Durban Botanic Gardens

Garden Articles

Silver Gilt Again !! City of Durban Exhibit at the 2008 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

eThekwini Municipality has for the second year in a row won a Silver Gilt Medal for it's exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show in London of which it can be very proud.

The theme of the 2008 Chelsea Flower Show was Gardening for Climate Change.

Members of the eThekwini Municipality Parks, Leisure & Cemeteries Department went over to London last week to build the stand. Francois Lenferna, horticulturist with the Department, who was responsible for the design of the exhibit came up with a very innovative design.

A modern gazebo, consisting of three tiers on a veranda area. Structures captured water that ran down living pillars, watering flower pots on the way down. This water then seeped into other flower beds, thus making full use of the trapped rain water, which finally drained down the pillars

The deck of the gazebo was made out of recycled plastic and two chairs were created out of old car tyres. Both dry and tropical plants were used in the display, demonstrating the movement of plants from desert and dry areas to areas with lots of rain.

All plants in the display were indigenous, which included five species of cycads, many aloe varieties from around KwaZulu Natal with the main feature plant being Euphorbia Ingens. Raised beds created height within the design and allowed for isolated watering of specialised plants. The use of ferns, intertwined with Gloriosa Rothchildiana dripping down the pillars, softened the feature.

Said Christo Swart, Deputy Head, Parks, Leisure & Cemeteries, "Once again our stand created tremendous interest amongst the exhibitors, with particular attention given to our selection of plants and the innovative design of the gazebo. We were honoured to have Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visit our stand for the second year running. Durban can be very proud of it's achievements at this year's show."

Sultry Summer

Hints and Tips
2008

January is one of the most beautiful months for flowering plants and if you look around Durban there are a number of trees that are in full bloom. One in particular is the Flamboyant tree from Madagascar, Delonix regia which grows as a street tree in Durban. What would Durban be without Flamboyant=s flowering in December.

Listed below are a few shrubs and groundcovers that will flower in summer that you should add to your garden.

Shrubs:
Gardenia thunbergia or white Gardenia: Shrub to small tree [2-5m], found in forests from coastal Kwazulu Natal to the midlands. Flowers are large creamy white, very fragrant especially at night. Flowers attract moths. Very attractive garden plant.
Erythrina humeana or Dwarf Coral tree: Small shrub to small deciduous tree found throughout Kwazulu Natal. Flowers are deep red with orange sepals. Has a long flowering head that stands up above the ends of branches. Very rewarding plant for a small garden as the flowers are long lasting.
Pavetta lanceolata or weeping Bride=s Bush: Small compact shrub to small tree that grows well in shade and flowers in December. It is
also know as the Christmas bush. Flowers are white in large terminal clusters and very attractive tree for small gardens. It can be seen in full flower at the Visitors Centre at the Durban Botanic Gardens.

Groundcovers:
Eucomis autumnalis or common pineapple flower: This indigenous bulb is found growing along the coastal region. Flowers are white to pale yellow green that looks like a pineapple. A popular garden plant.

Other flowering plants for January which you should plant your garden and which will not need much attention are:
Jasminum breviflorum or wild Jasmine, Aloe cooperi, Gloriosa superba or Flame Lily, Kniphofia sp or Red hot Poker, Gladiolus dalenii or African Gladiolus, Zantedeschia aethiopica or Arum Lily.

Gardening for Climate Change
2008

Chelsea Flower Show 2008 theme is:
- Gardening for Climate Change -

The question now is, how can we plan for the future if we are going to experience much drier conditions in the future?

In South Africa we are blessed with such spectacular succulent plants that we can use in our gardens that do not require much water. Selection of plants is very important as they range from very large succulent trees to very small groundcovers. There are many bulbs that also only require very little water in order to flower and grow. Quite often, if you water succulents too much they with either rot or not flower. We have had a very wet summer so far but if you cast your mind back to the winter months we had a particularly dry winter which brought about a very good flowering of Aloes in particular. Aloes have become very popular again which I am very pleased about as they are one of South Africa’s truly great plants that are used all over the world. You just need to drive around California and you will see what I mean.
We used these plants very successfully at the Chelsea Flower Show 2007 and recieved rave reviews from all the experts in that field. When planning a water wise garden you must also think about using stones, paving and containers in the garden. Also shade plants will prevent water loss and create a much cooler feel within the garden. Water is very precious and we must conserve it as much as possible. Pergolas with wooden beams on the top, also create a cool feel within the garden and they definitely don’t require water.
It is so much fun planning a garden as you are free to let your ideas flow, and once complete it should not require too much attention other than weeding in summer. Also you will save on your water bill and hopefully play a small role in helping save the world.

What to do in the garden this month:

Fertilize shrubs, lawns and trees and water well.
Collect the seeds from the Agapanthus which flowered in November.
Sow those seeds in seedling trays which germinate quickly once watered.
Feed and water indoor plants every few days as the medium dries out quickly during summer. The medium also breaks down quickly during summer as the plant takes up lots of moisture and nutrients in growth.
Watch out for black spot and powdery mildew on most plants but in particular roses. Spray with Dithane M45.
Avoid cutting back shrubs that flower in winter and early spring. If you cut those shrubs back then the flowering season will not happen.

Listed below are a few trees, shrubs and groundcovers that you can use for dry landscaping.

