Innehållsförteckning för Home Yard 2023 från Home

I love gardening. When I’m tired of working or need some peace and quiet, I head outdoors and do something in my garden. I’ll sow seeds, pull out weeds, trim off dead plant material or scrutinise my front garden to see what I should perhaps do there next season. My front garden is wild. For spring and summer, I sow cut flowers and leave the poppies to grow wherever they set seed. In summer, when the sunflowers, zinnias and Amaranthus are at their peak, they tower above me as I stroll along the grass pathway. (In fact, the other day a Takealot delivery guy asked me, before venturing up the path to our front door, if I was sure there were no snakes!) To compile this issue of Home Yard, I…

In winter, we have an explosion of colour when the aloes in myriad shades of red, orange and yellow put on the most breathtaking display.– Jan WHO LIVES HERE? Jan and Daléne van Vuuren WHERE Rooibergkrans Private Game Lodge between Thabazimbi and Bela-Bela, Limpopo SIZE OF GARDEN 2 500m² TYPE OF SOIL Sandy with rocks WATERWISE WINNERS The garden contains about 60 different species of aloes, totalling about 1 000 plants, 2 000 succulents, and about 25 species of cycads from the Encephalartos genus totalling 120 plants. Other waterwise plants include common tree euphorbia (Euphorbia ingens), mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata), crane flower (Strelitzia reginae) and elephant’s trunk (Pachypodium namaquanum). If gardening is your passion but rainfall in your area is scarce, take a leaf out of Jan and Daléne van…

Topiaries are not only pleasing to look at, they also add structure, interest and focal points to a garden. “The advantage of topiaries is that they work well in both formal and informal gardens. In a more formal garden that mainly consists of clipped plants and hedges, the different shapes and shades of green still provide plenty of variety,” explains Karin du Plessis, owner of landscaping business In & Outdoor Gardens. “In a more informal garden, topiaries add structure to mixed borders. And in winter, when gardens have been pruned to their bare bones and the trees are without leaves, these plants are still striking and beautiful.” Karin says it is also essential that the shapes and size of the shrubs complement the architecture of the house and the size…

Alarge group of one type of plant in a bed or garden room adds impact to your garden and also requires less work. Gardening expert Pietman Diener explains: “Mass plantings have many benefits and can be used in both large and smaller gardens. In a big garden it can become quite overwhelming if you have too great a variety of plants in all the different sections or rooms. “By using a group of just one type of plant in some of the areas, you create a more tranquil effect that has bigger impact. It allows you to really see the plants,” says Pietman. Benefits Gardeners can really benefit from creating mass plantings – they reduce your workload and ensure a more economical and waterwise garden. Since the entire bed has…

The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating a picture-perfect display with succulents. Try these ideas… # 1 HANGING GARDENS Fleshy succulents are the perfect candidates for a hanging basket. They can survive for long periods without water and make a beautiful display. The growth habit of many succulents is ideal; even an immature aloe will work. Follow your instincts and go for the plants you love. Here’s how to make your own hanging baskets: You will need • a wire basket • coir (optional) • good, friable potting soil that drains well • organic fertiliser • a variety of succulents HERE’S HOW Start by lining the hanging basket with coir, if it doesn’t already have such a lining. Fill it halfway with potting soil and mix in a handful…

Many gardeners are happy to make their own compost, but for some this sounds like too much effort. But that doesn’t need to be the case. Spring, when it starts getting warmer, is the perfect time to start! If you make your own compost, you’ll be doing your garden and the environment a favour. You’ll recycle garden and kitchen waste that would’ve ended up on a landfill, save fuel by not having to drive to the dump and your garden will benefit from the homemade product. You obviously don’t really make the compost yourself – you just create the right conditions and let nature do the work for you. In nature, smaller organic material such as leaves and soft plant material takes about 12 months to decompose; bigger and thicker…

1 SOW SEED Sowing seeds for spring and summer flowers is a gardening task that brings huge rewards. There are so many perennials and annuals that grow from seed that you will be able to sow something different every year. The experts at The Flower Cartel, a business that specialises in flower seeds, say it is not at all difficult to grow flowers from seed. Follow their advice: Where and what Start by looking at what’s already in your garden. Most flowers need 6–8 hours of sun a day. If your garden gets lots of shade, sow flowers in pots on a sunny stoep. Perennials live for several years and generally require less work than annuals, but annuals produce more flowers over a shorter period of time. Annuals such as…

WHO LIVES HERE? Rikus and Eunice Swanepoel and their kids, Markus, Rein and Limrik WHERE Irene, Pretoria SIZE OF GARDEN 1 400m² TYPE OF SOIL Compost-rich garden soil Eunice’s garden is made up of so much more than just plants – it’s abounding with eye-catching treasures that hold a special place in her heart. “I’d describe myself as a garden decorator rather than a gardener,” she says. “I love visiting markets with their treasure troves of interesting finds. That’s where I buy most of my garden décor. When I encounter an empty wall or a bare piece of ground, I set about looking for rusted metal objects, enamel containers or a garden bench to fill the gap. Sometimes, I buy a whole lot of charming gates and wrought-iron pieces and…

“Just like in a larger garden, a small garden must be tackled using the basic principles of garden design. But in a small garden it must be done more carefully, because it’s impossible to conceal a problem in such a small area,” explains Neville. The first thing you have to decide is how you want to use your garden: do you just want a beautiful garden to look at? Do you want to entertain in the garden? Do you have children who will want to play there? And how much time do you have to maintain the yard? All of these factors play a role in the type of garden you should choose. Your lifestyle also determines what your garden will look like. “Young working people don’t have time to…

