Irene Garden - a natural alternative

This picture depicts part of a garden on a large property, being predominantly indigenous and "wild" i.e. with local trees, shrubs, loads of aloes and grasses etc. In this instance, only close of the house is the garden more formal and structured. Going the indigenous and wild option is great way to bring in local birds and insects back, thereby creating a healthy "micro - climate".

This way of "gardening" is a new trend in South Africa (and hopefully it'll stick for a long time) to create more naturalistic gardens, obviously in the aim of greater ecological impact. In fact most developments are obliged to go the indigenous and water wise route - music to my ears!!!

Irene is a small historical village on the outskirts of the greater Pretoria area. For more info on Irene, click here

Picture credit: Gena D Photography

Winter Gardening

This article was posted in May 2009 on another blog I write for, in an effort to create awareness of what you should be doing in the garden over the colder months. Normally one assumes, well, it's freezing, what the heck, I'm heading indoors. But, alas there are a few things, and by that I really mean a few, that need to be done, which will pay dividends when spring comes knocking! Evidently this applies at present to those in the southern hemisphere, and for others' - well just take note ....

As we head into the cooler months of the year, most people “hibernate” indoors and abandon all efforts in the garden, expecting the garden to perform miracles come 1st September (or 1st April depending on where you are). In most cases, the majority of plants do rebound well and carry on like old faithful, however there is a little bit of work that can be done over autumn/ winter, that will ensure your garden looks like a paradise in spring.

Firstly, just because the weather is cooler and some plants look worse for wear, does not mean we stop feeding or watering. On the contrary! Remember although plants may have no flowers or in some cases no leaves does not mean that the roots are not alive. So right now, a good layer of compost and mulch will go a long way to keeping the roots moist and protected from the cold, as well a keeping them fed. Watering can slow down somewhat maybe to once or twice a week (depending on whether you are in a winter rainfall area or not), and then in August (or March in the northern hemisphere) you repeat the process with another layer of compost all over the garden.

As soon as spring starts coming out of its shell, the lawn can be fed and watered well, and it’s then that you fertilize your garden too! A good organic fertilizer is best – good for the environment and it’s normally more beneficial to plants anyway. Watering then steps up appropriately and before you know it your garden is abounding with life.

As for pruning, that’s another interesting one – come winter, some people feel the need to just cut or chop down everything that is not covered in leaves!! First off, establish which plants/ shrubs should be/ can be pruned. Bear in mind that some plants are not evergreen, but flower first in spring, so if you prune them, no flowers!!! Also not all plants need to be pruned, aside from a clean up here or there.

So in essence there is still work to be done in the garden in the cooler months, but it’s certainly worth the effort when your garden rebounds in burst of leaf and flower as soon as the weather warms up!! And the benefit to you? Well you’re outdoors in the warmth of the sun and “fresh” air and its good exercise too!

Have fun!

Postscript: don't forget to move tender plants under shelter or if in the garden, cover them with an appropriate textile to avoid them being "frost bitten"!

For more info on Naturally Inspired: http://www.naturallyinspired.co.za/

Stone & Gravel in the Garden (2)

Garden 9 months after completion.

I recently wrote on how the use of gravel and stone in the garden is considered a water-wise thing to do. Today I continue in that theme, but will use an example of a garden that we have worked on.

Here we have a garden corner which was technically abandoned and in dire need of attention, not to mention the waste of space, and the fact that this area was eyesore - overlooked by bedrooms. The idea was to design this "garden room" in such a way that it would not only be appealing to the eye, but could be put to use as well, whilst being waterwise and easy to maintain in the long run.

Before

As the shape of the space was difficult to start with - a meandering path runs next to it (see pics), to create interest we decided to work with the curves and create a circular bed of gravel in the centre of the "workable space", with plants surounding approxiamtely two thirds, and the open aspect being in the direction of the remainder of the garden

The planting was kept simple, with a variety of white flowering plants (Star Jasmine, Iceberg Roses, White Agapanthus) and a wall of Johannesburg Gold on one wall and Viburnum sinesis on another - these will eventually form two "green barriers" which will create a feeling of depth in that space. In the centre we placed a concrete table and two benches.

