Garden Chat

Fine Music Radio — For many this is probably been the most exciting week of the year. It’s officially spring even if it doesn’t feel like it and it is still Arbour week so we can all do something positive to make our world a better place. The 2019 SA Tree of the year is the bushveld Maroela. It’s not suitable for Western Cape conditions so replace it with any one of our local guys. We lose more trees than we plant on earth, actually between 10 and 15 billion trees a year are lost which equals 80,000 acres of forest disappearing every day!!! FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 07 SEP 2019.pdf — PDF (129.3 KB)

Fine Music Radio — August is sometimes referred to as the wait and see month but I think they got it wrong as there is no waiting and lots to see. Blossoms galore, on deciduous fruit, old fashioned roses and traditional deciduous ornamentals like Weigelia, Dogwood and Flowering Quinces. It’s a big month for bulbs and early flowering daisies in the wild and so should it be happening in your garden. One local that always appeals to me is Coleonema album- The Cape May or White Confetti Bush. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 31 AUG 2019.pdf — PDF (124.9 KB)

Fine Music Radio — We are surrounded by blossoms…fruit trees, mesems, daisies galore and all those early spring flowering roses like the dog rose and banksia rose, often referred to as old roses. The flowering varieties of Crab apples, Quinces, Peaches, Plums are also looking spectacular but sadly not used often in Cape gardens due to wet winters. Polygala myrtifolia –September bush growing wild on a pavement, seems to think that spring is forever and has been at it for a while. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 24 AUG 2019.pdf — PDF (174.7 KB)

Fine Music Radio — This is certainly the time of the year when all of us becomes aware of a changing environment with the focus on plants. Although we appreciate them all year round, spring somehow makes them all special. The sun is getting higher and we are seeing the rewards from the winter rain and all that went into the natural process of mulching and composting. We can’t talk about all the wonders of spring but maybe let’s highlight a few plants you should have in your garden. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 17 AUG 2019.pdf — PDF (123.7 KB)

Fine Music Radio — I hope you have booked your accommodation in flower land or if it’s a one day trip to the flowers then put a full day aside soon. You don’t have to travel to Namaqualand to experience the joy of spring. Just pack a picnic, hop in the car and enjoy a memorable day in the Posberg Flower reserve situated in the West Coast National Park. For more information about the reserve and best flower time phone 022 772 2144/5. Best to go during the week if possible and get there early. While in the neighbourhood include Darling and surrounds…all in all a full one day trip or better still overnight in Darling and make it a no rush journey!! In the meantime what can we do on our day off? FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 10 August 2019.pdf — PDF (75.9 KB)

Fine Music Radio — I’ll start off today with a little more about the care of the popular Phalaenopsis orchid, commonly referred to as the Moth Orchid. Their common name derives from the flowers which resemble a flurry of moths and their natural habitat extends from southern China to Indonesia, the Philippines and further afield.. They are epiphytic and in nature attach themselves to other plant material getting their moisture and nourishment from air and rain. The orchid family has over 28000 species and alongside the Daisy family are the largest families in the flowering plant kingdom. Like many orchids they are actually very easy to look after, but the challenge is getting them to flower again.

Fine Music Radio — Life is stirring early out there in the realm this winter and what great rain we’ve had to get the show on the road. Magnolias in flower, fruit trees in blossom, and spring growth appearing. Roses showing new leaf, flowering quinces making a move and some Crab Apples pushing hard!! I see a few Oaks have also decided that winter is over. We might have a few winters, a handful of springs and in between some hot summer days over the next month! Lets enjoy the dynamics of nature in action as we have no say in it!! Prepare for the possibility of some cold and late rains …maybe into September Which prompts the perennial question …. when is the best time to prune? FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 27 July 2019.pdf — PDF (76.1 KB)

Fine Music Radio — Bulbs are up , flowers are out up the west coast, in Namaqualand and all over the little Karoo Its Spring already!! I doubt it- so lets not start with the whole spring thing to early. At the same time if you are into egg plants, chillies, peppers and some of the larger type tomatoes then August is the time for sowing and its fast approaching, so give it some thought. Keep in mind that many of these varieties can take 90days from sowing to harvesting. If you wait for winter to officially end then they will only be on the table in December---bit late I would say!!! Now, the winter rain brings lots and lots of weeds! If they are more than a metre high right now then you probably have amazing soil , full of compost and other good things. What they take out of the soil goes back in threefold when you make compost out of them. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 20 July 2019.pdf — PDF (67.1 KB)

Fine Music Radio — We often hear the expression- You cant put that plant there, it just doesn’t go! Or you can’t mix roses and succulents. My best is, Oh my those colours don’t go together!! Well the good news for the uninformed or style fanatics is that they all go together if you just step back from the so called norms and dictates of society and fashion. The more colours, textures and characters you have living around you, as in nature, the more interesting and progressive you become Landscapes that are filled with mass planting, stereo monoculture and a set form, create unproductive minds that don’t experience diversity and hence are not colourful in themselves. I watched the behaviour of people crossing a large city pedestrian plaza which had the odd tree (not nearly enough), some raised planters (all massed with the same plants) and lots of concrete all about. Most people had heads down and moved across it without giving the landscape a second glance. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 13 July 2019.pdf &md

Fine Music Radio — Good morning to you all. I know it is has been difficult getting out of bed these last few days but I always wonder how the birds seem to do it. The sunbirds, robins, thrushes are up long before the sun. They seem to herald in the day before the daily racket takes off. It’s a great time to think ahead and do a little bit of sensible garden planning. While we have the rain I thought maybe we should think further about tree planting which is becoming more and more important with regard to climate change, habitat destruction and of course shade. Although we live in a rich plant kingdom there is a limit as to what trees we can use when one considers wind, limited water and diverse soil properties.

