En saggies sluip Herfs in

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Make an ever-green Ivy heart

You’ll need:

Ivy plant (choose small-leaved ivy for the best effect)
Terracotta pot
Wire coat hanger
Thin garden wire
Potting soil

How to:

1. Straighten out the hook of the coat hanger and stretch out the triangular shape. Create a V-shaped notch in the bottom and bend the wire into a heart shape.

2. Plant the ivy in the terracotta pot and wind the ivy stems around the frame. Use short lengths of thin wire to secure the stems as necessary. Water well.

For a different look, a circle-shaped wire works equally well. Years ago, when I made my first little ivy plant with a circular wire, I sketched it and it was one of the first paintings I sold on-line, much to my utter delight!

An ivy wound round a heart-shaped wire, standing in my bathroom 

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Om vriende te kweek

Is jy lief vir tuinmaak? Is jy lief vir jou vriende? Die twee is baie dieselfde. Albei is kosbaar vir ons, albei vat toewyding, tyd, liefde, aandag en baie werk.

Sonder om tyd in jou tuin te spandeer sal jy dit eerstens nie kan geniet nie en tweedens sal jy dit nie leer ken nie. Elke plantjie vertel ‘n storie, of dit gelukkig is, of dit genoeg water en kos kry, of dit genoeg aandag en liefde kry. Hoeveel werk jy in jou tuin insit is sigbaar in hoe goed jou plante blom, hoe sterk hulle is om dit deur die winter te maak en hoe hulle groei, seisoen na seisoen.

Dieselfde is waar omtrent ons vriende. As ons nie aan ons verhoudings werk nie, nie genoeg tyd saam met ons vriende deurbring nie, sal die vriendskap daaronder ly. Liefde en aandag in ons verhoudings met ons vriende is belangrik, dit hou die vriendskap sterk. Vriende help ons om te groei, om onsself beter te leer ken en ondersteun ons in moeilike tye, die “winter” van die lewe.

So, nes met die blomme in jou tuin, kies jou vriende reg! Hul koester jou drome en werk sag met jou hart.

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Flower of the Rattail Cactus

Every Spring my Rattail cactus (aporocactus flagelliformis) rewards me with a mass of beautiful flowers. We’re heading for winter now here in South Africa, so I have a while to wait for these beauties again!

The bright pink flowers 1.5 inches long, 2.5 inches wide (4 by 6 cm), are produced along the long hanging stems, up to 4 feet long (120 cm) or more, in spring and summer and are sometimes followed by small red fruits. In the wild, they are pollinated by hummingbirds, but in cultivation, they generally need to be hand pollinated. They originate from the Highland plateaus of Mexico (Oaxaca, Hidalgo), but are cilutivated throughout the world.

Although all the info I’ve read says they don’t tolerate frost, they have survived many frosty winters outside in my garden, but I must say, since I’ve decided to bring them inside during winter, I do get a much longer and better flowering period. But they do need some cold to produce their flowers, so I keep them in a cool place in the house.

They need to be kept moist all the time so water abundantly in summer. Needs good drainage.

 

One of my Rattail Cacti over-wintering it in my flower room

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Too much rain!

I never thought I would EVER utter those words - too much rain. For a gardener there can never be such a thing as too much rain!

But my garden has been flooded with rain over the past 3 weeks and yesterday I noticed that many of my Echinopsis cacti weren't doing too well because of all the water, some of them turning yellow and rotting from the inside. In a panic I lifted them, only to find that I had no pots to put them into! This calls for drastic action, so I scouted around my store room and found this fan cover from a fan that wasn't working any more (how come we don't throw those things away...?). A piece of plastic in the bottom with some holes punched in and bob's your uncle! I had a temporary place to plant the cacti (which might just become their permanent place!)

They are now under cover until all signs of rain is gone, when I'll move them back into full sun.

However, the rest of the garden is not complaining. In fact, my garden seems a bit confused - autumn was already really showing and the Marigolds are all but dead and on their last legs with seed heads everywhere. And now their are hundreds of new Marigold seedlings coming up everywhere which, of course, will not survive the winter.

The lawn is loving all the water and we can't keep up with mowing it. I actually would like to get rid of all the lawn for two reasons - one, it is an enormous water-sucking monster and in drought times looks really terrible and two, to cut out the hours spent mowing it. But unfortunately this area is part of our entrance and drive-way to the garages so if I took it all out, it would mean having to make a concrete drive-way, which could end up looking terrible.

Below : Thankful for all the rain...

 

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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.

