Re-potting after neglect

I've just freshened up this pot of succulents which was standing in the garden. When I tested the ground it was a hard as concrete, I really don't know HOW they've managed to survive!

First I watered the pot heavily to soften the ground. I gently removed each plant, cut off dead and old pieces and carefully laying them down in the shade so as not to damage them. I then put in a mix of potting soil and garden soil with pebbles at the bottom to aid draining and re-planted most of them, leaving some space for new growth. An Aloe at the back with the Aeoniums next to it and in front added the Crassula and the Echinopsis cactus with a few crystal pebbles as decoration.

I'm just wondering if the red tinges on the Aeoniums is a bad sign or not? They're normally as green as grass... But they all seem none the worse for the wear and neglect, that pot has been standing there on the little table for over a year without any attention and just the odd watering.

 Neglected and forlorn somewhere in the garden...

A new resolution - I promise to spend more time with you, my darling succulents!

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Cotyledon orbiculata

Family: Crassulaceae
Common names: pig's ear (Eng.); plakkie, platjies, varkoorblare, varkoor, kouterie (Afr.)

I was lucky enough to find this lovely specimen at Sterlig Nursery in Roodepoort in January. It will be spending the winter inside with some of my other succulents and then, in spring, go into the new rock garden I'm planning.

This succulent plant has thick leaves which may vary from green to grey, often with a red line around the margin. Cotyledon orbiculata has five varieties, based on differences in leaf and flower shape. The variability of leaf size, shape and colour is also influenced by the immediate environment. Selected forms in cultivation have been given names such as 'Elk Horns' or 'Silver Waves'.

Flowering time is mostly in winter from June-August, but in the winter rainfall areas such as the Western Cape, it is often in midsummer. The colourful, hanging, tubular/bell-shaped flowers are carried in clusters on the ends of an elongated flower stalk. They are mostly orange-red , but yellow flowering forms are also occasionally found (Ernst van Jaarsveld pers. comm.).

Distribution

Cotyledon orbiculata is widespread throughout South Africa, but is usually confined to rocky outcrops in grassland fynbos and karoo regions. Black frost will damage the flowers, if planted in an unprotected spot, but the plant itself will tolerate moderate frosts.

Ecology

The brightly coloured flowers attract bees and birds, which feed on the nectar of the plant. The silver-grey leaves of some forms owe much of their attractive colouring to a powdery white coating which may assist in reflecting much of the sun's heat to prevent excessive water loss from the thick succulent leaves.

Uses and cultural aspects

This is a well-known medicinal plant. The fleshy part of the leaf is applied by many South Africans to soften and remove hard corns and warts. The Southern Sotho use a dried leaf as a protective charm for an orphan child and as a plaything. In the Willowmore District, the heated leaf is used as a poultice for boils and other accessible inflammations, in particular, earache.

Growing Cotyledon orbiculata
This is an easy to grow plant suitable for a number of places in the garden. Cotyledon orbiculata is an ideal plant for the rockery, but also grows well as a pot plant placed on a veranda (stoep). It will also add texture and form to the well-drained flower border. When planted as a pot plant, good drainage is important. It is often found in full sun, but also grows well in semi-shade under trees. This is an ideal plant for the water-wise gardener.

Plants may be grown from seed, but take care in the early stages not to over-water. The best time to sow the seed is in spring, and they should be kept moist, not waterlogged. Once the seedlings have reached 20-40 mm they can be transplanted.
Taking tip cuttings is the fastest method of increasing plant numbers; they must be kept fairly dry to prevent rotting. Once the tip cuttings have rooted they can be transplanted in a medium of 2 parts gravel to 1 part compost.

This plant has few pests, but it may be attacked by snails in the garden.

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Carpobrotus

I used to have stretches of this wonderful ground-cover in my last garden. This easy-to-grow succulent, native to South Africa, is a wonderful ground-cover, ideal for low-maintenance and water-wise gardens. I have a few stems peeping through from the other side of my picket fence and it's flowering at the moment. If I had space, I would propagate some for the garden, but unless I clear up some of the Callisia repens, it's not going to happen.

