False Bay garden in January twentyTutu

  

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

 in Cape Town, South Africa

 

First month during which I blogged not at all. In the garden. Zilch nada nothing. Citrus swallowtail caterpillars become these magnificent Christmas butterflies!

 

Christmas butterfly
Christmas butterfly

On the Euryops a busy little bee.

 

Little bee on Euryops
Little bee on Euryops

The edible banana waves over my head and pushes out almost a leaf a day. Little one is flourishing too. I see bunches of bananas one day. Flowers soon?

 

Edible banana
Edible banana

At the other end of the Washing Pergola Strelitzia nicolai ... will need the tallest trunk trimmed out. That can become 12 metres high if allowed.

 

Cornish Stripe with two 'bananas'
Cornish Stripe with two 'bananas'

On the other side of the house, the path down Spring Promise brushes against us as we pass.

 

Spring Promise
Spring Promise

Come. Through the Garden Gate. With Sarah in Dorset. We have flowers. Shell pink Crinum buds open today.

 

Crinum bud
Crinum bud

Just enough sky blue in Plumbago for a fine sunny day.

 

Plumbago
Plumbago

Across from our Adirondacks on the shady patio appealing purples in Plectranthus saccatus (stoep jacaranda)

 

Plectranthus saccatus
Plectranthus saccatus

Settling into summer heat and I am harvesting the grey water from the washing machine to keep my potted roses watered two or three times a week. Depending on how loudly they wilt at me. Golden yellow South Africa.

 

South Africa rose
South Africa rose

I lost January to medical tourism. My sister was in hospital for two weeks. Then the Ungardener has had knee problems and an op last week. Both making good progress. Now I can tackle the pruning (once he can take the heaps for municipal composting again). Brachylaena is looming over half of Rose Courtyard. And the hedge on our verge!!

 

Pruning to be done
Pruning to be done

I will be in the garden. In the shade. With my tea. And a fresh pile of library books ;~))

 

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Pictures by Diana Studer

of Elephant's Eye on False Bay

 

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Comments

  1. Glad everything is OK. I love seeing that blazing sun. Cold winter here. And oh the flowers especially the rose!!

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  2. Such treasures in your garden! The swallowtail butterflies are amazing! Figures crossed you have a good crop of bananas. Sarah x

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  3. Your garden, even if needing some pruning, looks like its enjoying the warm (hot?) temperatures. I love the yellow rose and that beautiful Plectranthus, which isn't a variety I've seen here. I'm glad your husband and sister are on the mend - that's a lot of stress to carry even when you're not the person being treated.

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  4. It is SO GOOD to see the sun.

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  5. Oh how my heart misses those beautiful butterflies during winter!

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  6. I’m enjoying the heat of your garden from here. Love the Christmas butterfly and of course the plumbago, one of my favourites. B x

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  7. I love the pic of the path. It looks like it is leading you to a secret garden. I envy you for the sun. I'm sure we'll get some soon, although it won't be as warm as yours

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  8. Bunches of bananas--that would be wonderful! The Crinum bud, and all the blooms and plants are sending joy to my cold part of the world. Thank you!

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  9. The butterfly is gorgeous! At the moment I finde blogging also tedious. Have to resort to springtails because the garden itself feels so uninspiring in the constantly gloomy weather...

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  10. That swallowtail is amazing! Your garden is looking very mature now. I do hope you get some bananas one day!

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  11. Hallo,
    in diesem zauberhaft schönem Garten würde ich jetzt gerne sitzen. Was für schöne Fotos und das bei diesem schönen Wetter.
    Liebe Grüße aus dem kühlen Deutschland
    Martina

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    Replies
    1. Martina? Do you have a blog for me? No link from your Blogger profile. Please leave a link in your comment.

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