Fine Music Radio — Its hard to believe that we are nearly halfway through the year. So far it has been quite an interesting one for South Africans… a bit of a rollercoaster, but it all comes together in the garden. That’s what’s so special about our gardens , we can be creative, productive and happy in our little part of paradise. The water has improved on last year, and out there in the real world nature is just showing off. If you want to start July month off with great ideas about long term gardening then get to the Arderne gardens next Sat , July 6, meet at the main entrance at 10am and join the guided tour around one of the oldest gardens in Cape Town. Stick a R40 donation in your pocket, coffee and rusks in your back pack and make it a memorable and productive morning. Contact Berni on 0832817083 if you need to find out more about these amazing garden walks.

Fine Music Radio — Well here we are heading for spring! Soon, we are going to appreciate all those spring flowering bulbs, Namaqualand daisies and other easy pop up annuals. I hope you managed to plant a whole bunch of mesems which will set the early summer alight and give you many weeks of glitterati! Once again, at this time brightening up our winter, the aloes are doing their thing. If you don’t have at least one aloe in the garden you are missing out on a host of activity, especially when it comes to birdlife. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 22 June 2019.pdf — PDF (69.9 KB)

Fine Music Radio — Gardening is a big exercise with future consequences and in most cases, we don’t give it it’s due.For some it’s a spur of the moment idea they want to put in place as soon as possible. A splash of colour near the front door, a much needed shade tree…sometimes a pricey instant job, or changing the design, incorporating new features or a trendy designer vegetable garden. Well, aren’t we all impatient gardeners, just needing to get it done asap! Take the instant tree scenario! Nothing wrong with that if you choose a healthy and actively growing specimen! The big challenge when selecting any tree is whether it is going to fulfil your needs and those of the environment. The size of the tree is of secondary importance!! FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 15 June 2019.pdf — PDF (75.2 KB)

Fine Music Radio — We never seem to talk much about indoor plants these days and I don’t know why. It was such a big thing in the past…maybe some think its old fashioned to have a plant indoors!! If you consider our outdoor challenge with water, space and time, maybe getting a few good indoor specimens will help keep us nice and green. Generally speaking, plants that do well indoors need good indirect light, well drained rich soil and believe it or not…a minimal watering programme. I you have not had success in the past the reason was probably too much water. Forgetting to water them can be a lifesaver!! Certain flowering plants like Cymbidium orchids prefer to be outdoors but can be brought indoors during their flowering period. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 08 June 2019.pdf — PDF (69.1 KB)

Fine Music Radio — I have been thinking a lot lately about this thing we do called gardening. What is it ? What does it do for us?…Is it about us?…Or is it something much bigger than we imagine? The term gardening is a kind of label we put on the activities we perform in our outdoor space at home. What is the purpose of it…self-indulgence, a social responsibility, a discipline to keep things orderly just like our parents taught us. For some maybe it’s just the creation of a space we take ownership of and fill it with beauty so we have a sense of place. It gives us the opportunity to be creative in design, doing our own thing without too much knowledge of the plant material…but happy with the visual result. I think gardening is a lot bigger than all of that! It’s what we should be doing to reinstate the natural environment that was destroyed in the first place….not only for ourselves. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 01 June 2019.pdf — PDF (111.6 KB)

Fine Music Radio — I thought we would start with some reminders this morning. Firstly don’t forget the Cape Horticultural Soc monthly meeting next Monday June 3, 8pm at the Athenaeum in Newlands. Sue Kingma will be talking on New trends with House plants, a subject that is been reinvented, its not just about the same old..same old!! The July talk will as always be a highlight, that is…the Chelsea Flower Show presented by Landscape designer Leon Kluge, this years designer. The SA stand has once again made us proud so this will be your chance to get the inside story on this great event. Please contact the secretary on 021 531 5713 for more details and visit their website for future programs and membership. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 25 May 2019.pdf — PDF (79.4 KB)

Fine Music Radio — We often forego the soul of individual plants and replace it with physical attributes and stylishness we seek. We admire its structure, flower colour, form and its contribution to the overall design but somehow forget it’s a living thing that interacts with all organisms both above and below the soil. Should we not be putting all in perspective and see their true character and value…. not just how they look. Whilst judging a garden many years ago my esteemed colleague and fellow judge commented that the garden in question needed structure, lacked form and discipline…. He felt we could not relate to it. Well once I had picked myself up and dusted off, I responded by saying that the garden was perfectly natural, needed to be a bit wilder and could lose some of the many hard landscape features which were strictly ornamental. He didn’t understand when I gave the garden 9/10. FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 18 May 2019.pdf — PDF (74.3 KB)

Fine Music Radio — We often tend to fall into a state of inertia during winter, maybe its the cold and wet, weaker light and short days, maybe just short sighted!! Keeping warm, good food and wine takes precedence. Well just the opposite is happening out there in the wild, it’s on the move, hopefully in your garden as well. You can definitely consider cultivating some interesting herbs that do well in our winter. Take Rosemary, it’s an all year round shrub with all year round use. It flowers for long periods, requires little attention…least of all a lot of water, has no pests I know of, and fits into a fynbos come wild garden with no effort!! Besides, it is essential in the hot kitchen! FMR GARDEN CHAT SCRIPT - 11 May 2019.pdf — PDF (122.3 KB)