandela in Alexandra Township before he became President.” Tanya: Getting Keith Kirsten involved in The Gardener from the very start was a huge deal for Tanya. “Keith was my gardening god from the start of my career. I was a youngster working at Dunrobin Nursery, and we grew some of Keith’s plants. He would pop in, chat to us, sign copies of his books for us, and it was such a thrill. He was South Africa’s first gardening celebrity, pioneering so much in South African gardening as well as TV and his books. He was also friendly with my great friend Gerald Schofield, which is how I became friends with him over time. He got me started in TV and helped so much…

Jasminum polyanthum (Chinese jasmine) Few other plants mark the arrival of early spring more prominently on the nose as the pink, or Chinese jasmine. The dainty look of this climber with its heads of sweetly-scented pink buds opening into white star-like flowers and fern-like leaves can be misleading as it is a vigorous, evergreen climber that will rapidly hide something unsightly in the garden or cover pergolas and arches in a cloud of perfume when in flower. Jasminum polyanthum grows best in sun or light shade and loves a well-drained compost enriched soil. It has average water needs. Flower Carpet ‘Pink’ rose Long before Flower Carpet ‘Pink’ rose’s release in 1989, Werner Noack had the foresight and the commitment to breed a mega-blooming, easy-to-grow, low-maintenance, chemical-free rose — a rose…

Not many vegetable-seed supplier companies can boast that their heritage has been 100% rooted in South African soil for more than100 years. That’s quite an accomplishment for Starke Ayres. During the World Food Summit in Rome in 1996, food security was defined as all people having access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active and healthy life style at all times. But Starke Ayres started this mission long before that. For 145 years, the company has been contributing fruitfully to food security in South Africa, on the continent and beyond. Its business has always been to feed the planet. Planting the first seeds The origins of Starke Ayres lie in the later years of the 19th century when the old Cape firms of…

JENNY DEAN “Twenty years ago, indigenous gardening was hardly the buzzword it is now. Nowadays, biodiversity, rewilding and regenerative gardening has moved to the fore.” Gardening 20 years on by Jenny Dean When I began writing for The Gardener magazine 20 years ago, it was to share my ideas on creating a sanctuary for readers using indigenous plants and all the birds, butterflies and insects they attract, and to highlight the small joys of such a garden and the little-known aspects of some of our special local plants. Things like Croton pseudopulchellus leaves with silvery undersides and ginger freckles; butterballs (Pavonia praemorsa) with flowers that open yellow and close maroon; the puzzle bush (Ehretia rigida) our local ‘yesterday, today and tomorrow’ with subtle fragrance and lilac blooms; and last but…

Whether growing in the garden in full sun or partial shade or in a container where they like to be a little root bound, agapanthus species are exceptionally good plants to have. There are now many varieties that have been bred from the 6 species found locally over a vast area of South Africa including winter- and summer-rainfall areas. These new hybrids are repeat flowering and come in a variety of blues, purples and white colours and mixes of these to produce a range of beauties that still have the features of our easy-to-grow indigenous agapanthus. Here are some new ones to add to the list: Amethyst Agapanthus praecox ‘Amethyst’ is named for its true amethyst colour stripes that form on each lilac petal of the pretty flowers that are…

2003 The first issue of The Gardener magazine scanned from the one beat-up copy we have in our archive – this was about a year before we went monthly – the February/March issue. 2007 In March 2007, we launched the first magazine in Afrikaans. On our second cover we made a mistake and called it March again instead of April. We learnt quickly to make sure we had enough proper Afrikaans language checkers after that. The first The Gardener TV show presented by Tanya Visser went live on The Home Channel in May 2007. 2012 In May 2012 we launched our first show in Pretoria at the Botanic Gardens. This was the beginning of many more shows, high stress levels, sleepless nights and unpredictable weather! 2013 I am convinced that…

Valued at R75 000 + HOW TO ENTER One lucky person stands a chance to win this wonderful prize! Find Dora the Gnome hidden on a page in this magazine. Send the page number together with your name, address and contact info to email: competitions@thegardener.co.za or SMS (charged at normal rates) or WhatsApp on 061 866 7780 before the 27 February 2023. Terms and conditions apply on www.thegardener.co.za…

