False Bay garden in October

by Diana Studer
- gardening for biodiversity
in Cape Town, South Africa

Between the red pelargonium and the lime gold Euphorbia mauritanica was an African monarch butterfly. For Through the garden gate with Sarah in Dorset

African monarch butterfly
African monarch butterfly

Three treasures found at the Constantia Open Gardens. Feverfew for my herbs and edibles. Maroon Scabiosa to the blues and purples. Second attempt at Dipogon lignosus - edible peas. I see it scrambling up thru shrubs when we hike - hope this will be a happier place for it. Indigenous Dipogon for Gail at Clay and Limestone in Tennessee on Wildflower Wednesday.

New plants from Constantia Open Gardens
New plants from Constantia Open Gardens

Inspired by three heart pots displayed on gravel at an open garden, I retrieved my octagonal pot. Mine must shine on the table we seldom use. Dipogon, next to the Hoya, both sheltered by an old Coprosma. Feverfew between lemon tree and tiny spekboom hedge. New Scabiosa next to the edible banana sprout.

New plants in October
New plants in October

The Ungardener caught up with our tapestry hedge (planted in 2015, added bietou in 2017). We don't want fierce geometry, but we do want a clear path and driveway - with the top level with the fence posts, for privacy but not too much shade for sun-loving plants.

Trimmed tapestry hedge
Trimmed tapestry hedge

Since the cats also drink from the bird bath, they were defending MINE. We have had a burst of very welcome rain. Our nearest official weather station is Brooklands above Simon's Town (filtration plant and two dams which also supply us). Average October rain is 46 mm - before the rain we were on a frightening 4 mm - after the rain 88 mm (double!) Bringing Cape Town's dams up by 3% to 83%. But for the whole Western Cape it's 64%, farmers and some rural towns are still locked in drought with empty dams.

Cats on bird bath duty
Cats on bird bath duty

Cornish Stripe. Deep blue butterflies Rotheca and Anchusa capensis Cape forget-me-not. Fresh burgundy leaves on Japanese maple. Lifted by white pelargoniums along the boundary wall. Kingfisher blue Felicia. Purple spires on Plectranthus neochilus (powerful herbal pong) and gentle lavender.

Purple (and white) October flowers
Purple (and white) October flowers

Citrus pelargonium with stripy flowers and toothy fragrant leaves. That Spring Promise corner is looking lush and scattered with pink flowers. Barbie pink pelargonium. Gentle mauve wild hibiscus from Knysna.

Pink October flowers
Pink October flowers

Iceberg roses flourishing on food and rain. Papery white Syncarpha. Succulent pelargonium has delicate white flowers on tall stems - in summer leaves and flowers vanish, leaving fat bare stems.

White October flowers
White October flowers

Summer Gold. Psychotria capensis (or lemoenbos, lemon bush, for the flowers). Psychotria is Greek, meaning to give life and refers to healing properties. Enjoys shade and is covered in bunches of small flowers. That Gazania rigens lolls over the paving slabs - cut back hard, and I tucked cuttings in on the other side, where there is bare sand. Why such a difference only two steps away??

Yellow October flowers and Summer Gold
Yellow October flowers and Summer Gold

Karoo Koppie. Echoing the butterfly's bronze Californian poppy and velvety Leonotis leonurus. The rain seems to have turned the corner for our olive tree, which is looking green and happy, waving over the tapestry hedge.

Orange and red October flowers with olive tree
Orange and red October flowers with olive tree

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Pictures by Diana Studer

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Thanks for comments that add value. Maybe start a new thread of discussion? BTW your comment won't appear until I've read it. No Google account? Just use Anonymous, but do leave a link to your own blog. I would return the visit, if I could...

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Comments

  1. What a beautiful time of year there. xo Laura

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  2. goodness such lovely colour and form in your own garden - why travel elsewhere? It's heavenly x

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  3. It's lovely to see your African Monarch butterfly especially on the red pelargonium. Your tapestry of flowers is always a delight to see each month. I bought a feverfew earlier in the year that is still flowering I hope that will spread around the garden. Sarah x

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  4. I always enjoy seeing what is growing in your garden and like to take my pick of your plants as a castle in the air kind of wishlist - today its Syncarpha and Rotheca . Strange to see your Spring acer is the same colour as my autumn one - A. Trompenburg

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    1. I chose the Japanese maple for the 'wine dark sea' leaves - but it is not happy with summer wind and a little morning sun - it wants to live in a Japanese forest. Sub-tropical Rotheca is more amenable.

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  5. I am trying a new way to comment, as I noticed a few of my previous comments have not come up.
    Lovely to see your beautiful spring flowers, always brightens up my day.

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    1. I wonder what happened to your comments. I moderate, so there is a delay before publishing. But they are not lurking in my spam folder.

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  6. Yay for the rain! The notoriously unreliable long-term rain projections for our region make it utterly unclear what circumstances we may face with respect to our winter rainy season. I consulted 3 sources and got 3 entirely different projections so I've thrown up my hands and will wait to see what materializes.

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  7. Beautiful flowers! Pretty butterfly!
    Love the cats!
    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  8. An African Monarch Butterfly! I had no idea they existed so I had to look it up. They seem to be just as interesting as those we have here.

    I'm EXTREMELY glad you have gotten some rain, wish it was more, but after dealing with no rain this summer, my heart goes out to those suffering.

    Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry

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  9. Hello Diana. Thank you for your messages. They are much appreciated. The bone marrow transplant went well in the sense that it and my body seem to have accepted each other. However, at a micro~level the leukaemia is still present. At first I seemed to be recovering strength fast but an infection sent me back into hospital and now I tire incredibly easily. Don't actually feel ill though, which is good. I keep thinking I will write a post but end up sleeping. I sleep and sleep and sleep. Do something for a short while then go back to sleep!
    We now have one of the most beautiful autumns ever. There is very little breeze so the golden leaves are floating down flat and gently. Quite moving.
    Hope you are well.
    (I'm afraid I haven't read this post. Will plan to come back to it - but I wanted to respond to your kind messages without any more delay.)

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  10. I love the butterfly and the cats. Feverfew used to pop up everywhere in my old garden, I didn't need to buy it

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  11. You do ask a lot of that tapestry hedge :-)

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  12. Tapestry hedge! you had me googling that one Diana. Your trimmed one looks great and much more interesting than the common old privet.

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