CATEGORIES

Keep your Salvias Sizzling

Salvias may be tough and low-maintenance, but we've got some tips that will help you to unleash their superpowers in the garden.

Flamingo Darty

Also known as the flamingo flower or flamingo lily, anthuriums are known for their heart-shaped leaves and shiny flowers which are just the thing to brighten up the indoors.

Abloom with spring annuals

The colourful flowering perennials are an instant way to get bold and bright colour into a dappled shady area of a garden.

Spring masterclass

It's spring and gardens (as well as gardeners) are coming alive. Everything is sprouting, so enjoy the perfume, the new growth and start planning and planting your summer garden but beware of late frosts.

Why, what and when to prune

Like feeding your plants, pruning is one of the essential practises in gardening that plays a vital role in supporting healthy plants.

7 creative GARDEN TWEAKS

The sap has risen; blossoms abound and new leaves are unfurling. Enjoy the gentle beauty of spring and tackle the usual spring chores with renewed vigour but, also think of new ideas to tweak your outdoor spaces and to intensify the pleasure that your garden gives you.

Marguerite Daisies Sturdy and Stunning

I'm a firm believer that a garden is incomplete without at least one member of the daisy family in a bed or container.

Water Oak Farm

Nestled in the picturesque neighbourhood of Constantia, surrounded by vineyards and magnificent views, lies a sparkling gem of a garden, lovingly created by Wendy and Winston Floquet.

Green up your shade

A lush lawn in shade is possible with a box of lawn seeds blended specially to trump this condition.

Dotted magic

The magic mathematics of a good-looking pot, starts with a thriller, a filler and a spiller.

Veld to garden

We often see a gem of a plant growing in nature or in botanical gardens and wish we could grow them at home too.

Pink dragon scale combo

Some indoor plants are destined to be together, like this Alocasia 'Dragon Scale Pink' with its pink stem and this Fittonia sp with its pink spotty leaves.

HOW TO GROW Summer Cabbage

Cabbage is a cool season crop that does best before the full heat of summer. Choose a spring or summer variety that matures quickly like ‘Cape Spitz’ (sugarloaf type) ‘Copenhagen Market’, ‘Glory of Enkhuizen’ or Chinese cabbage ‘Michihili’.

Get your daisies in!

It's osteopermum time again.

Everblooming Begonias

Houseplant enthusiasts looking for flowering colour indoors can look no further than Begonia elatior.

Be your own lavender princess

Lavender brings life to the garden with its vibrant purple hues and a fragrance that puts perfumes to shame.

Become a lavender boss!

In South Africa, if your lavender has been in your garden for more than two years, well, you're a botanical boss! If not, we have some suggestions.

Pie in the sky? Why not grow your own?

The idea of window box farming sounds delightfully quixotic. Actually, it's an invitation to those who look longingly at other people's veggie patch and think, 'I wish I had the space.

Pelargoniums fit for a King

The indigenous Pelargonium grandiflorum (regal pelargonium) is a gardener's delight with so much visual interest, it can be hard to know where to look.

RHS Plant of the Year Agapanthus 'Black Jack'

After 18 years in development, all the hard work has paid off and Agapanthus 'Black Jack' has made it to the top of the heap by winning the prestigious Plant of the Year award from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Dynamite comes in small packages

Perennials may be the backbone of garden beds, but trees should be considered the backbone of the entire garden.

CHILLING @ CHELSEA

Chelsea was back in all her glory this year, with 36 spectacular gardens, from show gardens to balcony and container gardens, as well as a feast of horticultural delights in the main pavilion.

Splendid Mimetes

You can plant this rare species in pots or in your fynbos garden to enjoy something really special...

Parsley

This herb is not only a very healthy, all-purpose garnish, it is an excellent companion plant. Sowing parsley from seed will provide plenty of plants for spreading around the vegetable garden or for under roses.

Christmas in July

One of the most striking succulents at Christmas time in the Northern Hemisphere has to be the very attractive Schlumbergera buckleyi. Its common name Christmas cactus says it all, as it will flower just in time for Christmas in the north. In South Africa it will be flowering now for a beautiful Christmas in July.

Pack a punch with pansies

The velvety-petalled smiley faces of pansies are perfect to pop in a garden bed for a bit of instant colour, or plant in pots for long-lasting pleasure with minimum care.

POLYCULTURE...taking companion planting to the next level

An ancient practice that makes sense for today's environmentally conscious gardener.

HEAVYWEIGHTS for dry shade

Do not let a lack of sunlight combined with dry soil get you down. There are solutions to create vibrant life in these 'problem' areas in a garden and flowering time for most are just around the corner.

WHAT'S NEW in the world of indoor plants?

There is no doubt that indoor plants have exploded in popularity in recent years, with millions of people now calling themselves houseplant parents. Far from a fleeting trend, interest in indoor gardening only continues to grow year by year, with new developments every season to look forward to.

An African Sunset in Aloes

Aloes in flower can only be described as spectacular. Vibrant colour that glows in the twilight to inspire all to garden with these tough, rewarding plants.