False Bay garden in June

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

in Cape Town, South Africa

We have had rain. Our garden is green and flourishing, ready for determined pruning and tidying. But I was down and out for ten days. Who knew secateurs would slice a 'forgotten' finger. A moment of looking in horror at blood blooming on my finger, then I wrapped the other hand around the bloody finger and went off to get five stitches.

Extreme gardening

The garden is predominantly green and needs more structure - I dream of some strategic topiary to make it snap into focus. Out front the Karoo Koppie has its shining moment as the Lachenalia bulbifera bursts into glowing colour. This False Bay garden begins its year when the red Lachenalia blooms for Through the Garden Gate with Sarah in Dorset.

Lachenalia on Karoo Koppie

These small bulbs are planted in the retaining blocks. It is a bigger plant with more substantial leaves than other lachenalias. Spotted leaves have their own charm.

Lachenalia bulbifera

The outer red petals open with green flushed burgundy tips; the inner ones are edged with a green spot on burgundy, and a fine gold margin.

Lachenalia bulbifera detail

My nemesis, the Dusty Miller plant you can glimpse in the bottom right corner of the wide view of the garden. Yesterday the Ungardener was seconded to plant duty. We are clearing a space for him to put in the foundation for the second tank, behind the three small trees against the wall. Not eye candy, but the best place we can find.

I have four clumps of Dusty Miller cuttings (the fifth is waiting for the tank to be installed). The first is already a tiny fountain (as I want them to be). Harvest cuttings generously, two handspans long. Trim the base at a diagonal. Trim off plenty of lower leaves, then trim the top by half - leaving the tiny centre leaves undamaged. Plant the bare stem deeply with only the leaves on the surface. Repeat every autumn in this kind climate.

Dusty Miller cuttings

I cut the Melianthus back hard after flowering and now have fresh green leaves, and lots of sprouts coming up from the base. Tuberous begonia has recovered from summer. Two sorts of Sansevieria need to be lined up (stampeding Thomas tends to treat them like a bowling alley!)

Melianthus, Sansevieria
Tuberous begonia

On the bietou was a magnificent furry caterpillar Eutricha capensis, the Cape lappet moth.

Spekboom hedge at the granadilla trellis was coming up nicely. When I investigated the bald tips I found an ant nest. Industrious little farmers harvest their crop and build their home.

Eutricha capensis and ants

Thomas didn't want to linger for a grey photo. Those blue and grey succulent leaves set off my chosen orange and red flowers (and leaves) on our Karoo Koppie. Hedge fund, Pink Joy, Crassula ovata is blooming from Porterville cuttings.

Karoo Koppie
Crassula ovata, Tecomaria
Euryops
Cotyledon orbiculata, coral aloe, firesticks

June's flowers for Wildflower Wednesday (apart from the luminous red of Lachenalia rubida) are quieter. Pink and mauve and white. Pineapple sage is the focus of Cornish Stripe.

June flowers
Septemberbossie, pineapple sage, Dietes
pelargoniums, Brachylaena buds
Iceberg rose, white and purple Hypoestes 

Our damage from the wind of Cape Storm was trivial. One bietou bush on the verge broke a few branches. I pruned steadily and the bush is a shadow of its former self. Sadly we forfeit a lot of yellow flowers, but it is trying again.

Trivial storm damage

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Pictures by Diana Studer

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