It's finally happened - and a strange phenomena

The dead White Karee in my garden that I've been threatening to cut down, has finally happened. The hold-up was that the birds absolutely loved it. They would catch the early-morning sun from the top branches and the Fiscal Shrike used it as her look-out for prey. But I think it started becoming a bit of a danger lately. Many a morning I would find broken branches on the lawn and all I needed was for it to fall over and cause a lot of damage.

So at the end of January we tackled the job. Solly started by first removing the lower branches and then he tackled the main trunk. We calculated that the distance to the pond fence was far enough for the very top branches not to damage it when it fell.

Timberrrrrrr!

Here it looks like Solly is bowing his head in a moment of silence for the fallen lady. I too sent up a silent little prayer, saying I'm sorry that she died but that we will remember her for ever.

As the tree came down, it hit a branch of the Acacia karroo next door. As I was checking for damage on the Acacia's branch and while we were removing the dead branches, I noticed something really peculiar. All the leaves on the Acacia branch were busy closing, and within minutes the whole branch up to the trunk had closed leaves.

Now I know Acacia trees pass on an ‘alarm signal’ to other trees when antelope browse on their leaves. When nibbled by antelope, the tree produces leaf tannin in quantities lethal to the browsers, and emit ethylene into the air which can travel up to 50 yards. The ethylene warns other trees of the impending danger, which then step up their own production of leaf tannin within just five to ten minutes. This is a defence mechanism against predators stripping them of all their foliage, causing them to die. So my tree obviously thought it was under attack from something and the defence mechanism immediately sprung into action. I checked some of my other Karoo's and noticed the same reaction on one of the trees about 10m away in the pond area. Amazing phenomena!

Then started the big job of reducing the branches to firewood and cleaning up the area.

It's amazing how hard the dead wood can be!

Almost finished, just the last part of the straight-up trunk and it's kudo's to a job well done! I decided to keep the stump for use as a feature somewhere in the garden.

And since the tree has gone, the Aloe zebrina at the base have doubled in size and are flowering profusely.

Change in a garden is inevitable. I often look back at previous seasons and marvel at the changes that take place from year to year. Some good, some not so good, like a tree dying, but life carries on and something dead makes place for new life.

Connecting with your bliss

The above pic is my 'Money plant' (as I know it, possibly Plectranthus verticilatus), intertwined with some ivy, hanging from a patio beam. The story goes that, if it dies, so does all your wealth. It's hanging outside on my patio and every winter I panic as I slowly see it die down but then, each spring, I rejoice as it springs back to life, thick and abundant, needing to be trimmed back every now and then. This winter I brought it inside, just in case.... (smile!)

Deepak Chopra said, "Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real." For me connecting with my bliss means pottering in the garden, feeling the rich soil between my fingers and nothing beats the feeling of actually holding the garden hose and watering the plants in stead of relying on an automated sprinkler system.

 

 

It's while you're watering that you notice all sorts of things - a dead plant, a mound of topsoil indicating the the mole is back in the garden again, aphids on the roses or red spider on the aloes. It also delights my senses to be "washing" the garden, removing dust from the leaves and giving the foliage a thorough cleansing.

Mom-to-be

 It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it! 

 From the television show ‘The Golden Girls’

Another one of Solly’s hen’s (she’s four months old now), has made herself at home in my garden and started laying eggs – against a wall, totally in the open with no protection over-head. I can’t actually provide her with any protection, I’m so scared she’ll leave the nest if I fiddle around too much.

The beginning of new life

However, I am preparing a warm place for them to live once she hatches her new brood, and hopefully Kingston, the Dad-to-Be will join them for good once they’re settled. Such exciting times! I just can’t wait to hold the little bundles once they’ve hatched!

Day 3

So far there are four eggs and she’ll probably lay 9 or 10 before starting with the serious stuff of sitting on them. I’ll be doing an up-date when the babies hatch, if all should go well – life on a smallholding for chickens is a risky business!

The proud Father-to-Be, “Kingston”, one of Solly’s youngest roosters – he’s also just 4 months old now.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Here's wishing you a weekend filled with wonderful gardening!

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The garden of your mind

Your mind is like a garden:
Whatever you plant will grow.
Your thoughts are seeds you're planting:
They produce, each after its kind.

And you, just like a gardener,
Can choose which seeds you'll plant.
And by the choice of seeds you sow,
You choose the harvest you will reap.

So don't plant seeds of lack or fear,
Disease, discord, or doubt.
Plant, instead, the seeds you want;
Then things you want will sprout.

