Garden glory at Thornhill Manor

Thornhill Manor resident Ms Dawn Burls gets much joy from a magnificent Pincushion Protea bush, which is the pride of her garden in the Rand Aid Association retirement village.

Pincushion Proteas, or Leucospermum, is a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae.

It’s native to South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The pincushions provide a colourful display in late winter, spring and early summer, and Ms Burls has already cut and shared 71 flowers this season alone.

Bought at the Kirstenbosch Garden Centre in Cape Town seven years ago, the little plant nestled at her feet on the plane trip back to Johannesburg.