Carpobrotus leaves are eaten by tortoises. Puff-adders and other snakes such as the Cape Cobra are often found in Carpobrotus clumps where they ambush the small rodents that are attracted by the fruits. Flowers are pollinated by solitary bees, honey bees, carpenter bees and many beetle species. Flowers are eaten by antelopes and baboons. The clumps provide shelter for snails, lizards and skinks, so it’s a wonderful plant to have if you want to attract wildlife to your garden.

CARPOBROTUS C. acinaciformis (sour fig, elandsvy, goenavy, Hotnotsvy, strandvy, suurvy ) has purple flowers, robust, short, greyish green, sabre-shaped leaves and tasty edible fruits, used to make a delicious jam, and grows in coastal sands usually close to the sea, in the Western Cape, from Saldanha to Mossel Bay (South Africa).

Carpobrotus juice (from leaves) can be used as a mild astringent. When mixed with water the juice can be used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery and stomach cramps. It can also be used as a gargle for sore throat and laryngitis, and mild bacterial infections of the mouth. The leaf juice can also be used externally, much like Aloe Vera for burns, abrasions, open cuts, grazes, mosquito bites and sunburn. It is also used to treat ringworm, eczema, dermatitis, herpes, thrush, cold sores, cracked lips, chafing, skin conditions and allergies.
Info from Wikipedia

 
CONSERVATION STATUS 
Carpobrotus edulis is not regarded as threatened in its native habitat, but it is invading natural areas in other parts of the world and threatening the survival of other species. In California, where it has been used since the early 1900s to stabilize the soil along railway tracks and roadsides and as a garden ornamental, it has naturalized and is invading coastal vegetation from north of Eureka to Rosarita Bay. It is known as the highway ice plant in the USA. It has naturalized along the west coast of Australia from Perth to Albany where it was also used for soil stabilization and is known as pigface. It has naturalized in parts of the Mediterranean and on the south coast of England.

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Shade-loving Aloe zebrina

Family : Asphodelaceae
Common names : zebra leaf aloe, spotted aloe

As soon as I get some shade going in my ‘new’ garden, this will be one of the first Aloes I will be getting. Also on my list, but for full sun, is Aloe ferox, not often seen here on the coast, so I think the only solution would be to ‘import’ one from somebody in Gauteng. Hoor jy my, Rita Gouws Bester? ☺️
Aloe zebrina is a small, variable, stemless compact succulent. The succulent leaves of Aloe zebrina are densely clustered into a rosette and have a slightly channelled upper surface. The colour of the leaves varies greatly but they are usually green and marked with large oblong whitish spots; the margins are armed with stout, brown-tipped teeth and the leaf tips are dark red to brown. It has pale but striking coral-coloured tubular flowers that occur in rather sparse inflorescences. The fruit is a dehiscing capsule with many seeds. Seeds are dark-coloured and broadly winged, which assists in dispersal.
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Aloe zebrina is widespread in northern South Africa and is also widely distributed in Namibia, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe and is not listed as threatened, mainly due to its wide distribution.

The habitat of Aloe zebrina is normally dry thickets and may include marshy meadows on river banks. It suckers freely and therefore forms dense groups. Blooms are mainly found from February to May, but also June to August. The pollination is performed by birds and this aloe does equally well in shade or full sun.

In north-western Botswana, the roots of Aloe zebrina are among the main dyes for the Hyphaene palm fibres, which are used in weaving baskets, to give them a golden-yellow colour. The method was adopted for wool dyeing by European settlers who modified it to create better colours with other metallic mordants. The roots can easily be collected on a sustainable basis because of the plant's ability to readily form new roots.

The people along the Kunene River in Angola prepare cakes from the pressed and boiled flowers. The powdered stem and leaf bases are taken medicinally by women after delivery to cleanse their system. The (bitter) juice of many Aloe species is used as a disinfectant for wounds, as worm expellant and also to treat skin problems.

Aloe zebrina has potential for cultivation in arid to semi-arid, frost-free locations.

Aloe zebrina flowers against a background of Marigolds.

