Bushveld Beauty

A Little Untidiness

A Friendly Meeting Place

ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015

3 Summer Stunners

IN THIS ISSUE

DESIGN12 A Little Untidiness By Jenny Dean18 Three Summer Stunners21 Formal Simplicity28 Plants to beat the Summer Heat42 An African Herb Garden - Phase 2

PLANT LIBRARY 8 Combretum kraussii - Tree of the Year38 Bushveld Beauty

ENVIRONMENT22 A Friendly Meeting Place By Anno Torr30 Feeding Urban Birds on a 1/4 acre Plot By Anno Torr

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FEBRUARY

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION:Editor: Anno TorrContact us: anno@theindigenousgardener.co.za Publisher: The Indigenous Gardener Contributing writers: Anno Torr, Jenny Dean All photos by Anno Torr, unless otherwise stated Other Photo credits: Andrea Abbott, Jenny Dean, Some image via Wikicommons, acknowledgement given; Graphic Design: digitlab and Anno Torr Disclaimers and Copyrights: Opinions expressed in this magazine do not reflect those of The Indigenous Gardener or any project related to The Indigenous Gardener. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, The Indigenous Gar-dener cannot be held liable for inadvertent mistakes. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.

CONTACT US: Editor: 8 anno@theindigenousgardener.co.za( 0726025610Advertising: 8 Veronica: info@theindigenousgardener.co.zaAccounts: 8 Hermes: info@theindigenousgardener.co.za

REGULARS36 Notes from Nature 6 What’s In Flower 7 Monthly Task Card

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Dear Readers,

First off, a bit of a whine, and an announcement! Power outages have played havoc with our working hours this past month. As you can imagine, and are no doubt experiencing for yourself, they are not conducive to a digital business. Which is why we are so late this month. We are thus making a small investment in battery power to ensure we can keep going, and have taken the decision to combine the February and March issues! We have thus included a few extra articles to tide you over until April. I trust that is O.K. with everyone?

Heavy rains, strong wind, baking 30 C temperatures interspersed with cooler teens; we’ve had it all this past month. The garden’s response has been a unilateral decision to go wild! As I pen this, I’m beneath the cool shade of a tree watching a bird party feast in a tangled patch (See article on page ), and I celebrate this usurping of my decision-making! Relieved of what I term ‘unnecessary fiddling’ my bird list grows ever larger. While I did my best to participate in the Lepidopterists Society 2015 Summer LepiBASH, by chasing flitting butterflies with camera in hand, I took instead photo’s of the birds that ate them – well, their larvae at any rate. But there were 1899 images received, 908 more than last year, showing an increasing interest in Nature that is worth getting excited about!

With too much to do and a working life attached to a computer, the constant distraction proffered by wildlife outside the office windows is a constant reminder of why I do this work. For we need to grow the country’s stock of habitat gardens – and gardeners – to ensure that when the current pioneers of wild African gardening move on, the wildlife sanctuaries they grew remain intact, rather than ripped out and covered in lawn, lollipops, and Sheena’s Gold. So we focus this month on attracting urban birds to the garden, from a ¼ acre plot in Durban North to a larger inland restaurant. While these designs offer cool shade, the bright flowers of sunny, open areas are needed for others, and Jenny inspires with a beauty that winds along

two narrow strips in a tiny garden. She encourages us to accept a bit of untidiness if we’re serious about our wildlife gardening.

For those living in Pietermaritzburg and surrounds, I’ll be repeating my talk given at the Durban BotSoc Branch last year, this time for the BotSoc Inland Branch. Titled ‘So What is Indigenous Garden Design’, it takes place on Saturday 14th March. Please contact the BotSoc Inland Branch for further details – I’d love to meet our inland readers. Enjoy!

Botanical Society Inland Branch Talk: 14th March - By Anno Torr

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FROM THE EDITORS DESK…

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Please contact us with any article ideas, queries or technological problems with the reading/ downloading of the magazine, feedback and more...anno@theindigenousgardener.co.za

TO ADVERTISEPLEASE CONTACT Veronica at:info@theindigenousgardener.co.za

The critical need for gardeners to be part of the fabric that protects indigenous flora while supporting urban wildlife can only be achieved by changing the objec-tives of traditional garden design. Colour schemes, focal points, texture, spatial organisation and compo-sition, are all elements of this human-driven style. But what principles guide indigenous garden design?

Anno

WE ARE A FREE PUBLICATION TO ALL READERS

Cover image: An African garden mix: Knipho-fia, Pychnostachys, Europys with Aloe arbores-cens in the foreground © Vic Bonsor

QUICK LINKS: Click here for access to our website

www.theindigenousgardener.co.za

The Botanical Society KwaZulu-Natal Inland Branch are looking for indigenous gardens to showcase on their 2015 Indigenous Open Gardens Show, set for April 2015. While they are looking for suitable gardens in the Howick/Merrivale area in particular, they would also love to hear about indigenous gardens in the Pietermaritzburg/Hilton area. The criteria? Mostly indigenous!

If you are keen to showcase your garden please contact: Sally Johnson: 072-1379408 / sarahjarvis.johnson@gmail.com Mary Thrash: 072-6141612 / thrashmjm@gmail.com

Garden request forAutumn 2015

BOTSOC Pietermaritzburg Indigenous Open Gardens

www.facebook.com/botsockzninland

The larger fruit-eaters battle to survive in cities as many gardeners forgo ‘messy’ fruiting shrubs and trees for flow-ering shrub-lets and perennials. A small section of the garden could make a big difference to their survival in the urban jungle; think of this little exclusion area shrubbery as a way of lessening your maintenance load! Read this month’s articles on providing for urban birds and plant up a fruit basket in the last of the summer rains. As important as these larger plants are, a sunny open area filled with flowering species and grasses is just as critical. Each biome has many to choose from, but don’t be limited by what is on offer in local nurseries - take your list of have-to-have’s and ask your nurseryman to source them!

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WHAT’S IN FLOWER?

TREES:Acacia karoo (1)Apodytes dimidiataBrachylaena elliptica BitterleafDichrostachys cinerea -Sickle bush (4)Erythrina humeana -Dwarf Coral Tree

Heteropyxis natalensis -Lavender tree

Mundulea sericeaPappea capensisTabernaemontana ventricosa -Toad tree

Searsia chirendensisSearsia leptodictyaSearsia pendulinaSearsia undulata Ziziphus mucronata

SHRUBS: Anisodontea julii -Pink mallow

Agathosma ovata False buchu (8)Barleria albostellata Grey BarleriaDietes butcheriana(2)Bauhinia galpinii Pride -of-de-KaapBauhinia natalensis Natal bauhiniaBauhinia tomentosa Yellow Bell bauhiniaDracaena aletriformis -Large leaved dragon tree

Euryops pectinatus -Yellow daisy bush

Buddleja glomerata Karoo sagewood Syncolostemon densiflorus (6)Hoslundia opposita Mimetes hottentoticus Silver pagoda Plumbago auriculata (5)

PERENNIALS/GC/ BULBS/GRASSESAptenia cordifolium Aptenia Arctotheca calendulaArctotis arctotoides BotterblomAsystasia gangetica Creeping FoxgloveCarpobrotus edulis Sour FigCrassula pellucida CrassulaCrocosmia aurea Falling Stars Delosperma cooperi Trailing Ice PlantDelosperma lydenburgensisHypoxis hemerocalidea Star flower Oplismenus hirtellus (9)Kniphofia species (7)Tephrosia inandensis (3)

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4 5 6

7 8 9

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Feed/ Maintain: use organic fertilisers or compost• Renew mulches on all beds to protect from heavy rains if not done in January• Give the garden, hanging baskets and containers a general feed after the heavy rains

which tend to leach nutrients out of the soils including • Feed the compost heap with your cuttings• Feed Plectranthus spp. and Hypoestes aristata (Ribbon bush) to ensure a good dis-

play in autumn• If heavy rains have compacted soils, loosen them (but do not turn over) and cover

with a thick mulch layer.