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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Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Camera : Fuji FinePix 2800Zoom 

Taken in my garden – Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa 2005

According to Wikipedia, Barrel cacti are classified into the two genera Echinocactus and Ferocactus, both of which are found in the Southwest Desert of North America. Echinocactus grusonii, popularly known as the Golden Barrel Cactus, Golden Ball or, amusingly, Mother-in-Law’s Cushion, is a well known species of cactus, and is endemic to east-central Mexico. Ferocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, mostly with large spines and small flowers. There are about 30 species included in this genus alone, so it is very diffucult to put an identification on a Barrel, but I think mine is Echinocactus Golden Barrel and he is about fourteen years old now.

One should approach a barrel cactus with extreme caution. A puncture to human skin from one of the spines is considered a ‘dirty wound’. If the puncture is deep enough to draw blood, antibiotics may be needed; and could take several months for the wound to heal properly.

The Barrel Cactus does not take very kindly to shade. When I originally planted my barrel in my new garden in 2005 (brought him with me when we moved from our previous property), he was in full sun and doing beautifully, but over the years the trees grew bigger and after a while he was in dappled shade. By 2010 he was grey on his crown and it looked like he was dying. In a panic I lifted him (with great difficulty!) and transplanted him to a sunny spot, just hoping for the best. The next year he was sporting new growth, which I thought was flowers, but it turned out that he was now producing new pups on his crown, to my utmost dismay. This means my barrel is never going to be one big, huge plant. Which I would never have seen anyway, a four year old barrel can be 3 inches high and 2.5 inches wide and they can live up to 130 years old, The barrel cactus easily reaches over a meter in height at maturity, and have been known to reach 10 feet in some regions.

 My Golden Barrel in 2013

Water is a very important component to caring for barrel cactus. The plants are native to arid desert regions and usually have only rainfall to supply their moisture needs. Water your barrel cactus once per week in summer. The barrel cactus doesn’t need much water in winter when it is dormant.

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Cactus splendour

All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. Simply put, what separates cacti from succulents are the organs that produce the spines.

Cacti are native to the United States and usually, when one thinks of cacti, one thinks of hot deserts and high temperatures.

But many smaller cacti live in the shade of rocks and other bigger plants and receive very little direct sunlight until they are big enough to fend for themselves. So be careful not to place your potted cacti in a full day's sun or on heat-reflecting patios, this can put a lot of stress on your plants.

All cacti need a well-draining soil. It is always better to water well and thoroughly, letting water pour out of the drain in the pot. Never let cacti sit in standing water. Let them go thoroughly dry between waterings and water sparingly during winter months as cacti do very little growing when cold.

Echinocereus rayonesensis - Hedgehog Cactus. Thick, upright stems forming a mound. 

Typically, these are the Echinocereus, which have stems from two inches to 24 inches tall that grow from a single base. The first part of the genus name Echinocereus comes from the Greek word for 'hedgehog', while the second part 'cereus' comes from the Latin for 'large candle'.

Echinocereus is a genus that is much loved by cactus growers world-wide. There are several characteristics that collectively account for their popularity. All Echinocereus are small plants that are quite suitable for growing in pots and greenhouses. The stems of this genus are more often than not under a foot in height and perhaps 2 or 3 inches in diameter. Some are slightly bigger, some smaller.

Echinocereus rayonesensis 

 A small pot containing Echinocereus rayonesensis, two Haworthias and some Sedum (on the left)

 

Echinocereus scopulorum 

Echinocereus Scopulorum has single, cylindrical stems, 10 to 40 cm long, nearly hidden by the closely set spines that are devoid of wool. The species occurs in a small region of a south-eastern portion of the state of Arizona and in the Chihuahuan Desert, USA, mostly on foothills and rocky slopes.

They are unbranched (rarely branched), the stems are erect, short cylindric, with 13-19 ribs. It carries 5-8 × 7-10 cm flowers; the blooming time is Spring to summer Fruits: Dark green, brownish tinged, 15-23 mm, pulp white, fruiting 2 months after flowering.

Echinopsis cactus with new pups

Echinopsis is a large genus of cacti native to South America, also known as hedgehog cactus or  sea-urchin cactus. Echinopsis consists of over 100 species and plants range from very small, flattened-globose plants to quite large, treelike giants. As a result, there is a long list of synonymous names for many of the species. Some synonyms referring to other synonyms that refer to a subspecies of some seemingly distinct species. Sorting through these names often makes one feel like you're on a wild goose chase!

