False Bay garden in July

  

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

 in Cape Town, South Africa

 

Colourwashed sky for sunset with great towering clouds and the moon. Winter smog still very much with us.

 

Sunset with towering clouds and moon

Inspired by hoverboo Piece of Eden and KrisP Late to the Garden Party in California. Who evaluate their plants, and move them around. Are you happier here, better friends to play nicely with?? I planted Kumara plicatilis in 2015; it has four fans of leaves. Fan aloe is one of our few fynbos aloes. No flowers yet, is it too shady between olive tree, bietou hedge, and exploding spekboom?

 

Kumara right centre in too much shade

It was hidden away. Now with the gate open wide for Through the Garden Gate Down by the Sea in Dorset with Sarah it is a focus at the top of the steps, and thru the bay window.

 

Open garden gate

We have four aloes in the picture. Aloe ferox (dead flowerspike) Aloe marlothii (blooming!) Kumara plicatilis (fanned leaves) Aloe striata (flowerbuds)

 

Four aloes

Had to make space for ferox and I carved back the front third of Tecomaria capensis hedge. Now I can enjoy the hoopoe on the wall again. Ugly bare branches are greening over and I have planted cuttings from Cotyledon orbiculata. Original plants are lolling over the paving slabs. Muted orange and grey green calyx and leaves - understated quiet joy.

 

Tecomaria hedge cut back hard for hoopoe

Aloe ferox breathing easier. Clouds of bees buzzed me as I photographed Aloe marlothii flowers.

 

Karoo Koppie aloes with bee

Today he is hiking from the gate at Cape Point to Gifkommetjie. About 6 hours. But in July we did a compromise walk together. Between the lighthouses, as we did last July. Furthest mountain is Devil's Peak and Table Mountain, familiar silhouette for Cape Town. Wild rosemary Eriocephalus africanus, sparkling white flowers invigorated by burgundy and yellow centres. Black girdled lizard was hard to photograph, when I realized too late he was catching, and eating lunch.

 

Cape Point

Returning to my garden for July flowers. Limy gold Albuca in the wall planter. Starbursts of garlic buchu Agathosma apiculata. Blue Salvia for carpenter bees hopefully. Buds and flowers on pregnant onion Albuca bracteata. Potted Knowltonia vesicatoria with Pelargonium.

 

July garden flowers

Pink Thuli Madonsela roses from bud to fullblown. Iceberg are eternal (not melted by climate change)

 

Two roses in July

Zöe smiling in the late afternoon winter sun. She has a daily appointment for that slot - now!

 

Zöe smiling

A caracal was seen, resting in a tree in an urban edge garden of our suburb.

 

Meet Bridget. Muizenberg Bridge who eats a truck a day.

 

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