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This is my new garden 🌵

Hi ya all! Long time no see! I am not deceased (although it felt like it for a while. Well, 2 years...) and I haven't left the country. We've settled into our new home here in KwaZulu Natal after emigrating from Gauteng) and above is the garden I inherited - a fairly healthy-looking Scadoxus and some Sedge grass. I just love Sedge! Hope it seeds and spreads all over! And lots and lots of river pebbles. And paving stones. Lots of them... Will see where this leads...

There are no trees in my little patch, I will fix that soon, but for now it is totally a hot, sun garden. So, obviously, succulents are the answer, and lots of them!

Graptoveria fantome was some of the first succulents I planted, had been mothering them in pots for the last 2 years. Mother-in-law's Tongue (sansevieria trifasciata) is always welcome in my garden, I will try to get an en masse planting going, but will then have to remove a few of the paving slabs I also inherited.
 

And, of course, lots of Spekboom (Portulacaria Afra). This was a small cutting that I had mothered for the last few months and one can grow them in virtually any scenario - outside, of course, in the house, in the ground, in pots, and even propagate them in water in a bottle, as below.

Of course you know that Spekboom (evergreen and indigenous to South Africa) is an environmental miracle worker, with the potential to tackle carbon emissions like no other plant can. Hectare for hectare, Spekboom thicket is as effective as the Amazon rain forest at removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – quite a feat for a plant endemic to semi-arid areas. One hectare of Spekboom can sequester between 4 and 10 tonnes of carbon per year. This makes it a powerful tool in the fight against climate change and the move towards a zero-carbon world. 
 
And Spekboom trees can grow as tall as 5 meters. Spekboom is edible, with a slightly lemony taste, Spekboom leaves are juicy and full of moisture, making them the perfect ‘pick-me-up’ during a long day’s hiking. It is also a favoured food of black rhinos, elephants and koedoes.

 

A little bit of rain does wonders!

My resident gecko keeping a watchful eye on the plants. No infestation of insects here!

I'm still not used to the humidity and heat of the coast, so my gardening is relegated to early-morning or late-afternoon or during the cooler winter days now looming. Watering the garden is always a joy and I hope to acquire a hosepipe one of these days, as soon as I can get the Municipality to install a water meter at the garden tap. Not an easy feat. But we're holding thumbs!

See ya!

Summer's end

Autumn struck with a vengeance this year. I say 'with a vengeance', because it's more like winter! We're having extremely cold days, like 20℃, where are the balmy 24℃ and 25℃ temperatures? This will probably be the last cutting of the lawn that Chrissie does this season, already the grass is turning yellow in patches. We were lucky to have good rains this past summer, so all the plants are strong and healthy and ready for the winter.

It was a good flowering season for the Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofia), attracting lots of bees, butterflies and sunbirds.

A Geranium sharing a pot with some Senecio Blue chalk succulents

The Hydrangea blooms were also exceptional this summer

After all that rain, the Sword Ferns spread like wild fire 

The last of the succulents left in my garden. All those in pots went to a good home (more about that later)

I always love it when these Leafy Foliose Lichens appear after good rains

The weather patterns are really peculiar lately and I just hope this coming winter won't be too severe, I feel heavy frost looming deep in my bones. But here's the thing - I might not experience winter in my garden this year as we are in the process of selling our smallholding. There is an offer in place and if that goes through, we will be moving down to Ballito on the North Coast (KwaZulu Natal). And of course I will keep you up-to-date on the progress of the (possible) big move.

Starting over (or not?)

How have you all been? Had a good Christmas and New Year? 2016 has been a year full of joys, blessings, surprises, heartaches, love, some successes and a few failures, but mostly it has been a year full of gratitude. Gratitude for the good rains we've had, gratitude for the birds in my garden and gratitude that I've managed another year of good health.

And now I welcome the New Year. May your 2017 be full of new things that have never been, a year full of colours, flowers, laughter and fresh new ideas!