This gift of choice is given to all,
And not to just a few.
The harvest, friend, is in your hands:
The crop depends on you.

So take this power which you've been given,
 And use it every day,
 To gain from life the good you want,
 For you have found the way.

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What is a garden without Vygies?

Lampranthus roseus – Red vygie, Mesembryanthemum

Mesembryanthemum (meaning “midday flowering”) is a genus of flowering plants native to Southern Africa. This easy-to-grow and hardy evergreen succulent is very easy to maintain and thrives under conditions few other will tolerate. On its thin branches it carries succulent leaves, and during spring masses of daisy-like, rich pink flowers.

It requires full sun and is suitable for all regions without severe frost or hot, humid conditions with lots of rainfall. This is a newby to my garden, planted in a basket, so I will have to bring it inside in winter to protect against frost.

I was given a few cuttings by a friend and it started flowering within days of me planting it.

This is a frequently cultivated and a rewarding floriferous plant. It is easily propagated from seed or cuttings and needs a sunny position. Seed can be sown at any time of the year in shallow trays in a sandy mixture and germination is within 3 weeks. Cuttings are best planted during the summer months. The plants are short-lived and are best replaced every 3 years. Lampranthus roseus prefers a sunny, well-drained slope. The plants thrive in rockeries or containers in a sunny position. Plants are subject to downy mildew and should be sprayed with Ridomil from midwinter to just before flowering. The species is particularly impressive when massively planted on large areas to cover the soil.

There are over a hundred varieties of Lampranthus and many of them are valued as garden plants. Usually relegated to the rockery or succulent garden, these plants are far more versatile and can be incorporated in most areas of the garden, where their lustrous blossoms will enhance their surroundings. Lampranthus species have smooth, three-angled leaves, and the group varies from an upright, bushy growth habit to lax, cascading or creeping ground covers. Some bushes extend to a meter across.

The mother plant from which my cuttings were taken

Common Names include:

ENGLISH: Red vygie, Many-petalled Lampranthus, Rosy dewplant, Rosy Dew Plant, Oxenbould daisy, Mini Ice Plant

AFRIKAANS: Roosvygie

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Aloe striatula

Family: Aloaceae
Genus: Aloe (AL-oh)
Species: striatula (stree-AT-yew-luh)

  
From the wilds of South Africa comes this amazing species with upright stalks of 1" wide, dark green foliage. In warmer climates, the stalks can reach in excess of 3' tall. The larger stalks tend to arch outward with age due to excess weight...as do we(he he!). In early summer, the clumps are topped with amazing scapes of orange-yellow bells. This is one for the plant nut who likes to push the limits of hardiness.

Aloe striatula is a strong-growing climbing aloe whose native habitat is in mountain tops south of the Karoo region of South Africa. A tough and hardy plant, Aloe striatula is popular in gardens throughout the world. It can grow to a 6 feet tall shrub.

Aloe striatula gets its name from its distinguishing markings -- dark green stripes on its stems and leaf sheathes, in Latin "striatula" means "striped". Also known as the “Coral Aloe”, Aloe striatula is quite cold and heat tolerant. Its leaves are thin, dark green and strongly recurved, with small white teeth on their margins.

Aloe striatula is one of the hardiest aloes, and will tolerate much colder temperatures than most Aloes, including frost and even some snow, but it prefers full sun and well-drained soil. In the Eastern Cape it is often planted along the boundaries of kraals, as it naturally forms a well-shaped and hardy hedge. Like other climbing aloes, it can easily be propagated by cuttings (truncheons) as well as by seed.

The brilliant yellow inflorescence emerges in late fall through winter and rises above the foliage.

When planting in the garden you will need to provide Aloe striatula with a free-draining soil as it can be prone to attack from fungal infections if the roots become too wet. Dig in plenty of horticultural grit and sand to the soil of required but avoid planting in heavy soils or soils that are prone to water logging.

If suitable ground does not exist then consider planting into a pre-formed mound of free-draining soil, a raised bed or even a suitably sized container. For the container, use a good quality compost but with a 50:50 mix of horticultural grit and sand.

Although closest to the rare and unique Aloe commixta of Table Mountain, Aloe striatula is part of a whole group of related climbing aloes that grow throughout Southern Africa, the "Macrifoliae" Aloes. Other species in this group are: Aloe ciliaris, Aloe tenuior, Aloe gracilis, Aloe juddii, Aloe decumbens, and of course commixta and striatula itself.

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