Centranthus Ruber – Getting to know Cape Town’s Weeds

Tags

Alien Invaders, Cape Town, Capetowninvasives, Devil's Beard, Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate, Red Valarian

PLEASE REPORT ALL SIGHTINGS TO : www. capetowninvasives.org.za

Centranthus ruber is commonly known as Red Valarian, Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate or Devil’s Beard.

It is a problem as it rapidly spreads out of gardens. It competes with Fynbos and other indigenous plants. It can also form dense vegetative stands. It invades wetlands. Insects may neglect pollinating indigenous flowers in preference for this one. It is spread by prolific seed production

NEM BA CATERGORY 1b INVADER

REMOVE AND DESTROY

MAY NOT BE TRADED.

HOW DO I REMOVE IT ?

• Young shoots can be pulled by hand
• Established plants will need to be dug out
• Ensure all the root fragments are removed
• For chemical control contact the Cape Town Invader Species office Tel 0217121434, email : edrr@capetown.gov.co.za

Spring Equinox

Tags

Cape Town, environment, Flowers, nature, photography, plants, quote, Spring

Spring is when life is alive in everything.
Christina Rossetti

Ariston’s “Best of the Best” in Spring

Tags

Cape Town, Flowers, garden, gardening, home grown, nature, organic, plants

Dog Rose on the fence

Pots at the end of Dunluce Ave supplied by Alan Dawson Gardens

Dog Rose

Bulbs in pots under the Chevron

Lemon tree flowering

Nasturtiums

The Harfielder’s bean are flowering

Workshop garden

the plants in the ZTL garden

Borage growing wild

The pajama bush in full flower (Lobostemon)

Fennel growing wild

Happy in the garden

Pastel pinks and Blues on the mountain

Tags

Cape Town, environment, Erica Baccans, Flowers, Lobostemon, nature, photography, plants, South African endemic plant

Erica Baccans and Lobostemon growing wild on the mountain

Lobostemon

Pincushions

Tags

Cape Town, Flowers, Leucospermum, photography, pincushion protea, plants, South African endemic plant

Wordless Wednesday – Clouds

Tags

Cape Town, clouds, clour, environment, my life, nature, photography, quote, Rabindranath Tagore, rainbow clouds, sky storm, sunset

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
Rabindranath Tagore

Starting to flower

Tags

Cape Town, Flowers, Leucospermum, photography, pincushion protea, plants, South African endemic plant

Pincushion – Leucospermum

Freshly Friday

Tags

Cape Point, Cape Town, environment, Miller's Point, nature

Miller’s Point looking to Cape Point

The Tortoise Berry

Tags

berries, Cape Town, coastal garden, Flowers, garden, Nylandtia Spinosa, plants, purple flowers, South African endemic plant, Tortoise, Tortoise Berry, water wise

The Tortoise Berry (Nylandtia spinosa) is a really striking little shrub. It has masses of pea-like purple flowers flowering from April until October. Attractive and thorny foliage, pretty red edible fruits, and water-wise attributes make it a great choice for windy Cape Coastal gardens.

The fruits are edible and much loved by tortoises and birds. Children can eat the berries safely. The fruits are rich in Vitamin C and thirst quenching.

The Tortoise Berry – Nylandtia Spinosa

The “GREEN” House

Tags

Cape Town, flowering plants, Flowers, garden, nursery, organic, plants, shade plants, South African endemic plant, The Green House, traditional garden plants

The Greenhouse at Montebello is anything but your average commercial nursery. Hidden away in the picturesque Southern suburbs of Cape Town, the Greenhouse is a boutique nursery offering a spectacular array of flowering plants, shade plants and traditional garden plants, arranged in a unique and distinctive style which is at once inspiring and comforting – like taking a walk through an exquisite private garden. The Greenhouse is grown and managed as a completely organic nursery. This means that the ecosystem is in perfect equilibrium encouraging squirrels, frogs and other small creatures to take up residence here.