Ginkgo Landscaping Blog: Blogs in Cape Town, Western Cape

There are laws pertaining to invasive plants in South Africa and even penalties attached. However the provincial and local conservation prefer to obtain the cooperation of people in the removal of prohibited plants.Having said that and aside from the law as it stands it is also wise to remove the invaders as they do have a detrimental effect on our ecology. Just look at the huge stands of Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) in the Western Cape. A formidable task to eliminate these trees as their seed have a forty year viability so it is not long after you have cleared a tract of land when lo and behold there are the saplings all over again.Here are some alternatives to invasive species:Category 1Butterfly orchid tree (Bauhinia purpurea)Alternative:pride of de Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii), wild gardenia (Rothmania capensis)or Cape stock rose (Sparmannia Africana)Ginger lilies (Hedychium coronarium, Hedychium flavescens, Hedychium gardenerianum)Alternative:Blue ginger (Dichorisandra thyrisflora) or cannas.Wild Morning glory (Convolvulus arvensis) or morning glory (Ipomoea indica or Ipomoea purpurea)Alternative:Convolvulus sabatius which is a perennial groundcover with small blue or white flowers; black eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata) or Ipomoea albivenia.Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)Alternative:Dietes grandiflora, Louisiana iris or bearded iris.Erect sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata / cordifolia)Alternative:Leather leaf (Rumohra adiantiformis) Todea barbata (tree fern type) Ptreidium aquilinum, Asparagus virgatus, and A.densiflorus and Blechnum punctatum.Oleander (Nerium oleander) (for the horse owner this is deadly for horses should they ingest the plant.)Alternative:Polygala myrtifolia both indigenous and non indigenous Salvias. Anisodontia julii and A.capensis;Cleodendrum myracoides and indigenous hibiscus, Hibiscus callaphyllus or Hibiscusdiversifolius.Prickly pear varieties (Opuntia species)Alternative:Aloe species depending on location, Euphorbia species, Crassula species, Cotyledon orbiculata (pigs ear) Erythrina humeana, Erythrina zeyheri.Blue passion flower (Passiflora caerulea) or purple granadilla (Passiflora edulis)Alternative:Pseudogynosis chenopoides, Senecio macroglossus or Mondia whitei.Yellow bells (Tecoma stans)Alternative:Cape honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis), Tabebuia rosea.Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia)Alternative:Zinnia hybrids, Gaillardia aristata ‘Arizona sun’ or Rudbeckia purpurea.Only Category 1 plants are listed above. For more information on the various categories and lists of plants go to:www.biodiversityexplorer.org/plants/weeds_and_invaders/index.htmwww.dwaf.gov.za/wfw/legalwww.agis.agric.za/agisweb/wipor obtain a plant list by emailing:declaredweedsandinvaderplants@inda.agric.zaor a Booklet, Cara legislation made easy has been produced by the Department of Agriculture at 0800 005 376 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0800 005 376 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.Watch this space for more info on indigenous plants and the invaders to watch out for.

