In drought-stricken South Africa, water has become a precious commodity and the ethos of gardening has shifted to a more environmentally friendly approach, namely fewer pesticides and more hardy, less thirsty plants. So naturally, Indigenous planting has come into its own at last. Jo’burg-based landscape designer Natasha Alexander shares four tips for tending your own Indigenous garden.
1. Have a good idea of your garden environment and get to know your plants;
do they require sandy or loamy soil conditions? Also what are their water requirements? Speak to a horticulturist or do your research.
2. Plan your choices around attracting bird life, insects and amphibians
to your garden – all these elements add to a self-sustaining ecosystem where insecticides become unnecessary.
3. Small trees can have their crowns thinned out and lifted up
in order to have successful underplanting due to sufficient light. This is especially effective on a slope where the shape of the trees and their bark become a feature.
4. Indigenous planting does not always produce a neat, structured garden.
Keep the natural, wild look but remember editing is important and plants need to be cut back or transplanted from time to time. I leave the fallen leaves where possible to create a water-conserving mulch for the soil.
Get in touch with Natasha at The Flower Station Gardens, +27 83 415 7038 or email [email protected].
Helichrysum italicum
Cotyledon macrantha
Tulbaghia violacea
Leonotis leonurus
Featured image
Osteospermum
