THE South Coast is enjoying the almost perfect weather that autumn brings but as we move into May my garden is reminding me that winter is on the way.
Buds are appearing on many of my winter-flowering aloes and other succulents, preparing to set the winter garden ablaze with their flame-coloured flowers. However, the May garden continues the autumn trend of restrained colour.
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The plectranthus are still flowering although they are not at their best but the ribbon bush or Hypoestes aristata has taken over the starring role of supplying pretty pastels to the greenery. They are such rewarding plants, covering themselves with mauve, pink and, less commonly, white blooms. The are called ribbon bushes because these curly blooms look like florist ribbons.
Hypoestes aristata bushes prefer a lightly shaded corner of the garden where they usually thrive. Fast and easy to grow, they self-seed fairly prolifically once they are established. In my garden I really do have to keep them in order with a little judicious weeding and transplanting. Once the flowering period is over, I usually give all my ribbon bushes a fairly drastic pruning. Bees and other insects love the flowers and insectivorous birds are attracted to the easy meal they supply.
Another big hit with insects, including all sorts of butterflies, is the dune soap berry or Deinbolia oblongifolia, which is flowering prolifically at the moment.
I have many of these little trees in my garden as they are very good self-seeders. Their whitish blooms aren’t too showy, but add a pretty touch to many little corners of my garden. The butterflies that attract are an added bonus.
Because it is such a wildlife friendly plant the dune soap berry is a must for any KwaZulu-Natal coastal garden.
After the insects and insectivorous birds finish their flowery feast, the plant offers the fruit eaters their feast of tasty berries. A small but leggy tree, the dune soap berry doesn’t take up much room either so can happily live in the smallest of garden. Plant a few now and enjoy the autumn butterfly show next year.
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