Plant forms:

Aloe barberiae or Tree aloe
Erythrina latissima or Broad- leaved Coral tree
Schotia brachypetala or Weeping boer-bean
Albizia adianthifolia or Flat rown
Cussonia spicata or Common Cabbage Tree
Commiphora harveyi or Red- stemmed corkwood
Ficus ingens or Rock Fig
Encephalartos ferox or Tongaland Cycad

Shrubs:

Leonotis leonorus or Wild Dagga
Carissa macrocarpa or Amatungulu
Carissa bispinosa or Forest num-num
Tetradenia riparia or Misty plum bush
Plumbago auriculata
Tecoma capensis or Cape Honey Suckle
Aloe arborescens or Krantz Aloe
Aloe marlothii or Mountain Aloe
Strelitzia reginae or Bird of Paradise
Pavetta revolute or Dune Bride’s Bush
Crassula ovata or Kerky Bush

Groundcovers:

Crassula multicarva
Delosperma caespitosum
Aloe cooperii
Polygala virgata
Becium obovatum
Crinum macowanii
Stapelia gigantean
Bulbine frutescens
Hypoxis hemerocallidea
Aeollanthus parvifolius
Crassula pellucida

If you have any questions please contact us on
Tel: (031) 2011303 or email Christopher Dalzell: dalzellc@durban.gov.za

Our Frog Friends
by Leigh Edy
October/ November 2007

The summer rains are finally here and we have been blessed with the soft downpours. The rainy season, as always, has been well received in the Gardens, and this year the rains have been accompanied once again with one of nature’s awesome creations -“Our Froggie Friends”.
These little frog friends have popped up everywhere in the Gardens. What a wonderful welcoming I received as I walked along the walkway behind the Curator’s Office that connects our office building to our staff parking area. Hundreds of tiny frogs hop along the walk way, all on a mission to find the nearest cover, as they have sensed me coming along. Without fail, the frogs were there each day, and could be seen all over the Gardens and also out and about. These encounters continued for the next week and half.

These little frogs are the African Common Toad or Guttural Toad (Bufo gutturalis). These frogs can grow up to 100mm, with cross-symmetrical patches on their backs, and the top of their snouts marked with a pair of dark patches. Their legs are longer than the length of their bodies, and they have no sucker pads on their hands or feet. They breed in garden pools, artificial water features, dams and streams. Toads have wart-like, glandular elevations on the skin, including glands on either side of the neck. A vibrant snore of about one second is repeated constantly, about once in three seconds (often mistaken for the bullfrogs). The Guttural Toad hunts at night for moths and flying ants which are attracted to garden lights. Spring and summer are usually the seasons that these frogs breed, and breeding often takes place in garden pools and permanent and semi-permanent standing water. The female can lay up to 20 000 eggs at a time, the eggs being laid in strings of jelly in the water, where after the male fertilises them. This species can be found in South Africa as well as the tip of Namibia, bordering Angola and as far as Zambia. This frog is listed as common the IUCN red list and can be found almost anywhere. They are very adaptable species and it is unlikely that they will be facing significant threats.

It is amazing what we can open ourselves up to when we take the time to take off our blinkers and make an effort to actually look. I have become more aware and conscious of possible encounters with frogs. Since my first encounter with the African Common Toad, I have seen several different species of frogs in the Gardens. One of these is the Painted Reed Frog (Hyperolius marmoratus marmaratus). These colourful little frogs grow from 25 - 35mm long, and frogs smaller than 20mm tend to be less decorative. The colour of their stripes or spots usually consist of a variety of shades; black, pink, brown, green or yellow, which differ depending on the frogs locality. The colours can also change depending on factors in the immediate environment. The bellies are usually white or pinkish. All of these factors makes it difficult to identify sub species. Painted Reed Frogs have sucker pads on the tips of their webbed toes. This enables them to sit motionless for hours. The male painted reed frogs have one large, dark grey vocal sac on their throats that blows up and deflates when they sing. Female painted reed frogs do not have this sac, but instead have a side-to-side fold across the throat. The Painted Reed frogs mate in the rainy season, when the males sing together in chorus to attract the females. Their song is usually a series of short loud whistles, about one per second. This is repeated continually.

The Painted Reed frog eats mosquitoes, small fruit flies and other small insects. Their habitat varies from grasslands to forests, as well as temporary pans and rain pools. Locality is most of southern two- thirds of Africa. This frog is listed as least concerned on the IUCN Red list, as it is widely distributed. I have spotted many different sub-species of the Painted Reed Frog in various parts of the Gardens, and they are often found in our private orchid nursery.

So - next time you spot a frog in your garden or during your day to day activities, remember not to touch the frog as it has very sensitive skin, instead respect them as one of many awesome creatures that we share with Mother Earth, rather observe them in their habitat, as in this way there is no human impact on their lives.

Animal Spirit Guide
Frogs are just one of the creatures that are used as Animal totems (Animal Spirit Guides). Many Native American tribes believe that animals are the tribe’s guardians and protectors, and the belief is that they have a special connection with a certain animal. The tribesmen strive to match the animal’s qualities. Animals are considered to be helpers as well as messengers of the divine or of the ancestors. In many parts of the world the frog represents the coming of good fortune. Frogs sing rain into the sky, bringing the water that cleanses the Earth. The frog is associated with all rites of water i.e. wetlands, rivers, lakes and ponds. The Native Americans call on frogs to bring rain to the land.

Chelsea