Prune/ Trim/ Deadhead: leave some flowers to set seed• Remove some dead flowering heads of Agapanthus. Keep some for wildlife use• Small shrubs can be trimmed after flowering, as long as wildlife will not be disturbed • Dead-head groundcovers and perennials, trim Barleria repens, cut back Helichrysum

splendidum and Jasminum multipartitum after flowering. Allow a few flowers to seed to provide food and nesting materials

• Thin out reeds in your water feature/wetland/pond. Still time to split over-grown water-lilies• Keep leaves on the Eucomis spp. to build up food for the next season

Propagate / Plant / Remove: • Collect seeds of Agapanthus and sow immediately - the fresher the better the results• Plant Ixia, Freesia and Babiana bulbs at the end of the month.• Cut back Pelargoniums and Euryops spp. before they get too woody and take slips of

Plectranthus and soft-wood cuttings of Osteospermum, Felicias and Geraniums, Pelar-goniums and Euryops

• Prepare for winter: Plant natural food plants like Aloes, Leonotus and Kniphofia spp.

FEBRUARY 2015

Agapanthus speciesAsystasia gangeticaCrinum mooreiGazania rigensMurdannia simplexScadoxus ‘katharinae’ (2)

Acacia karrooErythrina humeanaHoslundia oppositaKaromia speciosusPlectranthus zuluensisXylotheca kraussiana

Burchellia bubalina (3)Plumbago auriculata (4)Felicia amelloides (1)Bulbine abyssinicaArctotheca calendulaAloe cooperi

WHAT’S INFLOWER

Summer’s end

Pests and Diseases: our website has earth-friendly remedies to try• Pelargoniums are still susceptible to fungal diseases. Water at root level and earlier in

the day so leaves to dry out before evening• Up-end old pots and other containers that collect water where mosquitoes from laying

eggs. Mozzies can also be found in the large leaves of species like Strelitzia - clear them out by spraying a strong jet of water on the plants

• Hawk- moth caterpillars are around. Look out for them and watch their fascinating lifecycles rather than killing them off - they are important pollinators

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Tree of the Year 201588

Every month I find another plant to declare as my favourite one! It is just so easy to do in this country - only 21 963 more to go. But this tree is a beauty.

Most of the tree species with dramatic seasonal colour changes come from the cooler regions of the world, requiring dramatic changes in temperature to do so. Yet there are many gardeners in this predominantly warm, sun-drenched country of ours who want trees with this characteristic; not expecting to find any local ones, they plant the well-known exotics insead. The good news is, there are a handful of indigenous species with seasonal colour variations that do not require cold temperatures to initiate. Of these, the Combretum family stands out with leaf shades ranging from light summer greens to autumn russets and gold. Of the 25 South African species, the Forest Bushwillow, Bushwillow being the common name used between the species, has been chosen as one of the 2015 South African Tree of the Year, and it warrants closer attention.

Combretum kraussii is a fast growing usually multi-stemmed tree from the eastern regions of the country. Though it can reach up to 15 m in height within a forest (where it has a single trunk), in the garden it is more likely to grow to 7 – 8 m. Leaves are thin and rather leathery to the touch, between 50 – 120 x 20 – 50 mm in size, and show up well against a pale grey bark that darkens as the tree matures. In warmer climates, it is considered to be mostly evergreen, but tends to lose most of the leaves in cooler areas. Creamy- white flowers appear in dense heads in August, surrounded by small white leaves. It is suggested that the role of the small white leaves is to bring the flowers to the attention of the pollinators.

Flowering ends in November and the white leaves either turn green or fall off to be replaced by larger, bright green ones. Fruiting is profuse from February to June.

Tree of the Year 20159999

Combretum kraussii

By Anno Torr

Forest Bushwillow

Combretum kraussii in Krantskloof Nature Reserve© JMK via Wiki Commons

The four-winged fruits grow in large clusters and are conspicu-ous among the leaves. Small and papery to enable wind disper-sal, they are initially light to dark red, changing to a brownish red as they dry, and can be seen from afar.

The flexible stems, used in basket making, make this a suit-able tree to use in a windscreen as they are less likely to break than those with more brittle stems. The Forest Bushwillow can be used where a large screen is required, or if lower branches are pruned, as a beautiful shade tree. Plant it in the understory of a forest or woodland, or as a single specimen in full sun. If protected when young, it is quite frost hardy.

Combretum flowers are pollinated by a variety of insects, in-cluding bees, and seed parasites attract the Southern Black Tit.

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Top right: Thorn trees, wild grasses and woody shrubs make for a wildlife - friendly drivewayBelow: A wild grassland mix outside a window

The third national awareness day for southern African frogs will be held on Saturday 28 February 2015

www.leapdayforfrogs.org.za

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A LITTLE UNTIDINESS

Gardeners have a perfect opportunity to provide creature friendly spaces – plant locally indigenous, take out more lawn and allow a bit of untidiness to prevail.

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By Jenny Dean

A LITTLE UNTIDINESS

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Correct plant selection means there is always some interest in this wildlife space

A Little Untidiness goes a long way in the eyes of animals and birds. Gardeners have a perfect opportunity to provide creature friendly spaces – plant locally indigenous, take out

more lawn and allow a bit of untidiness to prevail. The town-house garden shown here is an example.

Owners Vic and Judy wanted a low maintenance bird and butterfly garden. Their space is very small so the solution was to have no lawn at all, simply a path meandering through beds which are packed with all manner of interesting plants. This planting wraps around the entire unit visible from every window – a green corridor in miniature. There are two distinct areas - the front of the house is sunny while the back is shady with hot afternoon sun in winter. This need not be a challenge if you research the needs of the plants that you like. The key is knowing the requirement of each plant. Sun? Shade? A bit of both ? Damp or dry? Correct plant selection in this lovely garden means there is always some interest and the path calls one to wander into this slightly wild wildlife- friendly space.

Various kinds of Kniphofia jostle with aloes ensuring nectar for sunbirds year round. Leonotis intermedia nudges Hoslundia opposita. The Hoslundia or Orange Bird berry is a most useful shrub growing to 1, 2 m. Little white flowers attract bees and are followed by papery fruits, eaten by both people and birds.

Top: Kniphofia species with blue Pycnostachys and yellow Euryops; Centre: Cape Robin bathing; Right: Aloe chabaudii. Images by Vic Bonsor

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Aloe cooperi and Melinis nerviglumis sit companionably together with green- tipped apricot blooms and fluffy red heads mingling. Kleinia fulgens and Crassula capitella line the bark mulch path. The bright pom pom flowers of Kleinia and the delicate white flowers of Crassula are attractive to humans but more so to butterflies. Gomphocarpus physocarpus loves conditions here so much they have become small trees laden with balloon like fruits. The silky hairs within are a boon for nesting birds. Pycnostachys urticifolia bears deep blue flowers and is a wonderful com-panion to yellow flowered Pavonia praemorsa.

Below:centre left: Juncus and Aloe cooperii sur-round a bird bath.Below right: Scabiosa species © Vic BonsorBottom: A little untidiness brings in the wildlife.

The shady side is home to several Hibiscus peduncu-latus, Metarungia pubinervia and grey Helichrysum populifolium. Mitriostigma axillare grows slowly here but flowers and fruits early in its life.

