Wayne Dyer is credited with once saying that the only difference between a weed and a flower is judgement. While most of us are stubbornly of the opinion that anything we haven’t planted in the garden ourselves is an unwelcome visitor to be dispatched forthwith, Nikki Brighton takes a completely different view.
Foraging has become quite a watchword in the culinary world. Top chefs are photographed meandering through the wild in search of an indigenous something to add to the special of the day. Nikki sees no reason why we shouldn’t pluck things for the pot from the pavement, carpark, local cemetery, or – yes – the garden.
Nikki’s self-published books Wild about Weeds and Edible Weeds can be ordered from the Plantabundance website which also hosts her vibrant blog. Since her interest is culinary rather than horticultural, she has no qualms about describing how she has used magnolia and wisteria petals for pickling or to infuse gin, for example.
As the warmer temperatures and rain return to Gauteng, we are happy to have an excuse for putting off the onerous job of weeding. I’m not sure how long our interest will be piqued enough to tolerate what Nikki calls “feral foods” in the flowerbeds, but for now we are looking twice at those dandelion, purslane, blackjack and clover plants.
IN THE GARDEN
A long winter always heralds a good spring and summer garden. The jacarandas lining the streets of Pretoria seem to be even more floriferous than usual.
The plants in the garden have burst into growth and bloom over the past two months, barren areas are now full of foliage and leaves, and we have birds nesting in obscure places and frogs happily croaking and singing all night.
Highlights include the many (mostly white) hydrangeas that are coming into bud, and the spectacular yellow Uncarina. Salvias and gorgeous climbers are also bringing a pop of colour.
It’s the time of year when walks through the garden are slow and leisurely.
Bouvardia ternifolia
Moonflower and Daucus carota
Uncarina
Jacaranda trees on the streets where we live
IN THE NURSERY
Click here to view all the plants in this newsletter on one website page.
Indigenous plants
The carpet geranium, Geranium incanum, is a tough evergreen groundcover with lovely fine feathery foliage and purple cup-shaped flowers all year. The plants never seem to look good in bags, but flourish in the garden! It is happy in sun or semi-shade.
Leonotis - Golden velvet is a showy compact evergreen shrub with rough toothed narrow leaves and velvety peachy flowers that attract birds, bees and butterflies from spring to autumn. It can grow up to 70cm high, and likes sun to semi-shade and dry sandy soil.
A low-growing evergreen grassland perennial, Silene bellidioides has furry lance-shaped leaves on sticky stems and scented star-shaped white flowers that attract moths in spring. It grows on average 25cm high, and is happiest in semi-shade.
The Cape stock rose Sparmannia Africana is a fast growing robust evergreen shrub that hails from the Eastern Cape. It has dense furry heart-shaped leaves and lovely yellow-centred white flowers from summer to winter. Planted in sun or semi-shade, you can expect it reach a height of up to 3m.
Exotic plants
Malvastrum lateritium is a gorgeous very hardy evergreen groundcover with lobed mid-green leaves and yellow-centred peach flowers in summer. It reaches an average height of 10cm, and is happy in sun or semi-shade.
The deciduous multi-stemmed Salvia azurea flowers from spring to autumn, and the lovely panicles of true blue two-lipped flowers do well in the vase. This is a very hardy perennial that grows on average 60cm high, and wants full sun.
Sambucus - Black lace is a multi-stemmed approximately 2m high shrub with finely cut, almost black foliage and panicles of fragrant white flowers in summer that attract insects, bees and butterflies. Deciduous and very hardy, it can take sun or semi-shade but needs moist soil. Prune hard in early spring.
The deciduous dwarf bulrush Thypha minima is a clump-forming rhizomatous bog plant with narrow upright linear grass-like leaves and small cylindrical maroon flowers in summer. Indigenous to the wetlands of Europe and Asia, it is very hardy. Make sure it is in full sun.
SNIPPETS
I’m delighted to report that Nikki Brighton has offered to give a workshop at Petal Faire in the new year – in her words, “to tantalise your tastebuds and inspire you to give free food a try!” More details will follow in our January newsletter.
The Aloe Farm in Hartebeespoort will be hosting its annual Agapanthus Festival from 1 to 23 November.
The Rustenberg Manor House Open Garden takes place from Friday 31 October to Sunday 2 November.
FUN FACT
The name October comes from the Latin word "octo," meaning 8. In the original Roman calendar, October was the eighth month, before January and February were added at the beginning of the year.
Happy gardening!
Leoné
082 482 0257