Glorious Summer Garden

Our gardening guru has the best tips and advice on how to get your garden ready in time for the sizzling season

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Summertime is when memories are made with family and friends to sustain us through the next year. Our garden becomes the favourite gathering space during the long hot summer days and nights.

Here are some practical tips to make your garden the perfect place to come together.

PLANTING MADE SIMPLE

Insect-Repelling Plants

→Plants that repel flies are bay tree, mint, lavender, lemon grass and lemon thyme. You can use these plants fresh or dried out. Crush some leaves of the plant to release the scent or keep a bowl of dried leaves in your kitchen or outdoor area.

→ Natural mosquito repellents are lavender, basil, marigolds, rosemary, catnip, lemon balm, peppermint, sage, Pelargonium citronellum and lemon verbena. These herbs can be planted in bed areas or in patio pots.

Indigenous Cocktail Garden

→ Pelargonium tomentosa 'peppermint pelargonium' makes for a delicious subtle mint flavour. Crush the leaves and let your senses soar. It's also incredible in ice cream and cookies.

→ Coleonema pulcherum confetti bush' leaves can be used in gin cocktails and has similar uses to thyme.

→ Jasminum multipartinum is an indigenous slow-growing jasmine. The star-shaped white flowers are perfume scented and will impress your guests with its elegance.

→ Carissa macrocarpa 'num num' fruit can be used to make cordials and cocktail mixers. It adds a subtle sweetness.

→ Eriocephalus africanus 'wild rosemary' leaves can be used the same as rosemary.

The leaves are heavily scented and are used traditionally for medicinal purposes.

Attracting Pollinators