The main attraction for Echinopsis collectors is their very large, showy flowers. These flowers are all  funnel–shaped, with hairy/wooly scaled floral tubes which are normally much larger than the mother plant.

Old Man Cactus and Echeveria glauca

After years and years of being 'single', my Old Man Cactus (Cephalocereus senilis) has developed a friendship and branched out a second cactus. Native to Guanajuato and Hidalgo in eastern Mexico, it is threatened in the wild, but widespread propagation and popularity in cultivation have reduced the demand on wild populations.

The old man cactus takes its name from the long, white hair-like strands which grow out of the spiked column that makes up the plant. Like most cacti, the old man cactus is easy to care for. Give an old man cactus as much light as you can provide and allow it to have a dormant period in the winter. Old Man was getting a bit top-heavy in this narrow pot, so I have just recently transplanted him (them) into a larger pot and I am keeping a close eye on them.

This is Opuntia subulata cactus, a member of the most geographically widely-spread genus of Opuntia. Some folks call it Austrocylindropuntia, but you'll find all cacti have at least two if not six names! I haven't had one of these in the garden for years an this was given to me by a dear friend recently so I'm looking forward to seeing it grow. These get rather large, the true species is tree-sized and has four inch spines. But be careful where you plant this cactus - it spreads like wild fire by dropping branches and sending up shoots next to the mother plant and here in South Africa it has actually been put on the list of unwanted aliens.

One of my Rattail cacti (Aporocactus-flagelliformis) has spent the whole summer outside in the garden in stead of on the patio and has been gracefully reaching for the sun before getting too heavy and hanging down. Soon it will be time to take them inside and then, in spring, look forward to the myriad of gorgeous flowers.

 

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Ek wil julle graag voorstel aan Jacko

"Jacko" potloodskets en waterverf in my Moleskine waterverf sketsboek

Ek wil julle graag voorstel aan Jacko, my Fox Terrier x Jack Russell, wat nie weet dat hy 'n hond is nie. Hy eet wat ons eet, gaan waar ons gaan en as hy nie kan gaan nie, gaan ons nie. Hy het 'n sekere 'air' omtrent homself en waar ookal ons gaan, stop die mense om met hom te praat en hy vergoed almal met die hartlikste verwelkoming, veral kinders, oor wie hy absoluut mal is.

Hy was Oktober 2013 7 jaar oud en met sy aankoms hier was hy omtrent 4 weke oud - so klein ek het hom oral in my sak of handsak rondgedra, toe 'n mandjie en daarna in die trollie as ons winkelsentrum toe gaan. Van kleins af al het hy sy harnas gaan haal as hy weet ons maak gereed om uit te gaan, en sodra hy dit aan het, tel hy die leisel op met sy mond en staan en wag geduldig tot ons gereed is. Sy groot voorliefde is om by die motor se venster uit te hang en alles te bekyk.

Sy gunsteling plek is Mirjam's Restourant & Pub in Magaliesburg, want dis een van die min plekke waar ek sy leisel afhaal en hy vrylik kan rondsnuffel. En as ons die dag verby Mirjam's ry op pad êrens anders heen, dan is dit 'n geblaf en 'n gesmeek vir ons om terug te draai!

 Jacko 6 weke oud

Of dit nou reg of verkeerd is weet ek nie, maar 'n mens raak so versog op jou troeteldiere dat, die dag wanneer hul lewens tot 'n einde kom, voel dit of jy 'n lewensmaat verloor het. En as 'n buitestander van so 'n gebeurtenis, kan 'n mens maar net jou kop skud en jou verbaas aan mense se reaksies tot dit die dag met jou gebeur. 

Echeveria beauties

At the onset of Autumn, Echeveria imbricata does this wonderful thing of turning pink on the tips of its leaves. The flowering period is almost finished now and soon it will be time to move them to their over-wintering spot in my flower room. These lovely succulents, hailing from Mexico, cannot withstand the severe frost we get in our area.

Echeveriais a large genus of succulents in the Crassulaceae family, native from Mexico to North-western South America. Many of the species produce numerous offsets, and are commonly known as 'Hen and chicks', which can also refer to other genera such as Sempervivum that are significantly different from Echeveria.

Many Echeveriaspecies are popular as garden plants. They are drought-resistant, although they do better with regular deep watering and fertilizing. Although they tolerate winter quite well, the winter frost here in Tarlton is quite severe and often I take them out of the garden, putting them into pots and bringing them into the house, especially those that have got long stems and are not compact and dense any more.

Profuse flowering and large rosettes after plenty of rain

 

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