We moved into our cottage in Kommetjie a year and a half ago. And at the same time we started a few projects in and around the house including a low deck with a pergola and a new driveway. We also needed to lay some new paving around the house because we were surrounded by loose stone and really needed to make the access easier for our parents and visitors. We almost twisted an ankle more than once which egged us on to make the changes. The garden was the last thing on the lis because we knew that so much of it would get disturbed with all the building work.
This Summer we are enjoying the fruits of our labour (not literally fruits, but rather flowers!)
This afternoon I walked along the paths admiring all the colour that has sprung up this year.
Today
Before - see how small the strelitzia is! And all the loose stones
My aim was to plant a garden that was mostly self sustaining and indigenous and that needed very little water and care. Being near the beach our soil is sandy but the previous owners also laid down piles of small stones which have been difficult to work with as they’ve slowly krept down into the little soil that we have.
A year ago we transplanted this palm tree from a very bad position in the back garden and moved it near the front gate. I know that all trees tend to take a while before they recover from moving especially an established tree. So a year on I was so happy to see green shoots appearing at the top of the bare trunks. We still have a long way to go but the signs of life are encouraging.
Our two hibiscus were in the garden already but have really flourished over the last year. They are forever producing and dropping their beautiful flowers, forming a natural mulch below the bush.
A year ago when we finally starting filling all the Rocky and Sandy gaps in the garden, I also made sure to cover any bare areas with bark chips to help retain water and prevent the wind from blowing away the sand. (We gate gale force south easterlys often!)
The bark has now broken down and has also helps to nourish the sand below - time for a new load of bark! But the plants have also done a great job spreading and covering all those bare spaces.
The sour fig LOVES it here and tends to take over, but it’s been a saving grace in anchoring the sand together with the Treasure Flowers and Lobster Flowers (we call them Beach Lavendar here).
These have all been planted from cuttings and cost us nothing thanks to others generosity.
The English Lavendar also seems to love the dryness and is looking lovely! My two chihuahuas run along the fence to keep a look out and come back smelling of Lavendar and Rosemary. It’s wonderful!
Our grass is finally looking green and spongey instead of scrubby and sandy. The grass was a labour of love, planted with buffalo grass plugs in all the empty spaces because we couldn’t afford rollon lawn. We now have a mixture of 3 different grasses that each thrive in their own areas of the garden, some in the sun, others in the shade, but it all works together.
It’s the first summer that I have seen our Giant Strelitzias flowering!!! They’re not as bright and colourful as the smaller strelitzia but still so wonderful to see the Birds of Paradise in our own garden. They will soon need to be pruned back as they are really getting big!
There are a couple different Geraniums in our garden that are also thriving. They were also planted from cuttings simply stuck in the ground and watered when I remembered. Nature did the rest.
You can see how all the creeping ground covers melt together and need a bit of separation and pruning. I’ll get there eventually. At the moment I can’t bring myself to taking anything out of the garden when I’m just starting to enjoy all the green and the flowers. Maybe after the holidays I’ll get stuck in and start editing.
This long stemmed beauty popped out of one of the succulents hiding under the sour fig and treasure flowers. I don’t know the name so I’ve put it into the iNaturalist app to get a name soon.
And lastly the Heart leafed Ice Plant which is a tiny trailing succulent that is spreading like a carpet. It has been so easy to grow and seems to love the conditions on this side of the house. The tiny hot pink flowers are one of my favourite. I think I may have picked a little piece of it when I was out in a walk one afternoon and stuck it in the ground when I got home.
Today - thriving and beautiful
Before - and look at how small that strelitzia was too! We have one at the front and one at the back of the house
The back passage leads from the new driveway to our back patio and our fruit trees. It was lush with lavender before but now it is looking even more beautiful as it’s well established and in need of a good pruning. The Butterfly plants just keep on coming back each season and filling the walkway with its tendrils of pale pink flowers.
What is this???
There is one bush that seems to have “arrived” without being planted and I have no idea what it is. Any guesses from the gardening community???
There are plenty other succulents around our garden but right now I’m in love with all my flowering plants. And love how this garden seems to stay interesting year round.
