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Please visit our nursery. We will be having a plant sale on the 23rd of September 2022 from 08h00 - 15h00. Unfortunately we do not have card service. It is cash only.
Monday, 12 September 2022
September Plant Sale @UWC
Please visit our nursery. We will be having a plant sale on the 23rd of September 2022 from 08h00 - 15h00. Unfortunately we do not have card service. It is cash only.
Monday, 22 August 2022
Sunday, 7 August 2022
Dovyalis caffra as a security hedge
Security is a basic need for human beings. This is why many homeowners have high walls to enhance their security. For a natural or softer look, we are recommending Dovyalis caffra (Kei-apple) as a natural solution and a security hedge plant.
Description of Dovyalis caffra
Dovyalis caffra is a spiny shrub or small spiny tree with oval waxy light green leaves and it grows 3 - 5 metres in height. It is tough and evergreen. The spines grow up to 60 mm. Between November and December, small fragrant cream-green coloured flowers appear followed by large, rounded apricot-coloured fruits.
What are the benefits of having Dovyalis caffra in your garden?
Dovyalis caffra offers the benefit of both worlds: security and food for garden visitors such as insects, honeybees, butterflies, and birds.The apricot-coloured fruits are edible and make an excellent jelly or jam. The shrub itself is used in many parts of the world as a hedge plant. When planted in a row it will grow into a loose-textured hedge that offers natural security. It can be trimmed or pruned to keep it neat. Kei-apple spiny nature makes it drought-resistant, adaptable, and forms a virtually impenetrable hedge.
Where can you plant Dovyalis caffra?
This small tree requires full sun and prefers well-drained soil with plenty of compost but can tolerate clay soil. It is ideal as a windbreaker. It is recommended that you plant it 1 m apart in alternating, double rows for maximum effect as a security hedge. Due to its growth form Dovyalis caffra is suitable for small gardens, can be planted in a pot and also be used as a bonsai specimen.
🦋Let's grow more plants and create mini nature reserves.🦋
Monday, 16 May 2022
Senecio macroglossus
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Family: Asteraceae
Origin: South Africa
Use: Ideal for hanging basket, containers, groundcover and as a climber. Beautiful outdoors and indoors spaces such a, sunroom, and reception areas.
Light and position: prefers full sun or semi-shade.
Water requirement: medium water requirement.
Plant care: plant in well-drained and composted soil.
Pest and diseases: whitefly, aphid, red spider mites and rust.
Propagation: sow seeds in spring and cuttings in summer.
Monday, 9 May 2022
Strelitzia reginae
Family: Strelitziaceae
Origin: South Africa
Plant description: striking architecturally perennial that forms sturdy clumps of grey-green banana-like
leaves. It has beautiful orange and blue flowers that resemble a bird in flight appearing in spring. It grows up to 1.8 m tall.
Use: Ideal for indoor garden, cut flowers, modern landscapes, sunroom, and reception areas, makes a stunning focal point by grouping 3-5 plants.
Light and position: prefer full sun to semi-shade.
Water requirement: medium water requirement
Plant care: plant it in good rich fertile soil, and add lots of compost.
Pest and diseases: soft scale, mealybug and red spider mites.
Propagation: sow seeds in spring/summer or division
leaves. It has beautiful orange and blue flowers that resemble a bird in flight appearing in spring. It grows up to 1.8 m tall.
Use: Ideal for indoor garden, cut flowers, modern landscapes, sunroom, and reception areas, makes a stunning focal point by grouping 3-5 plants.
Light and position: prefer full sun to semi-shade.
Water requirement: medium water requirement
Plant care: plant it in good rich fertile soil, and add lots of compost.
Pest and diseases: soft scale, mealybug and red spider mites.
Propagation: sow seeds in spring/summer or division
Tuesday, 3 May 2022
Ready for winter?
May is upon us, the time for gardening. The weather is cooling down and soon we will receive rain. If you have not put your plants in the ground or in pots it is best to work on it now.
Maintaining your garden on a regular basis helps reduce pest and disease problems. This time of the year work on improving the soil by adding compost as it will improve the structure and fertility of the soil and allow plants to grow stronger, making them more resistant to infection and damage. Mulch, mulch, mulch as it acts as a soil protective blanket.
Clean up under pots and perennials where the snails can gather together as they are looking for places to hibernate. Keep garden beds free of weeds, plant rubble and prune autumn-flowering shrubs such as Plectranthus, Tecoma, Leonotis, Barlerias and Plumbago. Deadhead some of the shrubs, cutting back old flowering stems.
Plants will need less water as the days are cooling down. Before watering, indoor plants stick your finger in the soil and feel if the soil is dry or moist. If the soil is dry, you can proceed and water, if it seems moist wait a little longer before watering. Do not forget to lift some pots to avoid them becoming waterlogged. Remove dust from indoor plants by gentle wiping them with a damp cloth. Some plants respond best with a proper wash down.
Wednesday, 20 April 2022
Plants suitable for screening
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| The backdrop of plants used for screening purposes around the pool |
Privacy around the garden, backyard or pool area is very important. Everyone wants to enjoy some family time without noise or neighbours snooping over the wall. Yes, we try to raise our fence and use vibracrete walls, but sometimes it can be unsightly and harsh to the eye. If you or your neighbour have that high wall already and want to soften it up there are options that can be used to create a screen using plants.
One needs to decide what kind of screen they want to use, a formal screen or an informal screen. A formal screen involves using single plant species e.g. Doyvalis caffra. While informal screen uses multiple species, the species can have slightly different growth forms that complement each other. The main thing to work with is the sightline. What does the overlooking person see from their garden, walkway or from the window? What I have learnt is that if we can see our neighbours from their garden that means they can see us too.
We can make use of shrubs as they provide gentle screening, especially for smaller gardens. If you prefer full privacy then trees are the next option provided you have space. But remember to check how the plants will look throughout the year.
Trees that are perfect for screening
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| Buddleja sp. used as a screen over the fence at UWC Nursery |
- Olea europaea subsp. africana
- Cussonia paniculata
- Doyvalis caffra
- Ilex mitis
- Diospyros whyteana
- Searsia pendulina
- Brachylaena discolor (makes an excellent hedge or windbreaker)
- Buddleja saligna (makes a beautiful clipped hedge).
Shrubs that can be used for screening
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| Bauhinia galpinii as a screen in conjunction with shrubs and trees |
- Searsia crenata
- Carissa bispinosa
- Buddleja salviifolia
- Strelitzia reginae
- Barleria obtusa
- Portulacaria afra
- Tecoma capensis
- Bauhinia galpinii
- Osteospermum moniliferum
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