Dermatobotrys saundersii is an interesting addition which may prove to be better in a container. It is a rare epiphytic shrublet with brilliant red tubular flowers and delicious fruit. Aloe pluridens is the perfect compan-ion for these shade lovers along with Aloe dyeri which sends up pale red flowers in March. It has proved to be too wet for Haemanthus albiflos the White snowbrush so Vic will lift them and plant them in shallow contain-ers.

A grassy ditch which carries storm water away was col-onised by reeds which the neighbour removed. In one move this home for little frogs disappeared. Vic will be planting Zantedeschia sp (Arum lilies) here – hopefully this will appease the neighbours penchant for neatness and still provide a safe haven for the reed frogs.

Both Vic and Judy get enormous pleasure from the ac-tivity and life in the garden. Sunbirds abound along with multitudes of little seed eating birds.

It is remarkable that so much life exists in this tiny space especially as it is surrounded by neat, orderly gardens full of exotics and annuals. We can only dream of the possibilities if the neighbours joined Vic and Judy in encouraging birds and butterflies and gardening in a “wild “way.Left: Milkweed at the pathway entrance; Below: large grey leaves of Helichrysum populifolium mix with Bulbine, Plectranthus and Mitriostigma axillare

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Above: Pavonia praemorsa; Below: Monarch caterpillar on Milk-weed ball. Left: Double-collared sunbird on Leonotus intermedia. Images Vic Bonsor. Bottom image © Vic Bonsor

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Painting the slopes of the Drakensberg marshmallow pink are the large cup-like flowers of the Mountain Mallow, Anisodontea julii. This showy shrub flowers throughout

summer, reaching its mature height in a single season, so is the perfect gift for an impatient gardener. Its generosity does not stop there; though the life span is short – usually 5 years – it both self-seeds easily and suckers from the roots so there are always replacements ready by the time the parent plant dies off. Mimic this generosity by giving unwanted seedlings to friends.

Growth form is slim and neat. Aside from end of season prun-ing to prevent woodiness, it needs very little upkeep. Flowers show up beautifully against the large pale grey-green leaves. Height is variable; in some areas it grows to 3m with a 2m spread, but it is often smaller. The Mountain Mallow tucks neatly into a mixed bed, as part of a shrubbery. If planted close to the house, a pathway or the patio the flowers, and their wildlife visitors, can be enjoyed. Anisodontea julii tolerates moderate frost and hot summers, and though it is a summer rainfall species, it does equally well in a winter rainfall garden. It has moderate water needs through the summer and survives the usual winter drought.

3 Summer Stunners Shrubs that bring summer to life

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Note the white Crab Spider in the center of the flower above

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Another neat, grey-leaved shrub is the almost spherical -shaped Grey Barleria, Barleria albostelata. I love this shrub for its versatility and extreme neatness that requires very little gardener input! Hailing from the Limpopo region, the natural habitats are the sandy soils of dry woodland. Happiest is dap-pled, partial or light shade, it will also grow in full sun. The Grey Barleria is one of the prettiest shrubs for summer rain-fall gardens. Leaves are large and furry, with just a hint of green, enticing you to reach out and touch; a wonderfully tac-tile shrub. There is firmness to the thick leaves though they do droop and curl inwards when the plant is stressed – whether from drought or excessive sun. Flowering season begins in summer, each pure white petal unfurling from a large, folded flower-head to stand up above the leaves. In a good year, they can cover the shrub, but more often than not, a few flowers are on display at any one time, and this continues for many months. Hairy flower-heads, initially brushed with purple, turns brown as it dries, remaining on the shrub for weeks. Even then, the bush looks good. Grey leaved plants are very water-wise.

Of all the flower forms that have dressed gardens down the

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centuries, the daisy is surely the most recognisable. Simple, uncomplicated petals surrounding the center ‘eye’, create the happiest face in all of the worlds’ floral families, making themsome of the most popular garden plants worldwide.

South African gardeners have many indigenous daisies from which to choose; Dimorphotheca, Osteospermum, Felicia, to name a few, so the familiar yellow daisy bushes, Euryops species, are often overlooked. Yet the yellow flowering Daisy bush family has some beauties that deserve to be better known and used in urban gardens, and this includes Tyson’s Euryops, Euryops tysonii. Arguably the prettiest of the Eury-ops family, it has an interesting upright and sprawling growth habit; most of the growth is quite dense and upright, but new growth from the base tends to sprawl. Leaves are set close together along the stem at various angles, slightly sticky from the resin typically produced by this genus, though volumes are less in this species than in others. Bright yellow solitary flowers cluster close together at the branch tips, about 10 mm in diameter, and are sweetly scented.

Flowering begins in spring and continues right through the summer and into autumn. They grow in rocky and steep places in scrub and grassland in the Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, so plant it in full sun in well-draining soils in a rocky, mixed bed or in the grassland patch. This daisy bush will reach mature size (0.5 to 1.5 m) quickly and is an attractive addition to summer rainfall garden. Give water in summer if planted in the winter rainfall area. It can be pruned back after flowering to keep it bushy, but is not essential and could achieve some unusual shapes if left to sprawl. Tyson’s Euryops is both frost and drought hardy, and the lovely flowers attract many insects, including bees.

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Form, simplicity and low maintenance make for an easy-care container display. The Mother-in-law’s tongue, Sansevieria hyacinthoides, is not favoured by all gardeners as a garden

plant. Yet it has a form, texture and contrasting colour pattern that make it a perfect choice for these small pots on a more for-mal section of the patio. While commonly used as a pot plant, it is the stark design and tall, narrow lines of the pots, mirroring the growth form of the plant itself, that make this display such a success. In many ways Sansevieria hyacinthoides is the per-fect container plant; thriving when filling the pot completely, as a succulent it requires very little water only needing a top up during the driest of seasons. It can look quite sad when over-watered. Versatile in its light requirements, it will grow in full sun but does far better in shade, whether dappled, light or partial. Here the colourations and texture become lush and intense, and growth and spread can be quite vigorous. Full sun, on the other hand, produces paler dry looking stems and the plant tends to merely exist rather than thrive!

Planted primarily for the form and colour of the leaves, this member of the Asparagus family produces narrow white flowers through summer, followed by small orange fruit. These attract birds, bees, butterflies and other insects. The Mother –in-law’s tongue occurs on rocky outcrops in dry woodland areas in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo. As it required dry conditions, ensure your potting mix drains well. Place a layer of grey road gravel, pieces of broken pot, and river sand at the bottom of the container and fill with potting medium rather than garden soil.

FORMAL SIMPLICITY

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A Friendly Meeting PlaceBy Anno Torr

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There is a restaurant in the leafy hills above Durban that has become a daily meeting place for an eclectic mix of characters. Food on offer is seasonal and so the varieties

that come to share this venue vary slightly through the year. The showiest of all are the avian visitors – some gregarious, others quietly focused on their meal, some with romance in their hearts, while the shy species keep to the shadows of the undergrowth. Butterflies, lizards, caterpillars, beetles and other tiny insects complete the guest list; this month’s specials - insects with a spritz of nectar!

A single Schotia brachypetala, Weeping Boer-bean, anchors the foliage structure like the central staircase of a building. It is an excellent nectar provider through spring, the dark red wax-like flowers leaking their prize it is so abundant. Not every year is so generous though; luckily the ever reliable Halleria lucida then steps in. Turacos, parrots, and monkeys eat the Schotia flower buds and seeds, and sunbirds, Redbacked Mannikin, Spotted-backed Weaver, Blackheaded Oriole and glossy starlings feed on the nectar. Other creatures are catered for: Foxy Charaxes, Giant Charaxes, and the Large Blue Charaxes butterflies are seen amongst the glossy leaves. Beneath it, the Tree Fuschia, Halleria lucida is almost incomparable in the diversity of foods it provides, like the very best Sunday Grill - nectar, berries, pollen, and insects. Sunbirds, pigeons, Purple-crested Turaco, thrushes, bulbuls, robins, white-eyes, and weavers visit as their favoured treat becomes available, and honeybees hover as they fill their tiny pollen sacks. As the tree matures, so the flower show improves.