WENDY MOULTON “When I needed somebody to see the bigger picture and to look at the business holistically, I have always turned to Wendy and still do it today. She is never afraid to say what she thinks, will think nothing of reigning me in firmly, and will then see to it that any decision we had to make, hard or easy, is fulfilled with efficient precision”– Tanya Like Super Glue… The job of being a managing editor of any magazine is not an easy one. Without this important cog in the gear works of publishing, no magazine - especially ours with its strong individuals and sometimes very emotional staff members not honouring editorial or advertising deadlines - would ever reach the shelves. This is a typical post for somebody…

LINDSAY GRAY “Over the years, my contributions have included showcasing gardens across South Africa, covering garden shows and writing specifically on elements of garden design.” My first article for The Gardener magazine was in 2003. Over the years, my contributions have included showcasing gardens across South Africa, covering garden shows and writing specifically on elements of garden design. I also contribute to Grow to Eat which is my all-time favourite magazine on growing your own produce. I trained in journalism specifically geared towards gardening, first with Eluned Price in Oxford, England, and locally with Graeme Ferreira who was, at the time, editor of the The Hilltop newspaper in KwaZulu-Natal. Both are award-winning journalists. I authored and co-authored three gardening books – Making Sense of Garden Design (Gray, Walker & Lachenicht),…

I remember pondering over my mother’s preference for ‘Moneymaker’ tomatoes, which never seemed to live up to its promise and why she favoured ‘Lazy Housewife’ runner beans when she was anything but lazy. Browse through the garden centre’s seedling racks or go online and all those old names are still there. New hybrids promise better yields and greater disease resistance, but they don’t seem to have elbowed out ‘Glory of Enkhuizen’ cabbage, ‘Texas Grano’ onion or ‘Crimson Globe’ beetroot. These tried and tested vegetables can now claim heirloom status. They are also open-pollinated varieties so there is no whiff of genetic modification, just a natural hardiness from years of cooperation with nature. Every gardener has their tried-and-true favourites but we had to draw the line somewhere, so this list is…

Well, look no further than the world of heart-shaped houseplants. Ranging from a close heart resemblance to an unmistakable connection, and with a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colours and care difficulties, you’re bound to find the perfect plant for you on this list. 1 Epipremnum aureum Commonly known as pothos or devil’s ivy, this climber is one of the most popular houseplants around the world. Beloved for its easy-care nature and ability to tolerate plenty of neglect, pothos is the ideal heart-shaped plant for beginners. Some cultivars have more pronounced heart-shapes and come with interesting variegation patterns, ensuring there is always something interesting to look at. Look out for the ‘Glacier’ cultivar, which has a dramatic heart shape and white or cream stripes of variegation. 2Cyclamen persicum Commonly known as…

Gardening is fun for all ages and extremely rewarding in many ways. It helps us connect with nature and brings us closer to our friends and family. It reduces stress levels, and just being in the garden can create a sense of relaxation-no matter what you choose to grow. Whether beautiful flowers, delicious herbs, fresh vegetables, mouth-watering fruit, or little succulents, we have a wide range of products catering to everybody’s needs and preferences, including water-saving products to reduce watering cycles or use your greywater. Our products feed and protect your beloved plants with the best and most much-needed nutrients. We can help you help the environment with fresh, hormone-free home-grown produce that is self-sustainable and has much more flavour. “A herb garden to give your life a little flavour.”…

MARGARET ROBERTS 1937-2017 “Margaret is remembered for her warm personality, herbal teas and the gift of diversity she gave to all of us.” We remember Margaret Roberts for her contribution to the gardening industry and specifically to our magazines. She wrote stories for us on her favourite topic, herbs for many years and included a series on Unusual Plants and a fabulous series on Spices. Most of her herb stories started with the phrase: “… is an ancient and revered herb…”, and that is because she truly believed that all herbs were revered. Gardeners will remember Margaret for her favourite lavender outfits to go with one of her favourite herbs. In fact, Lavandula x intermedia ‘Margaret Roberts’ is often featured in our magazines because it’s a tough plant that grows…

BEST DAYS FOR FEBRUARY For more information on gardening by the moon, by phase and by sign please visit our updated website at www.moontime.co.za. Moonlight Calendar 2023, the annual poster calendar, is also available on the order page.…