January Give roses a deep watering three times a week if no rain has fallen, and mulch well. January is also a good time to do summer pruning – by cutting blooms for the vase, you’re giving them a pruning at the same time. Fertilise roses at the end of the month. If the weather is very hot, be on the lookout for red spider mite – their presence is often a sign that your roses are not getting enough water. February Deadhead rose bushes regularly and make sure the soil around them remains moist during hot weather. Fertilise once again at the end of the month and keep the plants well mulched. In rainy weather, watch out for black spot and treat accordingly. March Pick roses regularly and deadhead…

Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis x delacourii ‘Kruschenia’) This shrub is covered with so many pink flowers in August and September that you can hardly see the foliage! It is hardy and will, once it is well established, survive on little water and still flower beautifully. Indian hawthorn grows well in full sun as well as semi-shade. Cut back lightly after it has bloomed to promote dense growth and to keep the shrub neat. Plant guide • Full sun to semi-shade • Frost-hardy • Wind-resistant • Grows 2m tall and 1.5–2m wide Statice (Limonium perezii) Because these perennials have such long-lasting flowers, it seems as if there’s no end to their flowering season! They are ideal for coastal gardens, flowering throughout winter and into summer. In coastal gardens they need even less…

There’s no doubt about it – the plants and soil in your garden will benefit from a layer of mulch. Neville Orsmond of Create a Landscape in Johannesburg and Wouter Kruidenier of De Kruidenier Exclusive Gardens in Durbanville tell us more… Why mulch? Mulch is especially important in new gardens where groundcovers have not yet had a chance to cover the soil, but is also vital for established gardens because: • It keeps the soil cool. • It prevents the soil from drying out due to evaporation and prevents water run-off. • It restricts weed growth. • As organic mulch breaks down, the texture of the soil improves; it also provides the soil with nutrients. • It helps earthworms with their work – they will thrive in the organic matter.…

WHO LIVES HERE? Theo and Ina Nauhaus, Roger Federer the Jack Russell and Plonsie the ginger cat WHERE Bloemfontein SIZE OF GARDEN 250m² (colourful front garden 42m²) TYPE OF SOIL Clay I na believes that first impressions count. Her desire was to make the front garden of her townhouse so beautiful and colourful that people would be curious as to what else lay behind the garden gates. And that’s exactly what she’s achieved – using grey water! “I’ve been keeping my front garden alive with washing machine water for nearly 10 years. It is time-consuming but really worth the effort. I started using the machine’s waste water in my garden when I realised how much water it used,” she says. “We connected a 30m-long 30mm plastic pipe to the washing…

Somewhat romantic, joyful, soft and tranquil. That’s how Nan Steyn describes her abundant rose garden in the beautiful town of Swellendam. Nan is a rose enthusiast, through and through. Although she also grows other shrubs and perennials, they often have to make way for more roses, she says. Nan designed her garden herself and hasn’t changed much of its basic structure over the years – but she has planted many new roses. “We previously lived on a smallholding in the Hermitage Valley just outside town,” she says. “That was really the land of milk and honey as far as roses are concerned! The soil there was slightly clayey and rocky – just what roses need to thrive. I had hundreds of roses! When we moved into town, I started my…

HEDGE TYPE #1 Pretty as a flower If you’re keen on an informal hedge plant that also bears an abundance of flowers, then look no further than the indigenous and waterwise Cape plumbago (Plumbago auriculata). It will grow into an attractive, large, dense hedge that is ideal for creating privacy. Plant Cape plumbago in full sun and cut back hard in winter so that it retains a good shape, as it grows rampantly. During the summer growing season, you can also cut back the shrub by about one-third after the first flush of flowers – this will promote more blooms later in the season and will also help to keep your hedge neat all year round. Other options • Camellia sasanqua • Cross-berry (Grewia occidentalis)* • Escallonia ‘Apple Blossom’ •…

Groundcovers not only add colour and interest to your flowerbeds, they also keep the soil cool and attract welcome birds and insects to your garden with their unique habitat. We asked four gardening experts to give us examples of groundcovers that, with little effort, will quickly cover a bed. Here are some of their favourites. White carpet (Falkia repens) Neville White carpet is a hardy, mat-forming groundcover with a flat growth habit. It has attractive leaves with rounded tips and bears large pale pink to white trumpet-shaped flowers from September to December. This indigenous groundcover thrives in the sun as well as semi-shade and although it grows well in fairly moist areas, it is also happy with less water once it is well-established. White carpet is a good option for…

Without healthy soil, no garden will thrive. However, copious amounts of compost and fertiliser are not always the answer. It is important to know what type of soil your garden has so you know how to treat it and what to plant in it. And it’s a simple process to have your garden’s soil tested professionally. Dr Pieter Raath, a soil scientist and co-owner of LabserveMycro, explains… 1 Test your soil For a mere R400 you can get your soil tested at any agricultural laboratory such as LabserveMycro. This test usually indicates the chemical composition of the soil, the amount and type of nutrients it contains and whether it is brackish (has an excess of salts), acidic or alkaline. Certain tests will indicate whether the soil is sandy, loam or…

Kitchen garden crops Use our helpful guide for when and what to sow and plant. Plan your kitchen garden Since certain vegetables fare better in different seasons, planting and sowing of your winter garden should take place in autumn, and your summer garden in spring. Use this plan created by Jenny Louw, author of Earth Artist, for a rich harvest. Autumn sowing and planting guide TIP Leave successive beds to rest every winter: loosen the topsoil with a garden fork, cover with compost and plant crops such as lupins, clover, wheat and nasturtiums in the beds. In addition, don’t pull up any weeds that germinate; simply cut off any flower stalks before they set seed. Spring sowing and planting guide…