A number of Polygala myrtifolia plants have self-seeded. This shrub has a variable growth form as it adapts to wide ranging conditions, and is covered for much of the year in large, showy purple flowers. These are pollinated by carpenter bees and is a primary source of food for this species of bee. Seeds are tiny winged capsules loved by laughing doves. The September Bush offers excellent perching sites for birds, for which it is frequently used through the year. Beneath them is Orange Bird Berry, Hoslundia opposita, a favourite meal of the mousebirds at this restaurant! Forming a mid-sized mound of soft grey-green to apple-green leaves that contrast beautifully with the cream-green flowers and orange berries. Both berries and flowers cover the shrub from October to February. Butterflies visit the flowers, insects, including bees visit, and the popularity of the fruits with birds gives it the common name. The Orange Bird Berry needs

full sun and it sits on the sunny edge of this thick clump.

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Top: Flowers of Schotia brachypetala © Tatiana via Wiki Commons; Centre: Polygala myrtifolia; Bottom left: Mousebirds congregate; Right: Flowers of Erythrina humeana shine against the dark foliage

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A mature Karomia speciosa stretches towards the sun, brush-ing the lower leaves of the Schotia. One of the prettiest of our indigenous shrubs, this species hails from northern areas of KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanaga, and Limpopo. The local insects and carpenter bees, the main pollinators of this plant, love it and make the most of the copious nectar and pollen shows through summer. While happiest in full sun, the bicolored pink and purple flowers are better seen in the dappled shade, and the plant copes efficiently with the winter sun as the Schotia loses its leaves. Only partially frost resistant, it does enjoy this moist situation but won’t be happy in too dark a shade.

Three dwarf Erythrina humeana offer nectar in summer, the flowers glowing a luminous orange against the dark green foliage. Bare stems are favoured perches from which the birds hawk insects from the air or probe the lichen-covered bark. This species needs hot sun for a good flower display and we will need to relocate these little trees as the canopy cover spreads. The large Plectranthus genus is well represented and is the only

recorded food plant for the Precis tugela butterflies. Other mem-bers host the bronzes and commodores. Plectranthus fruticosus has shades of pink, purple and cerise, and is a host plant for the larvae of Gaudy Commodore and Garden Inspector. Birds love to scramble in the ground-level foliage and all bees feed on the flowers. P. hereroensis (Dark Blue Spur-flower) is the host plant for Soldier Pansy, Garden Commodore and Garden Inspector, as well as the Gaudy Commodore, and honey bees love the flow-ers. This shrub self-seeds prolifically and new plants are often left to grow where they choose. In this way, a lovely combination of P. hereroensis, Polygala myrtifolia and P. virgata (another self-seeder) has matured in the wild grassland. Of course, the caterpillars that feed on the Plectranthus attract insectivorous birds!

Below: Understorey: Insets: fruit of Draceana aletriformis; Scadox-us puniceus: Centre top: Acreae butterfly; Bottom: Halleria lucida

Above: Spectacled Weaver; Right: Plectranthus fruticosus with Strelitzia reginae

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Dark purple plumes of P. ecklonii mill around the young trunks of Zanthoxylum capense (Small Knobwood) and Baphia rac-emosa (Natal Camwood). These small trees are new arrivals to the group and as they mature, the Knobwood flowers will attract insects, and larvae of the various swallowtail butterflies will feed on the leaves. The ripe fruits are eaten by vervet monkeys and the seeds feed various bird species. Baphia has the most beautiful flowers of white with the lightest brush of yellow at the throat, bringing in the bees. Growing at the feet of the Schotia is a fairly young Burchellia bubalina. Flowering from a young age, it is favoured by nectar lovers. The shady floor is a perfect habitat for ferns and the basket grass, Oplismenus hirtellus – or Twinspot Takeaway as Geoff Nichols refers to the grass. The other common name, Creeping Forest Grass, gives a better idea of its growth habits and in this garden it rapidly covered the shady floor. Seeds and fruit cover the leaves from May through to October and aside from the twinspots, they attract the Red-backed Mannikin, African Firefinch and waxbills.

This is a made-to-order shrubbery for species like the Red-backed Mannikin and Spotted-backed Weaver. While the common Bronze Mannikin enjoys open areas where they feast on wild grass seeds, nectar and a few scattered insects, the Red-backed prefers moist thickets and forest edges. Though this species will feed on wild grass seeds if on offer, the favourite food is the nectar of the Weeping Boer- bean. The Spotted-backed Weaver loves scuffling among the fallen leaves for insects or probing loose and flaking bark. Fruits, seeds and even flowers will be nabbed when on offer.

A shade garden would not be complete in this tropical clime without the Large-leaf Dragon Tree. Dracaena aletriformis has remarkable pyramid-shaped flower spikes that grow out of the top of the plant in summer. They fill the night with a strong, sweet fragrance in order to attract the hawk moth pollinators.

Bulbul on Polygala myrtifolia

Wild tangle of Strelitzia, Milkweed, Plectran-thus and Golden Bristle Grass

Redbacked Mannikin

Cape White-eye

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Birds hang around for the small pulpy orange fruits and leaves are fed on by the larvae of the Bush night fighter butterfly, Arti-tropa erinnys. It is well-known among birders as the place to find nests of the Red-capped Robin- Chat, though many local gardeners will forever refer to this bird by the old name, Natal Robin! Other shade species include Clivia, the delightful Falling Stars, Crocosmia aurea, whose stunning orange flowers droop off long spear-like leaves as autumn begins.

The sunny side of the restaurant faces an area that will hope-fully grow up to become grassland. Bulb varieties like Merwilla natalensis, Aristea ecklonii and a few Watsonia species proffer seasonal pollen treats amongst the Melinis nerviglumis and Setaria sphacelata grasses. White and pale pink Pelargonium multicaule mingles with the acid yellow flowers of Senecio oxyodontus and clambers over a glossy leaved Coddia rudis; purple flowering Vernonia capensis (now Hilliardiella pinifo-lia!) brings in beetles and bees from the end of winter through summer. A beautiful peach Aloe arborescens fights for space with the Polygala and Tecoma capensis, both prized by sunbirds for their nectar. Helichrysum cooperii offers buttons of yellow everlasting flowers, favoured by bees and beetles.

A small damp patch is home to Kniphofia, Cyperus albostria-tus, ferns and Crinum bulbispermum, and a matt of Crassula mulitcava neatly edges the little pathway. Bees are busy all day long on the pink and white flowers through winter. Fallen branch-es and twigs litter the floor, and old wood remains on trees and shrubs until they fall. These harbour a variety of insects, attract-ing birds like this Golden-tailed Woodpecker. We frequently offer individual trees and shrubs to attract wildlife; the secret though is in combining them with other species to create a community of plants - a support group. For the busy gardener, this design is an attractive, maintenance free option that provides hours of entertainment.

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Top left: Plectranthus hereroensis with Po-lygala virgata and P. myrtifolia; Right; Golden tailed Woodpecker; Above: Setaria sphace-lata; inset: Kniphofia sp. Below: moist area planting.

