My new little patch of Sansevieria

 

Good morning!

My new little Sansevieria patch. You just gotta love Mother-in-Law’s Tongue!

This is Sansevieria trifasciata (also known as snake plant), native to South Africa, drought-resistent, tolerates low light but this one also just loves the sunlight!

Just be patient...

Graptoveria 'Fantome'

Since our move from our smallholding in Gauteng (South Africa), I've been relegated to "shelf and pot plant gardening". And that's really not meant to be derogatory, I absolutely LOVE shelves and I LOVE pot plants, but nothing beats a spade and a pair of garden gloves.

But now we've at last settled into our new home and I was thrilled at the prospect of starting a brand new garden from scratch! So at last I'm able to plan and design a space for my succulents and other indigenous plants to my heart's content. I'm also learning about this birds (and the bees) of the area and although many of them are well-known to me, there are so many that I've just never had the chance of meeting. So here's to many hours of planting and learning about everything around me.

These are a few of the succulents I've been propagating over the last months - you just cannot keep a succulent-lover down! Right?

Graptoveria 'Fantome'

Flower of Graptoveria 'Fantome'

Graptoveria 'Fantome'

Callisia repens

I know Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus) is not a succulent, but after losing my hanging basket the last winter, I am absolutely thrilled that I have been able to propagate a little piece into growing really well.

Winter splendour at the Coast

ALOES, ALOES EVERYWHERE!

There are over ±155 Aloe species in our country (South Africa) ranging in size from the large Tree Aloes (Aloidendron) to the attractive little Grass Aloes with the Creeping Aloes (Aloiampelos) in between.

This is the time of year (Winter) when these striking flowers are at their best. Aloes attract a variety of insects and birds, particularly Sunbirds.

Take a moment to watch them.

(The above pics taken at The Quarter, Ballito, KZN)

Found this beautiful Aloe chabaudii on one of our morning walks along the promenade on the Beach (Ballito, KZN)

Found this beautiful Aloe chabaudii on one of our morning walks along the promenade on the Beach (Ballito, KZN)

Found this beautiful Aloe chabaudii on one of our morning walks along the promenade on the Beach (Ballito, KZN)

Aloe just outside Caledon Estate in Ballito, KZN, South Africa 

Aloes just outside Caledon Estate in Ballito, KZN, South Africa  

The flowers of Aloe marlothii attract a plethora of insects and birds, supplying much-needed sustenance in the cold winter months

Aloe arborescense - Ballito, KZN

Aloe arborescense - Ballito, KZN

One of my all-time facourites is Aloe ferox, a true gift from nature. It's not really found at the coast, but I just have to include it here. The world over, users revere aloe ferox for it’s numerous properties. The bitter sap contains powerful anti-oxidant properties – an ancient source of a modern cosmetic buzzword. Healing, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, Anti Bacterial, Anti-Viral and Anti-Parasitic – and those are only a few ways in which Aloe Ferox helps in maintaining personal wellness. It is an important life-line for insects and birds in winter, supplying much-needed sustenance in the cold months.

For centuries indigenous healers have treated man and beast successfully with aloe preparations. In Xhosa culture here in South Africa, it is applied to fresh and inflamed wounds to encourage healing and is a known cure for ring-worm and tapeworm, boils and ulcers. Aloe is used to treat enteritis in calves and fowls, as well as roundworm in the Zulu culture, while the Pondo mix aloe juice and water for a refreshing body wash. An extract, bitters, is ingested to help with detoxification, as well as gout, rheumatism and arthritis, stomach and digestive ailments.

Other recorded uses include: insect bites and bluebottle stings, fungi, toothache, sunburn, as protection against the elements and to stimulate the immune system, to name a few.