The change of season is always an exciting time for gardeners sensitive to the habitat that they’ve created around them. Some birds, such as the swallows and swifts are preparing for long journeys across the oceans – just to return to the same spot next year. And that has been happening eons before the concept […]
Gardening With Grassland Species Part 3: Shady Garden Spots
The whole dynamics of grassland ecology ensure that shady garden spots are kept to a minimum. What fires do not burn down, the grazers will level. The only places where shade-loving plants are encountered are amongst rock outcrops, in some riverine vegetation, and some southern slopes of mountains. Very few of the larger woody plants […]
Gardening with Grassland Species Part 2: Bushveld Gardens
When the term “Bushveld” is heard, it invokes memories of the Waterberg, Kruger National Park and too many other remarkable areas to name here. It normally refers to vegetation consisting of sparse trees with an open canopy and some undergrowth that includes perennials, bulbs, succulents and grasses. In most areas, frost is absent or very […]
Gardening with Grassland Species Part 1: Grassland Gardens
The British has a very nice term to describe this type of garden – a meadow. It is a delightful mixture of grasses and other perennials that occur naturally amongst the grasses. It creates a “wild feel” and the birds and butterflies love it. The plants featured in this article have been tried and tested […]
Drought Tolerant Plants from the Grassland Biome
It was reported in the Press that September 2015 was the hottest September worldwide since record keeping started some 138 years ago. In our neck of the woods, it certainly was the driest September we have experienced since we started the nursery some ten years ago. It is now crucial to select plants that shows […]
Biodiversity in the urban environment
Landscape architect and lecturer, Dr. Ida Breed approached Wildflower Nursery to supply plants for the sidewalks on Nana Sita Street between Paul Kruger street and Nelson Mandela drive in Pretoria. The concept was new: Only use indigenous plants that will reflect the biodiversity of our region and to demonstrate that this concept can be applied to […]
Pre-rain flowers in Gauteng
Most people think of early spring on the Highveld as dusty, windy and yellow. However, when it comes to flowers, no season can beat early spring for variety and colour. The so-called pre-rain flowers are most conspicuous in areas that have been burnt early in winter. Most of them sprout from a woody rootstock. This “underground […]
Indigenous Bulbs for Highveld Gardens
When driving through the waving grasses on the Highveld, the beautiful bulbs that grow amongst them often go unnoticed since the grasses dwarf them. But with a bit of practice, you will at least spot some of them. The best way, of course, is to take a walk…. Crinum bulbispernum (Vaal or Orange river lily) […]
Garden Perennials and Bulbs From the Grassland Biome
Up to now the trees and shrubs of the grasslands have been discussed in the previous articles. What is not known to many people is that the perennials and bulbs that occur in the Grassland Biome are only surpassed by the plants from the Fynbos Biome. There really is a tremendous variety to choose from. […]
Garden Shrubs From The Grassland Biome
In the previous article, trees from the Grassland Biome that makes our gardens exciting and the feathered friends happy, were discussed. In this issue the focus will be on shrubs and small trees. In an environmentally friendly garden, it is important to create different “layers” of plant growth to simulate the habitat that occurs in […]