False Bay garden in December and the 12 Days of Christmas
by Diana Studer
- gardening for biodiversity
in Cape Town, South Africa
Aiming at more gardening in 2023, I started yesterday by cutting back hard so I could SEE my solitary Agapanthus for New Year.
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| Agapanthus |
It is currently my token flower for blue and white Cornish Stripe. Banana appreciates kitchen rinse water, with two sturdy new leaf spikes coming up.
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| Cornish Stripe |
Cape gooseberries volunteer in Cape gardens. First, they are not gooseberries. Solanum family with deadly nightshade, approach with caution. But also tomatoes and potatoes. Second I discovered it is Physalis peruviana. Not our Cape at all! It is a berry that wears a small c cape like Dracula. Written in 1897, when the cloak wouldn't have been worth noticing. Compost volunteer intent on colonising the kitchen, steps and patio.
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| Physalis peruviana |
Pretty blue plate from my niece laden with a handful of gift wrapped berries.
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| Blue plate with cape gooseberries |
About that cape?
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| Berry with cape |
Happy December blues for Through the Garden Gate Down by the Sea in Dorset with Sarah Sky blue Plumbago and purple Streptocarpus.
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| December blue garden flowers |
Each Christmas our Flying Dutchman dresses the crew as an angel choir to sing carols.
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| Carol singers on our Flying Dutchman |
Glass doves were for Swiss Easter tree ornaments, but I prefer to use them at Christmas. Turquoise pine cone goes back to early childhood memories (made in Occupied Japan in 1945 to 1951 - on vintage website) We are in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, approaching Twelfth Night, and my father's 6 January birthday.
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| Christmas glass dove and pine cone |
Wedg Wood, wouldn't you? White with silver and gold is from my mother. Traditional blue and white Jasperware from my sister this year. (FT article was more interesting, but behind a paywall, now linked to Wikipedia)
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| Wedg Wood, wouldn't you? |
Hope for 2023. Anchusa capensis, the ratty plant hogging the centre of Cornish Stripe, is best treated as an annual. Glad to find two sturdy seedlings which have read my garden book. Senecio tamoides planted to screen a water tank, was chewed down to stubs by tiger moth caterpillars, but is coming back.
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| Hope for 2023 Anchusa seedling and Senecio leaves |
One corner retrieved, now to keep the gardening momentum going in 2023.
May 2023 bring you good things!
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Pictures by Diana Studer
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What do Cape Gooseberries taste like?
ReplyDeleteI was hoping no one would ask that. A bit like a cherry tomato, but not as sweet. A little bit tart. I like them very much!
DeleteI don't think we have them here in the Southeastern USA.
DeleteI assume you eat them fresh like fruits?
ReplyDeleteEither fresh or as jam.
DeleteHappy 2023 Diana.
ReplyDeleteLovely Agapanthus even if it's shown up alone - hopefully, it'll be followed by many more as summer continues. Wouldn't it be wonderful if our plants read our garden guides?! I planted an Anchusa (A. azurea) late last year but so far it hasn't done much of anything in my garden.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for a happy and healthy new year, Diana!
Apologies for the paywall FT article. Now linked to Wikipedia.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the warmth looking at the lovely images of your garden. It has been cold and wet and doesn't encourage me to go out in the garden! It's good to see some of your plants reseeding and reappearing. Lovely to see your Xmas decorations, the angels remind me of ones we had as a child! Wishing you a happy 2023, thanks for welcoming us into your lovely garden each month. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteThe Wedg Wood is beautiful, and the gooseberries look delicious! Thanks for sharing the warmth of your climate through your beautiful blog post. :)
ReplyDeleteGoose berries! Haven’t had those since I was a girl.
ReplyDelete