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Restaurant guests and their preferences: Diederik Cuckoo: this shy bird loves leafy trees and thickly foli-aged shrubs. It eats caterpillars, beetles and termites. Pictured here in another bird tree close by, Trema orientalis. Speckled Mousebird loves dense shrubbery for nesting. For-ages 1 – 4 m above the ground. Although quite gregarious it enjoys the quieter areas of the garden in small flocks. They eat seeds, nectar and leaves. Brown-hooded Kingfisher loves wooded gardens where there are perches and open areas for hunting insects, small rodents and reptiles and birds. Black-collared Barbet requires dead branches or soft wood for nesting. Eat berries and insects. Fork-tailed Drongo lives in trees and bushes. Black-headed Oriole is a relatively shy bird that lives in the canopy habitat and eats fruit, nectar, insects and pollen. The Dark-capped Bulbul is sociable bird is chatty and active in every section of the garden, eating fruit, insects and lizards. The Olive Thrush is a ground feeder that frequents a well-de-veloped ground-hugging shrubbery and exclusion area, though it will be seen in open grasslands and will even hunt insects around the pond. It eats insects, snails, spiders and small lizards. Red-capped Robin Chat loves dense cover to feast on insects and fruit. Top: Crassula pellucida subsp brachypetala attracts butterflies; Centre: Sunbird on Aloe arborescens; Below left: caterpillars feed the birds; Spotted backed Weavers love the bird bath. Bottom left: Ochna serrulata; Right: Weaver stripping seeds off wild grass. Aloe africana

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Summer heat peaks in February and many species will offer up their final flush of blooms before the temperatures drop. Our hot, dry country has many plants that do well at this

hot time of the year. Ever faithful favourites, like Gazania and Pelargoniums, are at their best in this season – unless rains are heavy and too frequent! In these situations, ensure drainage and air circulation is optimal!

Heat-loving groundcovers provide a valuable service by protect-ing soils from compaction, erosion and drying out. They also provide shade for lizards and other small creatures to hide from the midday sun. Arctotis and Gazania species bring typical sum-mer colours in orange and yellow, and cover the ground quickly. The Rankmagriet, or Van Staden’s Daisy, Dimorphotheca fruti-cosa, offers frosty white daisy heads against dark green succu-lent leaves and is happiest in the hottest spot as long as the soil drains well. Succulents cannot be beaten when it comes to hot spots in the garden; Cotyledon orbiculata (Bottom right) Por-tulacaria afra nana (Dwarf Spekboom) and Crassula expansa or C. mucosa survive the intense heat. Calm the intense colours with cool greys; Curio crassulifolius (previously Senecio crassu-lifolius) is an excellent foil among all of the above groundcovers, with blue-grey upward reaching fingers. One of the most attractive species for both hot sun and light shade is the red or purple flow-ering Aptenia cordifolia (right centre)with emerald green leaves that retain a lush appearance year round.

Shrubs to plant in these situations are Portulacaria afra (Spekboom), pink flowering Grewia occidentalis (Crossberry), Buddleja auriculata (Weeping sage), the yellow daisy bush, Euryops pectinatus, Crassula ovata (Pink Joy), Agathosma mucronulata (Buchu), Anisodontea julii (Mountain Mallow) and Syncolostmon densiflorous (Pink Plume) – if you can find this treasure! Grey leaved shrubs indicate drought-hardiness, as grey leaves reflect sunlight helping to reduce leaf temperature. The Salvia family make beautiful garden plants, attracting insects and butterflies: look for Salvia africana-caerulea (Blue Sage - top right), Salvia africana-lutea (Beach Salvia - top left), Salvia dol-

omitica (Dolomite sage), Orthosiphon labiatus (now Ocimum labiatum - bottom right) and other members of the Syncoloste-mon genus. Other excellent heat-beating shrubs with grey leaves are Buddleja glomerata (Kakkerlak or Karoo sagewood), Arte-misia afra (Wormwood) and Eriocephalus africanus, the indig-enous Wild Rosemary.

Plants to beat the Summer Heat

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The Foodchain- Snake vs

ToadIt is not often we get to see an elemen-tal act that so clearly depicts Nature’s food chain. While it is undoubtedly painful - and tragic - for the victim, with whom we empathise, it is none-the-less, riveting to watch! Here we get to see a Night Adder making a meal of a guttural toad. Modern technology gives us a closer view than we would otherwise have, and in the video we see quite clearly, both the strength and adaptability of the snake to manage such a meal.

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Feeding Urban Birds on a ¼ acre PlotBy Anno Torr

Feeding Urban Birds on a ¼ acre PlotBy Anno Torr

The key to gardens that attract and supports wildlife is a diversity of species. The more species existing within a habitat, the better the chances of the habitat continuing to

function in a healthy way should any organism be lost to that system.

Within tiny gardens, it can be difficult to provide a diversity of habitat types, especially if large trees are necessary to support the bigger fruit-eaters. Influenced by a birding father and holidays in game reserves, this owner designed her small Durban North garden around what she knows and loves – birds. As early as1985, long before most gardeners knew anything at all about indigenous versus exotic, she began to design exclusively with indigenous plants, and has recorded close to 80 different birds species in her garden.

The trees Wendy has planted read like a Who’s Who of bird attracting species. The Ficus genus tops the list for the sheer diversity of bird species they attract, and a Ficus sur forms part of the canopy behind the house. Other species add their wares to the mix. Pittosporum viridiflorum (Cheesewood) has a lovely dense, rounded crown of leaves, growing in forests and wooded grassland. Dense clusters of creamy-yellow flowers are sweetly scented and attract many insects. The fleshy, sticky fruits attract doves, pigeons, turacos barbets, bulbuls and starlings. The deciduous Croton sylvaticus, another large forest species, carries both male and female flowers on the same inflorescence. Soft orange to red fruits are eaten by doves, Trumpeter Hornbills and Forest Weavers and larvae of the green-veined Charaxes butterfly feed on the leaves. It makes a lovely shade tree in larger gardens. Outside the kitchen, door is one of the prettiest of the small tree group, Bersama lucens. These are difficult to find as they are sought-after muti plants so are becoming rare in the wild. Only 4 m tall in the garden it enjoys life on the margins of evergreen forests. White flowers attract insects, but it is the fruits that are so attractive. Even the unripe green fruit capsules attract birds; these split when mature to expose the red seeds that are snapped up by all birds in the vicinity.

A Podocarpus falcatus (Outeniqua yellowwood) began life in a pot, covered with tinsel and surrounded by presents! Now its trunk flirts with that of the Cheesewood. An interim position outdoors became permanent as the roots pushed through the plastic pot to set anchor in the Durban soils. Fleshy fruits are relished by bats many fruit-eating birds, and the dense crown is a popular roosting and nesting site for various bird species.

No South African garden should be without one of the Erythrina species. A mature E. lysisetmon graces the border of sun and shade in this back garden, offering a feast of nectar and insects for the locals. It is also a valuable tree for hole-nesting birds,

Below: Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. Katherinae

as the soft fibrous wood is easy to excavate. The understory is a critical component is shade gardens and one of the most beautiful shrubs to include here is Ochna serrulata. Wendy’s shrub is a marvel - being a slow grower, specimens of this size are rarely seen in gardens. The fleshy ‘Mickey Mouse’ fruits are relished by fruit-eaters, the golden yellow flowers entice insects, and the larvae of the One Spot Redwing Moth feeds on the leaves. It must be a stunning sight in spring. Cryptocarya wyleii (Red-haired Laurel) sits alongside; happy on the margin of forests or on rocky outcrops, it is a beautiful, neat 3 m tall shrub. The large bright orange fruits are easy to see against the bicoloured leaves – green above, pale blue with rusty veins below – and they are loved by a variety of birds. Another bird and insect shrub, Halleria lucida, combines with a yellow flowering Bauhinia tomentosa in this understory along with

a seldom seen Searsia pentheri (Common Crowberry ). In the shade beneath the Ochna, Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. katherinae is coming into flower, glowing orange/ pink against bright tropical leaves, and behind it is a large patch of broad-leafed bristle grass, Setaria megaphylla. The prolific seeding fronds are a boon for twinspots and mannikins providing year round maintenance-free cover. The pleated drooping leaves make this a beauty for the shade garden. Often found along stream edges, it does equally well in areas with morning sun, and it is effective in holding soil on banks.