After

The end result: a wasted space turned into something that not only can be used, but looks appealing from all angles. The choice of plants for the most part are waterwise i.e. not requiring copious amounts of water, and since they flower at different stages, there is interest in that area at multiple stages during the summer months.

Further reading: see my previous entry on the use of Gravel and Stone and also click on gravel, stone ,waterwise tabs for more articles.

For more on Naturally Inspired Projects go to our website: http://www.naturallyinspired.co.za/

Making a Grand Entrance

We all know the importance of first impressions, in this instance though, I am referring to the entrance to your property. In South Africa, certainly, this is often a wall and pavement garden, and beyond that some garden space leading to the front door, but in no way is the entrance garden limited to these aspects. Essentially though, it really doesn’t matter what that “entrance” or “first impression” area is, the point is, that this area is attractive and serves as a positive introduction to you and your home.

More often than not, the outside wall or garden gives a glimpse of what the interior of the property is like, in simple terms, if the pavement or entrance garden is unkempt and untidy, normally the interior of the property will be the same. If the outside wall or entrance area, gives an indication of a theme such as Ethnic, Rustic, Georgian, Tuscan or other (most often by virtue of the style and colour of the wall or garden area), then this leads you to believe that the interior will follow suit. And in most cases, where proper planning and thought has occurred, it does.

Whilst I am not advocating that you spend a fortune on your pavement, exterior walls or entrance, I am suggesting that you look at those areas with a critical eye and assess what can be done to improve the “first impression” value, and also how through the use of appropriate materials, trees, shrubs, annuals, pots, trellises, rock, gravel, paint, etc. etc. etc. you can create a glimpse of what’s to come, i.e. what the inside of your home is likely to look and/ or feel like.

If your wall or fence is looking worse for wear, have it repainted or plastered (where appropriate), or have a paint effect applied, plant a creeper or climber. Introduce pots, or a reasonable planting area, that is manageable, low maintenance and water wise – by this I mean, ensure you select the type of plants carefully, so as to avoid wasting money in the first instance, and in the second, spending copious amounts of time, watering or maintaining this space. And always, before doing anything else, assess the amount of light in the area, as this impacts the types of plants you decide to introduce. The keywords are simple, effective, low maintenance and waterwise.

The pictures illustrate a few examples of entrance gardens/ areas, taken around the streets of Johannesburg. Note how simple, how effective these entrances are, but also how you can almost tell by looking at these pictures what the interior of the property will look and feel like.

So take a look at your entrance area and assess what you can do to improve it. First assess, then plan, and check what you already have that can be reused. If you’re stuck for ideas, as always, contact me.

G

Pictures: Gena D Photography - various sites around Johannesburg, South Africa

A Simple Pot

In yesterday's article on a kitchen garden, I suggested that if you have no ground/soil to work with, use pots.

Well here's a perfect example of how a great groundcover is used in a pot, being allowed to tumble over the edges, both creating a lush effect and softening the edges of the pot. This plant, which goes by the eloquent name of "Erigeron Karvinskianus" is not only perfect for pots and containers but also for hanging baskets and certainly as a true 'ground cover'.

Erigeron grows and flowers abundantly throughout the year (possibly with exception of extreme climate changes), and is not in need of lots of watering or care, needing only the odd trim/ cut back, effectively being both waterwise and low maintenance - which is, after all the idea of a perfect garden, wouldn't you agree?!

G

Picture: Gena D Photography

The Use of Gravel and Stone in gardening

As the world becomes more sensitive to the environment and water usage, it requires gardeners and garden designers alike to become more creative in how to deal with these real issues. One method of conserving water, is through the use of gravel and stone in garden design and layout.

See article on : http://www.gardenhomedesign.co.za/blog/?p=205 for more details.

G
Picture: Gena D Photography