Garden Day

It’s Garden Day SA and you’re all invited!

Most of the year we plant, water, weed and mulch. Garden Day, on 15 October, is a time to toss down your spade, invite family and friends round and celebrate your hard work. It’s a day intended to unite South Africans through our common enjoyment of gardening and the outdoors. From a potted backyard to an urban farm or the tiniest balcony hung with geraniums, it represents the appreciation of our very own versions of a planted paradise.

According to a recent study, people traditionally spend more time gardening than they do relaxing in their gardens. Some even spend the equivalent of a month each year planting, weeding and watering. So we’re encouraging you to toss the spade, turn off the TV, invite your favourite people round and relax.

In the lead-up to Garden Day, get connected to a library of gardening information, suggestions and direct access to skilled gardeners by downloading the app ‘Gardening with Babylonstoren’ (it’s free on the Garden Day website.) Visit Life is a Garden to locate your nearest Garden Centre or nursery and explore its enticing grounds.

Make the most of Garden Day with one or more of these ideas.

– Use fresh flowers and greenery from your garden to make flower crowns for everyone. Watch SuzelleDIY’s tutorial here.

– Invite friends for a bring’n-braai, use herbs from the garden to flavour the meat.

– Invite neighbours and friends round for rooibos tea en ‘beskuit’.

– Have a garden scavenger hunt.

– Instead of book club, have a plant club. Ask guests to bring a rare or interesting plant to swap with one of the other guests.

– Enjoy dinner outside in the garden with each dish featuring a home-grown ingredient.

– If you don’t have your own garden, visit someone who does and enjoy it with them.

Make sure you’re following us on social media (

To see how to get involved, visit gardenday.co.za.

Flower crowns and photography

Alma Haser

Featured image floral design

Storm Ross,

Karl Rogers