The joint project between the Gold Reef Rose Society, Ludwig Roses Egoli and City Parks and Zoo called ‘Let’s make it bloom again’ keeps adding to the beauty of Johannesburg Botanical Gardens.
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Recently the trio met at the botanical gardens to plant 163 roses. Usually the flowers are donated by both businesses and community members, but this time around, all roses were donated predominantly by community members. How it works is that a community member will buy four plants and a bag of compost and the Ludwigs will plant this at the gardens for free. Yvette Bezuindenhout of Ludwig Roses Egoli said the team effort by all three parties shows their commitment to making sure the charm of the venue is not lost.
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“We want people to come by and enjoy and stroll and just enjoy their time here,” said Bezuidenhout. Planted on the day were Cora Marie’s red ayeye, the Berdine and the golden Monica as well as some flowers they had transplanted from other beds to start the front line. Preparation for the planting includes a conceptual idea on how they want the flower bed to look, but most importantly, the soil prep, which uses slow-release fertiliser, organic compost, and peanut shells to make the soil viable for water penetration. For Bezuidenhout, being part of the collective of people who help make sure this project continues to be successful is something she loves.
To donate flowers, community members can contact Gold Reef Rose Society at goldreefrosesociety@gmail.com
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