Ready For Roasting!

Like comedians, vegetables can do with a good roasting.

Ladybirds Industrial Aphid Munchers

It’s a well-known fact that one of the most beneficial insects that can be used in integrated pest management is the ladybird.

Striking, Dependable Pineapple Lilies

The exceptionally long-lasting flower heads of the summer-growing Eucomis species have captivated gardeners around the world for centuries.

From Boring To Enchanting

The delightful thing about design is that the moment you relegate a purpose to a space, the rest falls into place.

Set Spring A Bloom

In the right conditions Japanese flowering cherries can be utterly spectacular, twice a year. 

Tips To Trump Weeds

With every new awakening after winter comes the weeds, and if you neglect to kill them off they will keep on multiplying, multiplying, multiplying…

Sunny Side Up

New roses for summer.

Garden Ferns

Who needs flowers when the foliage is so spectacular?

Plan For Success

July is when winter really starts to bite. Everything goes dormant, including the gardener, which makes this the month to plan for spring and summer, look back at lessons learnt, and undertake the basic garden tasks at a leisurely pace.

3 Succulents That Contrast Splendidly With Aloes

Many other succulent-type plants combine effectively with aloes in the garden. Some have contrasting foliage both in terms of colour and texture, adding interest to the landscape and enhancing year-round good looks. These three indigenous plants are ideal companion plants for aloes of every shape and size – they have colourful foliage and attractive flowers that add to their appeal. Use them in gardens or plant them in mixed succulent pots for a lovely display that requires very little water.

Viva La Difference

how to prune different rose types

Shopping For The Perfect Tree

Tree planting is about visualising an end result and then having the energy and patience to make it a reality. It’s also about thinking before you plant.

A Love Letter

Can you write a love letter to ensnare a husband (or wife)?

3 Great Evergreen Hedge Plants

Hedges and screens are an integral component of the modern-day garden, offering privacy and in some instances security while affording protection from winds and weather. They may be clipped or trimmed into formal square hedges or else left to grow into informal screens. The plants selected for this purpose are generally quick-growing evergreen shrubs with a dense growth habit, and flowers and colourful foliage are subsequently of secondary importance. Hedge plants need to respond well to regular clipping and continuously make new growth to maintain a long-lasting neat appearance.

Clivias Today

These days clivias are about so much more than just orange.

Get Ready For A New Rose Season

Every September offers the promise that this could be the best ever rose season. Forget last year’s disappointments, because the nice thing about roses is that they are forgiving – every year is a fresh start!

Striking 'Lemon Flame' Veltheimia For Spring Colour

Striking 'Lemon Flame' Veltheimia For Spring Colour

Gardening With Bees

Gardening With Bees

Taking Urban Gardening On Ward

This show stand was a great example of how to make a small space interesting and full of complexity.

A Watchdog's Garden

A large family dog and an avid gardener don’t necessarily make for a peaceful team in any backyard, but there are ways of establishing a truce that can be lived with.

Showy Buttonbushes For The Fynbos Garden

The buttonbush or vleiknoppiesbos (Berzelia lanuginosa) is one of the familiar components of fynbos vegetation, and a member of the family Bruniaceae.

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas

Why not give the gift of greenery this festive season.

A Rosy Christmas

GET THE LOOKSunny patios are the ideal place for showing off roses, especially those with fragrance. This built-in plant box that defines the outer edge of the living area is filled to capacity with roses: ‘Amarula Profusion’ cascading outwards and downwards, ‘Garden and Home’ growing upwards, and ‘Garden Queen’ adding a splash of contrasting colour.

the colours of mexico

when it comes to colour and vibrancy, there’s nothing like mexican garden or patio styles for inspiration. sunny yellow, electric blue, warm oranges and reds are all combined in a colour scheme that shouts bold and beautiful. 

an apple a day, the​​​​​​​ doctor's way...

a while back we were approached by dr nevin stewart, a hobby cider maker from guildford in surrey, england, to see if we were interested in sharing his ‘juice and strain’ method of making apple cider at home. when it comes to apple season there is always a good supply around, and what better way to use them up? what we wanted to verify before publishing is how easy it is to find the equipment you need in south africa, and also how easy cider really is to make. while experimenting with beer brewing for the ultimate braai magazine, we also made good use of the time and made a batch of apple cider, with the help of brad and chris from beer bros. our conclusion? cider is very easy to make, and is very tasty indeed. we’ve adjusted the steps for local products available. this is nevin’s story:  

Gardening For The Birds

Encouraging our feathered friends to the garden is popular these days.

Spectacular Ninepin Heath For Fynbos Gardens

The ninepin heath was first described by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1771, in his tome Mantissa Plantarum.

Breeding Koi

Great satisfaction can be found in rearing your own koi stock

Living Wall Art

These innovative planters brighten up a dull wall.

Dwarf In Size Huge In Flower Power

These prize performers produce masses of flowers over a long period.