March to May is the time to buy and plant all those incredible root tubers as we await our winter rains along with a drop in temperature.There are many indigenous bulbs to choose from so here is a list for your enjoyment. Chinkerinchees (Ornithogalum spp.) These elegant spring bulbs with their snow white sprays will still be showing off after other spring bulbs have ceased to flower so plant then toward the end of March and in April,Plant them in full sun (5cm deep and 10cm apart) among other indigenous plants such as wild garlic (Tulbachia violacea) kingfisher daisies (Felecia ameloides) Namaqualand daisies (Arctotus) to create a stunning indigenous flower garden. Flowering time will be in October and November.Cape violets (Lachenalia) There are a variety of new style cultivars with their long flower stems that carry clusters of jewel coloured flowers that range from orange, yellow, red, blue purple, white to soft green. The foliage is attractive with dark red spots.You can plant them 3cm deep and 5cm apart (flowering June – July) in full sun or light shade from mid April onwards in the garden or pots. A good tip is to mark where you plant your bulbs so that you do not later disturb them by accident.Wand flowers ( Ixia) These fine spray flowered plants are of the large Iris family and apart from Mother Natures wild flowers there are also some attractive hybrids that you can plant.In their growth season the bulbs push up 60cm long flower stems covered with star shaped flowers in shades of purple, lilac, cream, white, baby pink, orange and green with, in many cases, a dark contrasting colour. Plant clusters 5cm deep and 5cm apart in full sun and by the by they also are long lasting as cut flowers. Flowering in September and October.Freesias These must be among the world’s most popular hothouse cut flowers. These indigenous bulbous plants produce fragrant flowers ranging from snow white, cream, bright red, purple and golden yellow in single colours.Plant in full sun 5cm deep and 7cm apart if you want short flowers stems or in dappled shade where they will stretch their slender stems and will need some slight support to keep the flower heads erect.They are also quite at home in window boxes or garden pots so you can place them where everyone can enjoy their fragrance.And once they have flowered in July through to September they can be carefully lifted and stored until the following season.Harlequin flowers (Sparaxis) These are Iris family yet again that look like wand flowers, baboon flowers, blazing stars, wine cups and evening flowers. The Harlequin has been crossed and cloned thoroughly and so you can plant these cheap bulbs with confidence knowing you will receive a long lasting colour explosion in September. Plant them 5cm deep and 7cm apart in full sun.Many of our indigenous bulbs are to be found in the Western Cape and therefore become active with our winter rains. You can of course simulate this in your garden by watering every four days really well for about forty minutes with a sprinkler.Although bulbs drink a lot of water they grow naturally in sandy soil with good drainage so remember this when potting by adding lots of compost and even river sand if your soil contains an excess of clay.A good mulch blanket of compost, bark chips, grass cuttings or even peach pips will ensure that soil temperatures remain constant.And finally, for a breath taking effect plant large numbers of the same bulbs together rather than small numbers of a wider variety.

General care in the garden:Dig up Agapanthus that have been in the same bed of a couple of years, divide the root stock and replant them in well drained soil with superphosphate and loads of compost.Do the same with day lilies (Hermerocallis aurantiaca), summer red hot pokers (Kniphofia praecox), Shasta daisises (Aster novi-belgil), white arum lilies (Zanthedeschia), blue salvias (Salvia Africana-caerulea) and golden rods (Solidago virguarea).Vegetables:Sow the following vegetables: beetroot, carrots, lettuce, onions, parsnips, turnips, leeks , radishes and mangoes in syrup. Just kidding. Broccoli, cauliflower, celery and cabbage.Flowering annuals: Sow sweet peas (Lathyrus odorata), Namaqualand daisies (Dimophotheaca sinuate), Nemsia, Clndula officinalis. Larkspurs (Consolida ambigua)Feeding and watering:Pay attention to your camellias and azaleas by applying a thick layer of compost around your shrubs and water them regularly.Feed your lawn with 3:2:1 fertiliser and water regularly. Fruit trees can be given a last helping of 2:3:2 with about 2kg per tree.Plant bulbs:Chincherichees (Ornithogalum), baboon flowers (Babiana) freesisas, Dutch irises, grape hyacinths (Muscari) and wandflowers (Ixia.Or of course you could set up the hammock and with a good book and tall glass of juice wait until next year.

Irrigation of gardens is wide spread these days and I believe the right way to go about keeping your investment well fed.There are definite improvements taking place as well, especially for the residential garden with fewer sprayers being installed and more focus on drip feeders and micro sprayers.Pop-ups are still the preferred method of keeping your lawn in good condition aside from surprising the dogs.Micro sprayers and drip feeders are definitely a better choice in terms of effective water usage and of course initial cost.The down side is that the maintenance level is higher as they clog and wear out quicker than other types of sprayers.They are however easy to service and maintain and it is really a case of understanding how your irrigation system works.Some of us have simple installations that require you to connect to your tap and turn it on for a period of time. Checking each nozzle in this manner is straight forward and replacement is easy provided you purchased a supply of them from your local garden shop, hardware store or Agri centre. It can also be quite a wet undertaking but this is no hardship in summer.Should you have a computer controlled irrigation system you need not live in fear of this technology as to check the system you need not even touch the computer.Merely locate the box that contains the valves for the various spray circuits which should be buried fairly close to your water supply and computer.Inside there will be a number of valves dependent on the size of your garden. They should have a projection with some wires protruding.Being careful not to damage the wires you can now turn this protrusion until you hear water gushing and see which sprayers come to life. Open and close these valves one at a time to establish which valve controls which circuit and then systematically turn on one circuit at a time and check each sprayer on the line for wear or damage if it is not performing correctly.Pop-ups can be unscrewed carefully making sure that you do not unscrew the riser (the pie that is attached to the buried black plastic piping) to which it is attached. Also make sure that no parts spring into the surrounding foliage. Wash the sprayer and check for blockages before replacing.Micro sprayers can be replaced if in any way defective.Remember to close all valves after completing your inspection and maintenance as the computer will take over the function when it is required to so and an open valve will create problems.