Reducing the glare and heat of the tar in this sunny section is an outstanding Croton pseu-dopulchellus at its mature height of between 2 and 3m. The leaves of the Small Lavender

Croton are outstanding – glossy dark green above and silvery-white beneath with many rusty spots peppering the surface. Old leaves turn a bright orange remaining on the shrub for weeks so there are always splashes of orange in the mix. Male and female flowers grow on the same flower head and attract butterflies and insects. Alongside it is Cussonia sphaerocephala, the Natal Forest Cabbage Tree. It has a long slim trunk and is sparsely branched with a small mop-head of leaves at the top. It will grow between 5 – 10 m tall in a garden, but wild species are commonly seen stretching 25 m tall above the forest canopy. Fruits attracts birds, bees, butterflies and other insects.

Wendy has put every inch of the garden to good use and the driveway is the gardens’ fruit basket. The beautiful spreading canopy of the Paperbark Thorn, Vachellia sieberiana, creates most of the shade here. A favourite nesting site, it hosts insects in the flaking bark and the flowers attract beetles, bees and butterflies. These in turn attract insectivorous birds like the Bar-throated Apalis and a variety of sunbirds. Antidesma venosum (Tasselberry), Apodytes dimidiata (White Pear), the Blad-dernut, Diospyros whyteana, and Dovyalis longispina (Natal Dovyalis) fill in the understorey. The somewhat contorted trunk of this Tasselberry is the focal point of the narrow driveway. Only the female trees bear fruit and Wendy was lucky to find all tree planted specimens were female. Fruits ripen gradually up each tassel, spreading the display over a few months. The Bladdernut grows in the shade; a neat shrub, it is easily pruned into a small tree if space is limited.Left: Trunk of Antidesma venosum underplanted with the orchid, Ansellia africana: Below: Tasselberry fruits © Wendy ColleyGlossy green leaves and a grey trunk gleam in the shafts of

sunlight and beautiful orange fruits are snapped up by many fruit- eaters. At the fork of the driveway and red brick path to the house, is a Clerodendrum glabrum (Cat’s Whiskers). This multi-stemmed shrub or small tree is another wildlife treasure. There is possibly no better insect magnet than the masses of white to lilac flowers that cover the canopy virtually year round here at the coast, and November to April further inland. These bring in numerous bird species. Butterflies flock to feed on them and it is the host plant for 11 moth and 2 butterfly species. Ripe yellow fruits are eaten by fruit-eaters.

For those in search of a natural security barrier, Wendy has grown a beauty. Beginning at the driveway gate, a line of Natal Dovyalis with a single Carissa macrocarpa forms an im-penetrable barrier, replacing the traditional boundary wall. In a good year, the fruiting display is outstanding. Bright orange fruits cover the large shrub-like Christmas tree lights. These are a magnet for birds but as only the female bear’s fruit, Wendy has planted several to improve the chances of growing a fruiting specimen. It is ferociously spiny; long and extremely sharp they make it impossible to penetrate. A Dune Soapberry, Deinbollia oblongifolia, joins the mix; ripe fruit is eaten by vervet monkeys and a variety of birds, and the flowers attract hordes of insects – and insectivo-rous birds. It is the larval host-plant for seven butterfly species, and 5 moth species.

On the house-side of the Dovyalis hedge is a thicket of Psychotria capensis (Black Bird berry), Indigofera jucunda (River Indigo), Carissa bispinosa (Num-Num), Dracaena aletriformis (Large-leaved Dragon Tree), and Mitriostigma axillare (Small False Loquat). Endemic to the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Na-tal the Small False Loquat has delicious pulpy orange fruits, though it does not seem to fruit outside of its natural range. White, sweet smell-ing flowers indicate moth pollination. The fast growing Basket grass, Oplismenus hirtellus, has been planted in their shade for the tiny seed eaters, like twinspots and mannikins.

In the same way one builds a house brick by brick, only filling it up with specials once the protective roof is on, so a garden needs to grow a protective canopy under which a bird-friendly

Croton pseudopulchellus Clerodendrum glabrum

Fruits of Dovyalis longispina© Wendy Colley

habitat can thrive. And there is no better green roof than the pio-neering Pigeonwood. A single Trema orientalis forms the central hub around which the rest of the front garden is arranged. Or rather, it did, for it has served its purpose well these last 30 years. But the limbs have died back over the last few, and its life as a shade tree is almost over. It still adds life to the garden though; in its prime, the canopy shaded most of the front garden creating favourable conditions for other bird attracting plants. Now it acts as an insect hotel whose insect buffet feeds numer-ous birds and a trellis for that most glorious of indigenous bulbs, Gloriosa superba. Gloriosa’s companions are Asparagus plumosus, whose feathery fronds are plucked by birds to line nests. and the pretty shade grass Digitaria diversinervis – this seed grass has a similar growth habit to the Basket grass. An Aloe thraskii now revels in the sunlight.

Planning ahead, Wendy planted a Schotia brachypetala to replace the Trema, hoping it would be large enough to step into its shoes. The Schotia though is a fraction of the size, and still growing. Instead, a mixed canopy now covers a small section of what was once full shade. Dark green leaves of a Tabernaemontana ventricosa (Toad Tree) intermingle with the bright green, sometimes bronze leaves of the Schotia. The beautiful large leaves of a wild grape, Rhoicissus tomentosa, wind through this canopy, their black fruits are another popular bird treat. The understory attractions all offer popular red seeds or fruits: Xylotheca kraussiana and Carissa bispinosa shrubs, and Scadoxus puniceus and Clivia bulbs. Filling in the gaps is the grass-like Chlorophytum saundersiae.

A quite beautiful Turraea obtusifolia takes pride of place along-side the brick path; in full flower it is breath-taking, with snow-white flowers that spangle the dark glossy leaves. Birds eagerly await the splitting of the seed pods to expose the ripe orange fruits. Sun-loving perennials now fill the open-area pathway beds. The orange flowers of a low-growing Crossandra zuluen-sis with its identifying yellow throat mix with Bulbine natalensis, Asparagus densiflorus species and Hypoxis hemerocallidea. Aloe dyeri enjoys the dappled shade as does that multiple but-

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Top right: Gloriosa bulb grows over the Pigeonwood; Centre: Southern Black Tit on Trema © Wendy Colley. Inset below: Turrea obtusifo-lia; Centre: Clivia in undergrowth beneath Dovyalis longispina

terfly host plant, Asystasia gangetica, which enthu-siastically infiltrates most garden beds and does need some controlling.

As exciting and rewarding as this style of environ-mentally conscious gardening is, it can eventually create a dilemma for the owner should they want to sell. The chances of finding another wild gardener are unfortunately slim and expectations are that this urban sanctuary, whose owners are wanting to move inland away from the heat, will disappear. Without neighbour-ing gardens offering the correct habitats, where do these wildlife residents go? The importance of urban garden habitats, no matter how small, cannot be over estimated, and hopefully the stock of homeowners who appreciate them is increasing! Any takers?

