Plant of the Month – July

by gabby | Jul 16, 2026 | Blog, Garden Ideas, Plant Choices

Plant of the Month – July Barleria Obtusa The Bush violets (Barleria obtusa) have been in full flower and just gorgeous at this time of year. They occur naturally along forest margins in the summer rainfall region of South Africa and are widely cultivated as a...

Plant of the month – June

by Tracey Miller-Smith | Jun 18, 2026 | Blog, Plant Choices, Winter Gardening

Plant of the month – June Kleinia fulgens or the common name is Coral senecio This provides a gorgeous display of orange scarlet It is a stunning grey-green leafed succulent and is ideal for hot dry spots in the garden. The species name, fulgens, means shining...

Plant of the month – May

by Tracey Miller-Smith | May 25, 2026 | Autumn, Blog, Plant Choices

Plant of the month – May Aloe arborescence This is one of the more well know and readily available multi stemmed almost trailing variety of aloes. It loves to grow on exposed ridges thus its common name “Krantz Aloe”. Arborescence refers to its tree-like...

5 tips for growing herbs in containers

by Tracey Miller-Smith | Apr 17, 2026 | Container Gardens, Garden Ideas, Plant Choices, Quick Tips

5 tips for growing herbs in containers Herbs are great plants to grow in containers, offering several benefits. They tend to thrive when well looked-after, and are ideal for a kitchen, patio or small outdoor garden, and the convenience is unsurpassed. It’s great to be...

Working with a salt-laden wind in a coastal garden

by Tracey Miller-Smith | Jan 14, 2025 | Blog, Design, Garden Ideas, Landscape Design Plans, Plant Choices, Wind

Oh the Wind! We love to hate it! It is however also a vital element of the earth. Wind carries heat, moisture, and pollen to new areas. Without it, very little would be pollinated. As a gardener thought, and a resident of the coastline , what can be more devastating...

How to keep snakes away from your home

by Tracey Miller-Smith | Sep 13, 2024 | Blog, Plant Choices

How to keep snakes away from your home Contrary to all the old wives’ tales,  wild garlic plants and Jayes fluid and snake repellant chemicals do not stop snakes from coming into your house. This is a fact confirmed by Snake consultants across South Africa. We all...