Installing a well designed garden on your property is without doubt a good investment. This is of course nothing new as it has been mentioned many times before by many in the landscape industry and from financial investment advisors and is all rather droll and dull as there are even more important benefits not least of all a peaceful area to spend time in with family and friends.One can sit down with the family and sketch your property and then carefully plan where to plant the various types of plants and it can be a fun and family orientated pastime which need not be completed in one sitting but implemented over a period of a few seasons.You are after all dealing with nature and nature will not be rushed. Having said that, you could lay instant lawn, purchase large trees for an instant woodland, and buy and plant out of ground large plants for the instant garden effect.That route is expensive to say the least and you do miss out watching the plants take hold and then grow into strong healthy plants over the ensuing years without the mortality risk of transplanting full grown plants.Some pointers to bear in mind for designing and installing your own garden.a) Measure your garden area with a degree of accuracy. (The reason for this will become apparent later when you find that you have allocated twenty plants in an area the size of your dustbin and then have to literally go back to the drawing board and redesign everything. Your popularity with the family and even the gardener will reach an all time low.)b) Note carefully your North point to clearly establish how the sun affects the garden as you do not want to plant shade loving plants in full sun and vice versa. (Remember that popularity poll! You could of course lay the blame on someone else.)c) Select plants that have similar characteristics such as indigenous plants that are usually seen growing together in the wild. Very often there is a symbiotic relationship with these plants as they protect each other from insects and disease. Your nursery can advise on this as can a quick look on the internet.d) Talking indigenous. This is a very good policy to adopt from the start especially down here in the Cape with the shortage of water. Indigenous plants are very thrifty with water and can generally survive fairly severe drought periods.e) If your garden is lacking in trees consider buying a few good size trees, 2 to 3 metre in height with sturdy stems as they will rapidly create shade areas aside from other benefits such as attracting birds in some instances. The Acacia group are rapid growers and with regular watering can grow up to a metre and a half per year. Their life span however is not that long so you would also plant slower growers at the same time to take over from them in time.f) When you draw in your plants on your drawing do make a note of each different plant sketch to save from appearing a little dim and indecisive when you cannot remember the inspiration for that corner of the garden as you have forgotten what the symbols represent. (This incidentally is also a designers problem from time to time. I know, trust me.)g) Do not give in to your twelve year old who wants a 30m Yellowwood tree in the postage stamp back garden of your complex town house. The trick is to scale the plants according to the size of your garden for a full complete effect in proportion to the building, the surrounds and the size of your garden. h) Unless you can dictate to the family a reliable watering scheme while you sit and watch sport on television or head off to the mall for a bout of window shopping with the girls you may want to consider an irrigation system. This need not be a complex setup, again dependant on the size of your garden, it can range from a simple hook up to the tap and turn on for an hour to a fully computer regulated watering system. There is that ever present budget to consider as well.i) Many will no doubt love to have the sound of trickling water playing in the background and there will be those that have a marriage where one party is particularly good at digging holes and mixing cement to build something out of concrete and brick. j) Then again this can be as simple as a deepish excavation in the ground, lined with plastic and a pump bought from your local nursery to give you your feature. It is all dependent on your imagination and ability. k) Should you decide that a water feature is going to be part of the garden and your daughter has insisted on stocking it with Basil and his buddy who live in the fish bowl in the bedroom be aware that a fish pond is somewhat more complex than a mere scrape as alluded to above and you will need to research the subject thoroughly before embarking on what can be a very satisfying endeavor.l) Remember that a water feature can be a stand-alone item with splashing water and a faux Italian renaissance concrete cherub or it can be integrated into the garden along with marginal and water planting to create a truly natural effect. Again it is all down to your and your families taste and imagination.Then again you could call in the professionals who know it all and will strut about and tut tut, look intelligent and knowledgeable and most times present a delight in your garden that you will enjoy for many, many, years to come.