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Top: Mitriostigma fruits; Below: Crossandra

Top: Scadoxus carpet the shady floor; Above: Hypoxis hemerocallidea

The 68th UN General Assembly declared 2015 the Interna-tional Year of Soils

Soil is a finite resource, meaning its loss and degradation is not recoverable within a human lifespan. As a core component of land resources, agricultural development and ecological sustain-ability, it is the basis for food, feed, fuel and fibre production and for many critical ecosystem services. It is, for this reason, a highly valuable natural resource, yet it is often overlooked. The natural area of productive soils is limited – it is under increasing pressure from intensification and competing uses for cropping, forestry, pasture / rangeland and urbanization, and to satisfy demands of the growingpopulation for food and energy production and raw materials extraction. Soils need to be recognized and valued for their pro-ductive capacities, as well as their contribution to food security and the maintenance of key ecosystem services.

Soil degradation is caused by unsustainable land uses and management practices, and climate extremes that result from various social, economic and governance drivers. Today, 33 percent of the land is moderately to highly degraded due to the erosion, salinization, compaction, acidification and chemical pollution of soils. The current rate of soil degradation threat-ens the capacity of future generations to meet their most basic needs. Current demographic trends and projected growth in global population (to exceed 9 billion by 2050) are estimated to result in a 60 percent increase in demand for food, feed and fi-bre by 2050. There is little opportunity for expansion in the agri-cultural area, except in some parts of Africa and South America. Much of the additional available land is not suitable for agricul-ture, and the ecological, social and economic costs of bringing it into production will be very high. Sustainable management of the world’s agricultural soils and sustainableproduction have for this reason become imperative for revers-ing the trend of soil degradation and ensuring current and future global food security.

From: Soil is a non-renewable resource document; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Notes from Nature

Tree of the Year - Heteromorpha arborescens

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The second South African tree of the Year for 2015 is the Parsley Tree, Heteromorpha arborescens, previously H. trifoliata. It is a small to medium sized tree with a slender

growtth habit. The bark is a beautiful grey to copper colour that peels off in horizontal strips, leaving a ring-like strip. Leaves are light to grey-green, and can turn yellow and red in autumn in colder areas, before falling. Cream to yellow-green flowers appear from December to January and fruits from April onwards, which attract birds. It is fast growing, and both drought and frost hardy. Considered to bring good luck the Parsley Tree is used for a wide range of medicinal purposes.

OUR AIM

The Flora & Fauna Publications Trust was established to raise sponsorship for the publication of popular, authoritative and

affordable books on the indigenous plants of the Eastern Region of South Africa, with the object of stimulating greater awareness of our

rich and unique Flora and Fauna and the undeniably integral relationship of one to the other.

To view and/or purchase the most informative Field Guides and nature books, visit our website.

www.floratrust.co.za

To help you keep South Africa as pure as nature intended

Green MilkweedGrasshopper

A member of the family Pyrgomorphidae family, this grass-hopper is known by the common names of Toxic or Green Milkweed Grasshoppers. Phymateus leprosus feeds on

milkweed plants absorbing and using the plants toxic chemicals to their advantage, much the same way the Monarch butterfly does. The grasshopper defends itself against attacks from preda-tors by spraying a poison from the thorax gland; the spray has been proven to contain the toxins produced by the milkweed. This species also has aposomatic or warning coloration to ward off predators and it raises and rustles its wings when disturbed. The nymphs are gregarious, moving around in large packs and congregating on trees and shrubs to resemble foliage. I have not noticed too much damage to the plants the nymphs visited, but once the adults moved on to the Gomphocarpus physocarpus plants, each plant died within 2 days. The adults grow up to 70 mm in length and are found mostly in grasslands, but they are minor pests to Eastern Cape farmers. This is a poisonous spe-cies and there have been fatalities from eating them, so ensure pets and children do not touch or eat one.

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A BUSHVELD BEAUTYA HOT, DRY CORNER OF THE GARDEN IS A PERFECT SITUATION FOR THIS

ATTRACTIVE COMBINATION

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A hot, dry area of the garden is the perfect situation for this sun-loving combination. Though two species in the group are trees, their foliage is light and less intrusive

than dark- leaved, thicker canopied species. They cast a bright and dappled shade under which a broad variety of perennials and groundcovers will happily thrive.

Many small garden owners shy away from planting trees, choosing large shrubs instead. But as the canopies fill the space above head height, small to medium sized trees can fit comfortably into most gardens. Plant the Cabbage and Lav-ender trees with canopies brushing, and tuck the Yellow Bell Bauhinia into the gap beneath them.

Cussonia spicata: With multiple thick, dark brown trunks that become corky with age, the Cussonia creates what designers call ‘base weight’, something on which the eye can rest. It is the most widespread of the Cussonia species with a provincial distribution from Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape. Though it can reach heights of 18 m in the wild, in the garden it usually grows to 6 m. The dark red – black fruits produced on long spikes attract turacos, bulbuls, starlings, barbets and mousebirds, and the greenish-yellow flowers, seen in April and May, attract numerous insect species. Natural habitats are forest margins, wooded grassland, bushveld and on rocky outcrops. It has an aggressive root system so do not plant too close to walls.

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Bauhinia tomentosa: Large yellow flowers adorn the Yellow Bell Bauhinia from November through to April. The growth form is airy and drooping and flowers are conspicuous against the small, bright green leaves. Typical size is 4 x 3 m in a garden and it makes a beautiful addition to a mixed screen. Flowers attract pollinating insects, like the CMR-beetles and the Orange-Barred Playboy butterflies. Insectivorous, nectar and seed eaters will visit, such as turacos, Bar-throated Apalis, Cape white-eye, Crested and Blackcollared Barbets, and the Red-capped Robin-Chat, (Natal Robin). Grey Turacos love the flowers. The natural distribution range is from the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga where it grows on forest edges, in woodland, bushveld, in scrub on rocky slopes and is common in coastal dune bush.

Heteropyxis natalensis: the semi-deciduous Lavender Tree is a slender, upright species that usually grows up to 6 m in a garden. With its grey bark and shimmering green leaves, this is one of the prettiest of our local trees. Autumn leaves turn yellow and a bright orange before falling, more marked in dry, cooler regions. Fragrant pale yellow to cream flowers cover the tips of the branches from December to March, attracting a variety of insects – bees, beetles, butterflies. These in turn bring in the in-sectivorous birds – flycatchers, Blackheaded Oriole and Sombre Bulbul. Top: Bauhinia tomentosa; Top right: Flowers of the Lavender tree; Bottom right: Flowers of Yellow Bell Bauhinia

If a full top to toe screen is required add one or a variety of the following species:

Dyschorista rogersii (Lowveld Dyshoriste), a small herba-ceous shrub that grows to 60 cm and is covered in pink or pur-ple flowers from May to December. It is an excellent low-growing plant for a bushveld mix. Image top right.Ocimum labiatum: pink tubular flowers cover this 2m shrub from January to April and it makes an effective screen. The bush attracts many insects, including predators like wasps that eat a wide variety of garden pests. Being pruned by browsers in the wild, it does best if pruned after flowering. Image bottom right.Barleria obtusa: will add a measure of wildness to the clump by scrambling up the Bauhinia. Pale to dark blue bells com-bines with the yellow flowers to make a gorgeous combination. For a more lively combination, use the red flowering Barleria repens. Image centre right.Ground covers to choose come from the bushveld Plectranthus species; Plectranthus amboinisus, P. neochilus and P. spiccatus (image below). For a natural look, add local wild grasses and the yellow daisy-like groundcover, Arctotis arcto-toides (bottom left © BotBin via Wiki Commons)

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AN AFRICAN HERB GARDENPHASE TWO: plant choices and their value in a vegetable and herb garden

Flowers of Gasteria species

Wild Aristida junciformis mix with Kalanchoe longiflora

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Helichrysum cooperi

Herb and vegetable gardens around the world carry much the same selection of food plants. The seeds of many have been tweaked to help control the many disease and pest

issues common in this section of the garden. The extensive pub-licity about the plight of bees has highlighted the importance of insects and birds as pollinators of food crops rather than the lab assistant. The food garden then, is an excellent opportunity to create a pollinator-friendly garden, for these creatures play more than one role – they are predators too, offering the gardener an efficient and natural form of pest control!

