Indigenous Perennials | Gardening Made Easy

Alluring Agapanthus...

Easy-to-grow Agapanthus produce glorious clusters of lily-like blooms that last throughout the summer. The six or so species that comprise the genus Agapanthus (African Lily) are found growing wild along the coastal belt and inland mountainous regions of southern Africa. These clump forming perennials have been collected from their natural habitats and developed into many spectacular garden hybrids that adorn landscapes...

Gratifying Gerbera daisies...

In the right conditions, the plants will flower for many months through summer and into winter. Vividly coloured Gerberas (also known as Barberton daisy or Transvaal daisy) are highly decorative and have a long flowering season. They are ideal for indoor arrangements because they last for a long time. The familiar and attractive Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) is a member of the Compositae family. The genus, Gerbera...

Strelitzia — the Bird of Paradise or Crane Flowe...

Strelitzia is an easy plant to grow in the garden. This striking perennial is one of South Africa’s most successful plant exports! It forms sturdy clumps of grey‑green banana‑like leaves and boasts unique and wonderful bird‑like orange‑and‑blue flowers. STRELITZIA REGINAE The fascinating blooms of Strelitzia reginae are sold as cut flowers by the million. In Los Angeles strelitzias are so extensively...

Fantastically easy ferns...

There are at least 10 000 species of ferns growing throughout the world. In shady places, and in containers on verandahs or indoors, ferns create delicate patterns of green and mix well with other shade‑loving plants. Ferns are among the most ancient plants on earth, first appearing over 400 million years ago. They reproduce by means of minute spores, which usually develop on the undersides of the...

Clivia — an elegant winter bloomer...

Clivia flowers are usually orange with yellowish centres, but there are forms that bear scarlet, dark red, salmon, and yellow flowers. Clivia is a wonderful flowering plant. Elegant and imposing, it’s easier to grow than an orchid and more unusual than an amaryllis. A Clivia plant will produce dense clusters of lily-like flowers. Equally important, the strap-like, dark evergreen leaves are virtually blemish...

Hardy and Colourful Geraniums...

These versatile plants are perfect for any sunny spot that calls for a splash of vibrant colour. Geraniums are easy to grow plants that fit well in home gardens, container gardens, flowerbeds, and even as houseplants. The plants generally known as geraniums are in fact pelargoniums, and are indigenous to South Africa. They were taken to Europe during the 17th century, and by the end of the 18th century had become...

Opulent Arum Lilies are easy to grow...

Arum Lilies are among the world's most known plants. Arum Lilies growing in a large clump on the Eastern Cape Province's Wild Coast ARUM LILY (Zantedeschia aethiopica) The familiar Arum Lily, with its opulent and sophisticated pure white spathes which brighten up watercourses and wetlands throughout the region in spring and summer, belongs to an indigenous genus which is restricted to the African continent....

Wild Iris — reliable and easy growing...

Wild Iris is the common name for plants of the genus Dietes (di-EE-tees) which is related to the Iris family. There are five species indigenous to South Africa, of which two are to be found in many gardens and are ever-increasing in popularity. All the wild irises are perennial, evergreen plants that generally grow in large clumps. LARGE WILD IRIS (Dietes grandiflora) The most commonly seen, often in mass plantings...

Rewarding Red Hot Pokers...

Red Hot Poker is the common name for Kniphofia (nee-FOF-ee-a). Not all ‘Red Hot Pokers’ are of that colour, for nowadays there are hybrids in white, yellow, pale orange and many shades in between. The true Kniphofia are indigenous to Africa — there are approximately 70 species in Africa, and of these 47 occur in the eastern parts of South Africa. One will often find them growing in places as far flung as...

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Gardening really is fun (even though it requires a certain amount of work). To have a wonderful, colourful show garden you don't have to be a garden specialist or know all the Latin names for plants. Here we aim to provide easy to understand guidelines, tips and ideas for gardeners living in the southern hemisphere and other temperate regions. The site is filled with useful monthly gardening diaries, events news, plant profiles, special sections on trees, shrubs, herbs, succulents, vegetables, indigenous flowers and plants and more. We will constantly be adding more content, so come back often and explore the many categories and pages — remember its all about fun!

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