Aloe ferox youngsters in my garden having survived another winter

Have you ever jumped the gun and then regretted it afterwards? Well, that's what happened to me! A couple of months ago we were in the process of selling our smallholding, something we've been thinking of for a couple of years now, planning retirement and all that, and apart from having to have a massive clean-up of all the stuff one accumulates over 38 years of living in one place, one of my biggest worries was all my succulents - those in the garden were OK, but I had dozens of succulents and cacti in pots and it was impossible for me to take all of them with me. After a short search I was lucky and blessed enough to find another succulent-lover who was thrilled to take all of them off my hands.

Now, here's the thing - the sale fell through! (Much to my relief, I must say, as in the process of selling we suddenly realised what we are leaving behind and we fell in love with our life and our smallholding all over again! One doesn't realise what you have until you lose it, or almost lose it, right?)

This new planting was just coming along nicely and the Aeoniums on the left were some of my favourites.

This Echeveria elegans was also just starting to flower for the first time in in about the 4 years I had it

Another first, this Haworthia cooperii var Transiensis was also pushing up it's first tiny little flowers

My only consolation is that I still have a few succulents and cacti left in the garden and it would be easy to take cuttings and start a new collection. But here's the question : do I want to start another potted collection again? At first, after they were all gone, I felt empty and lost, no daily routine of checking up on all of them, spotting new growth and new flowers and softly chatting to each and every one. All their small watering cans are standing empty, calling out for something to water.

But on the other hand, it's also very liberating to not constantly be worried about them and rushing outside to bring them under cover every time it starts hailing. So, for now, I'll be chatting to all my succulents and cacti in the ground in the garden, checking on them daily and giving them some special attention!

The succulent grows in symmetry

The succulent grows in symmetry,

Budding as a flower,

Reaching for moisture,

And sunlight every hour,

She waits in peace for loving,

Someone to grow beside,

Hopeful in the waiting,

With no shade to hide behind,

But then, a plant is placed by her,

A quiet friend to greet,

So, now they'll grow in harmony,

Until their purpose is complete.

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Reasons Succulents Are The Best Plants Ever!

They are low maintenance

they come in all kinds of colours

They're fat and happy

They like hanging out!

They can live in teacups or anywhere else

they regularly have babies

You can use their cuttings to make more succulents

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A week of gardening ideas

It's Spring! and time for cleaning out, re-organising, re-vamping and generally just getting inspired! Many of my succulents are now starting to outgrow their pots and the time has come for me to start a new succulent garden (if I can find a sunny enough spot!), so I scoured the internet for some ideas.

Pic from Palmbob

My Echeveria harmsii have been growing beautifully in their respective pots and getting a bit pot-bound, so this seems like a lovely idea to put them in the garden - I can already see them thriving and spreading!

Pic from internet

Or perhaps some of them can go into bigger, more exciting pots.

Pic from a magazine

A re-vamp of my garden path or a new path, surrounded by succulents, is also in order!

Pic from internet

A nice idea for transplanting my Aloe cooperi (Grass Aloe) amongst some rocks (the pic is Aloe verecunda)

Pic from internet

I've got some Echinopsis cacti in the garden that are not looking too well after the winter (they don't like frost) so I'll get a nice pot for them where I can keep them on the patio and tend to them until they're in perfect condition again.

Pic from internet

A sunny, north-facing wall will be ideal to display some of my bigger specimens.

Pic from internet

Echeverias planted en masse always look good!

Pic from Pinterest

A lovely idea for displaying some Echeverias and I DO have a chair similar to this!

Pic from a magazine

My little corner similar to this has succumbed to my girls' constant scratching, so time to transplant the Echeverias and add new pebbles

Pic from Pinterest

This seemed like a lovely idea for against a sunny wall, until I started worrying about all the work of maintaining and watering them!

Pic from the internet

A beautifully laid out succulent garden! Something to strive for! (Image Willem Van Greunen in 'MinWater' group on FaceBook)

Pic from Pinterest

I just love palettes! A beautiful idea for a lounge or dining room, except I haven't got any big windows like this...

The Aloe Farm's display on their side-walk (you'll find them on FaceBook)

I apologise that I don't have links for all the images, but I forgot to copy it and can't find any of them now! So if you find your picture here, please feel free to contact me! Smile!

So, armed with lots of inspiration, there's no excuse for my garden not looking beautiful this summer!