It makes sense then, to design a food garden as part of the overall indigenous design. The purpose behind plant choice is many-fold: to attract pollinators, feed the soil, offer medicinal aid for less severe problems and add spice to a winter stew and colour and flavour to the summer salad. While the planting de-sign is being planted, let us look at the many uses of the chosen plant palette.

Senecio macroglossus and Aloe ciliaris: offering pollen and nectar, these are some of our least vigorous climbers for the back garden, with the added benefit of being in leaf year round.

Food for pollinators: Aloe arborescens and A. vanbalenii bring in winter pollinating birds and bees.Aloe cooperi offers nectar as summer ends.Diascia integerrima and Nemesia attract a variety of insects.Berkheya speciosus is favoured by bees and beetles. Crassula pellucida subsp. brachypetala is a butterfly magnet! The spreading growth habit will create cooler mounds of foliage under which lizards and other wildlife can escape the heat.Bulbine abyssinica and B. natalensis provide attractive succulent leaves year round, and flow-ers are particularly to bees. The transparent leaf gel has anticeptic properties and treats stings, mosquito bites, blisters, cold sores, mouth ulcers, cracked lips, burns, cuts, bruises, and is espe-cially good for drying out acne. Bergeranthus scapiger attracts bees, butterflies and insects. Euryops pectinatus attracts bees, beetles and insects Hoslundia opposita (Orange Bird Berry ) is loved by a variety of birds (Mousebirds love these shrubs in my garden) and pollen eaters. Pelargonium X ‘Fragrans’ attracts bees, butterflies and other insects.Cotyledon orbiculata adds texture, winter colour and tall silver-yellow flowers that attract bees.Leonotus leonurus keeps the birds around as flowers open in stages through the season.

Soil improvers: As part of the Pea family Polygala myrtifolia, Calpurnia aurea and Argyrolobium tomento-sum fix Nitrogen in the ground and bring in the Carpenter bees. Calpurnia also contains a natural insecticide in its sap.Right: Grey-silver spires of Cotyledon orbiculata mingle with Leonotus leonurus flowers

Argyrolobium tomentosum (Velvety Yellow Bush Pea) is a slender, scrambling shrub or semi-prostrate herb that grows up to 45 cm in height. Commonly found in damp grassland, scrub, forest margins and disturbed areas. Bright yellow pea-like flow-ers can be seen for much of the year. According to Pooley, it is used by sangomas to sharpen their divining powers. Comfrey: leaves left to decompose or placed on top of the soil as a mulch improves soil fertility. They can also be added to the compost heap as a compost activator.

Food garden:As mentioned last month, a variety of vegetable greens and herbs are being planted. The local species to be included are:

Eriocephalus africana: I love adding Rosemary leaves to roast potatoes and pumpkin, and a roast chicken is only fully dressed if covered with these herby sticks. Though I have a lovely Rosemary bush, I’ve included our local species for its beautiful frothy flowering display of pure white. It can be used in much the same way as the traditional Rosemary but does have a stronger flavour, so use less of it. Use leaves with lamb, meat, chicken, soup, potjies and vegetable stews. Foot bath for swollen legs. Infusion of leaves – stimulate hair growth and control dandruff. Potpourri. Plant insects prone plants around it as the strongly fragranced leaves keep insect pests at bay.

Gasteria species: Jenny Dean introduced me to the sweet, syrupy flavour of the Gasteria flowers and, when in bloom, are an intriguing mix to add to the salad.

Pelargonium X ‘Fragrans’: Nutmeg Pelargonium: this “spe-cies” does not exist in the wild and the origin of this plant is not entirely known. Some botonists suggest it is a hybrid between Pelargonium exstipulatum and Pelargonium odoratissimum, and for this reason also known as P. X fragrans. These plants are easy to grow and do not need much care. Yet, you can enjoy their flowers and lovely fragrance from spring to fall. They prefer to grow in full sunlight and require routine watering. In frosty areas, grow in light shade. Flavour tea, sauces, jellies, cakes, deserts, punches and coffee. Steam inhalation - ease coughing, sinus problems, relax asthmatics, help heal colds and flu. Pot-pourri, herb pillows, bath bags; Insect repellent: Use as mulch around other plants to control insects. Pelargonium graveolens: leaves and flowers can be used in baking and salads. Leaves are used in salads and frosted to decorate cakes. Rose-pelargonium tea will calm, unwind and relax. Flavour stewed apples and pears. Helps to repel insects and is a good companion plant to more susceptable vegetables.

Portulacaria afra nana: all leaves of this family are rich in vitamin C so impart a sharp flavour if used in salads. Leaves are also traditionally used to tenderise meat when added to the roasting pan.

Salvia africana lutea: a member of the Sage family, all of our local Salvia’s can be used in place of the conventional Sage. Potpourri – retain shape, color and fragrance. Flavour meat and fish.

Tulbaghia violacea: a perfect replacement when your garlic cloves have either dried or run out. Chopped leaves impart the classic garlic flavour, but, as with the Wild Rosemary, this wild Garlic has a strong taste and so don’t overdo its use. I love to add chopped leaves to a green salad. Smells like garlic or onions. Use leaves and flowers like chives; Use bulbs like spring onions.

Hypoestes aristata: Leaves of the Ribbon Bush are eaten as spinach in some areas, used as a poultice for sore eyes, good cut flower because it lasts well in water.

Repel insects: Agathosma betulina: encasedin dark bottles, essential oils bring us fragrance and health. For the plant from which they

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are gathered their role is also one of protection. The biological function of the oil is to repel insects and animals, and protect the plant from diseases. Perfumed plants have been used for ages by traditional peoples to protect skin from the drying heat of the desert, as a deodorant and antibacterial and antifungal agents. Buchu was used by the early Dutch settlers in alcoholic tinc-tures which they used for urinary tract and stomach problems. Added to a vinegar infusion, Buchu cleaned clothes and treated wounds. Today, Buchu is often used as an additive to impart a delicious blackcurrant smell and flavour, for which it is exported around the world. If the black wine gums is your favourite, you’re tasting our local Buchu!

Tulbaghia violacea has insect repelling properties.

Most Pelargonium species are pest free and make good com-panion plants, like P. graveolens and P. ‘Fragrans’.

Artemisia afra: Insert fresh leaves into the nostrils to clear blocked nasal passages and place leaves in socks for sweaty feet. Moth, insect and flea repellent. Dried powdered wormwood deters ants. The strong fragrance of the leaves repels insects so plant close to species that are prone to attack.

Meadow look: Crocosmia aurea already grows happily in the full sun so they will remain and by joined by other wildflowers and grasses, namely: Geranium incanum, Felicia amelloides, Dianthus zeyheri, Selago species, Aristida junciformis, Melinus nervi-glumis, Diamondea margaretae to plant between the pavers and cover the hot stone. Helichrysum kraussii sits in its own space with room to accommodate its exhuberent behaviour. The Straw Everlasting is a less vigorous member of the family and doesn’t smother everything in its path the way the better-known siblings, H. petiolare and H. splendidum are inclined to. With a wide distribution area that covers the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, it is a hardy, drought resistant groundcover that deserves to be more widely used in gardens.

Next month, we look at the final design.

Top: Berkheya speciosus; Centre: Portulacaria afra; Below left: Selago species; Right: P. X ‘Fragrans’

Previous page: Top left: Bergeranthus scapiger; Portulacaria afra nana; Centre: Hypoestes aristata; Crassula pellucida subp. brachypetala

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