Gardening in Africa: My New Garden : Progress 17

Sunday 25 August 2013

My New Garden : Progress 17 - Jan-Dec 2012

"If we love our children

we must love the earth with tender care

and pass it on, diverse and beautiful,

so that on a warm spring day

10 000 years hence

they can feel peace in a sea of grass,

can watch a bee visit a flower,

can hear a sandpiper call in the sky,

and can find joy in being alive"

- Hugh Ilitis

January - in the full heat of summer...

February - a dead tree - I seem to have lost one of my White Karee's. but the Fiscal Shrike certainly loves the vantage point...

After the rain, self-seeding Marigolds have spread all over the garden and mushrooms on the lawn...

March - a quiet month with lots of rain and green lawns ...

April - a cooling down of the hot summer days...

June - clear blue skies, bare branches and winter in full swing

The Echeverias looking great and the Tree Fuchsia (just to the right behind the pot) still bright and green

July - cold, frosty days and Aloes in full flower...

A winter chore, adding some crusher stone to the edges of beds to liven things up a bit (and also to act as a deterrent for the chickens having a sand bath)

Adding a basket, some ornaments and crusher stone to a shady empty spot...

August - and spring is in the air! Peach blossoms and my Aloe ferox still flowering...

September - the first rains of the season and the Arum lilies, which have spread beautifully, still flowering...

October - beautiful weather and time for a new garden path...

November - mid-summer and still lots of rain...

December - a beautiful end to the year...

The Agapanthus are in full bloom...

The Fiscal Shrike has her larder in the White Stinkwood (Celtis africana)...

... and enjoys a snack at one of the bird tables

Aaaah, Christmas roses! (Hydranges) in full bloom, telling us the festive season is here!

And so ends my progress report on 9 years of gardening in my "new garden", which is from now on going to be referred to as "my garden", plain and simple. Hope you had a lovely 2012, like I did, and see you a bit later!

::

Tool tip

Properly maintained quality garden tools are a joy to use and can last for generations. And, like most things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Regularly cleaning and oiling your garden tools will prevent rust, keep them sharper, and allow the handles to stay strong. Start by giving your tools a good scrubbing to remove any mud and grit from the blades and handles. Dry with old towels, then set them aside overnight so they dry completely to avoid trapping moisture. Using a clean rag, apply lubricating oil to both the wooden handle and the metal blade. Rub the oil into the surface then wipe off any excess. The oil will help prevent rust and condition the wood to keep it from absorbing water and prevent cracking. After the handle has dried, apply a second coat of oil to the wood if needed. Tools with fiberglass or composite handles will only need a good cleaning.

Wildlife Tips

PUT UP AN OWL BOX : Owls aren't common garden visitors for most, but if you know they are around, it's worth providing extra nesting sites. General Owl boxes are bigger than ordinary bird boxes. They're shaped according to the needs of the species. Barn owl boxes are large and square, or sometimes triangular, with a ledge outside the entrance for young owls to stand on. Barn owls like to nest in a solitary tree on the edge of woodland, between 3 and 5m above the ground. Keep out cold drafts by facing all owl boxes away from prevailing winds. It also makes it easier for parents to fly to the entrance. If you fix the owl box to a tree, use a strap to keep it in place so you don’t damage the trunk. As with all nest boxes, do not disturb the box for cleaning until you are sure that the young have left. Tawny owls in particular can be aggressive when protecting their young. Don’t be disappointed if your box stays empty for the first year. Birds often choose a nesting site during the autumn, winter or early spring. Leave the box where it is for the winter and it could be a nice dry place for birds to roost when the weather’s bad. Please do not unnecessarily disturb the birds and never remove any eggs from the nest.

Leave those leaves! I know many gardeners don't like the 'messy' look of fallen leaves, but they have a lot of benefit to wildlife and your garden. Many wildlife species live in or rely on the leaf layer to find food and other habitat, including toads, shrews, earthworms and many insect species. From a gardening perspective, fallen leaves offer a double benefit. Leaves form a natural mulch that helps suppress weeds and at the same time fertilize the soil as they break down. Why spend money on mulch and fertilizer when you can make your own?

More about me

I've been gardening ever since a child, when I spent time with my father in his vegetable garden. But my fascination with Echeverias started in the 1980's, when my father gave me a pot with five Echeverias, which turned out to be E. imbricata. At first I wasn't much interested in them and planted them in some obscure corner of the garden and completely forgot about them. How great was my surprise when, a couple of months later, I noticed that they had spread and made a beautiful display - I was hooked!

It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not.

- W.C. Sellar

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Sunday 25 August 2013

My New Garden : Progress 17 - Jan-Dec 2012