FOR the last three years, Durban North residents Annie Steele and Ingrid Price have volunteered their time at Northwood School to transform the school’s flower beds to an indigenous oasis.
The duo work closely with the school’s ground staff and estate manager, Anthony Beukes.
Steele said they had planted water-wise, indigenous plants like Kalanchoe Sexangularis, Crassula ovata (Jade plant), Portulacaria afra (spekboom) and aloes to name a few.
“I’ve been blessed working with the school and Ingrid. This project is something we are both passionate about and being able to give back is massive for us. The idea was to rehabilitate and replant some of the flower beds with indigenous, water-wise plants that were also low maintenance.
“The idea was always to have the staff run with the project. We feel green spaces are important to increasing bio-diversity and already we’ve seen more butterflies and bumblebees which are good signs,” Steele said.
Price said she joined Steele in 2019 when the project first started.
“My connection to Northwood was that my sons are learners here and my husband is a former Northlands Old Boy. I have green fingers and I heard Annie had started working on the green spaces so I asked if I could join.
“We’ve now been working together since 2019 and our vision of how we want the beds to look have really taken shape. I would encourage other residents to plant indigenous and spend some time in their gardens as it is very therapeutic,” she said.
Both Price and Steele thanked Enviro Fixers Durban North, parents and all those who donated plants to help with the flower beds.
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