BallStraathof: splendour of a show garden

Here is another way to spend your Saturday morning. Instead of doing the weekly shopping and other chores, take time out to be among a constellation of flowers in themed colour displays, landscaped gardens, and in containers suspended from over-arching sky-frames.

The BallStraathof show gardens, which include all the new flowers, vegetables and herbs on trial in the gardens and greenhouse, is open to the public next Saturday, November 9. The gardens are in Honeydew, just off Beyers Naude Drive, on the BallStraathof estate. It’s a beautiful space for meandering, picnicking, ample play space for children, and a chance to vote for the best plant, which informs this coming summer’s selection for the garden centres.

It is full-on colour from the moment you drive in. On either side of the driveway leading to the main gardens, vibrantly coloured alstroemeria fill the shady sections while a mixed border of osteospermum fills the sunny section opposite. Two massive vertical panels filled with purple, pink and white petunias appear to be suspended above the entrance to the offices.

If you have ever wondered what to do with unsightly loffel stones retaining a steep bank, wonder no more. Ivy geraniums and Easy Wave petunias in varying blocks of colour tumble out of the loffel stones, making walls of colour. Every year, students from the Lifestyle College of Gardening build a show garden and this year they have used white, with an entrance that combines mounds of white daisies (argyranthemum), petunias, euphorbia Glamour, which looks like baby’s breath, gaura and shasta daisies.

A feature in the garden is senecio candicans angel wings that are exciting interest world-wide. Originally from southern Chile, it is a silver-leafed foliage plant with huge leaves that are as soft as the ears of a puppy. Besides that, the plant holds its shape beautifully even though it grows up to 60cm high and wide. It grows as easily indoors or outdoors, with good light, and should not be over-watered.

The beautiCal mix is a cross between petunia and
calibrachoa. Pictures: Supplied

Senecio angel wings has also been used in the colour-themed displays, where it mixes well with red and white dahlias, petunias and pelargonium as well as shades of blue and purple cineraria, petunias and calibrachoa. Another newbie in the colour themed gardens is a cross between petunia and calibrachoa called Petchoa. The plants have the mounded habit, weather tolerance and the flower coverage of calibrachoa with the larger flowers of petunia. The larger plants recover from rain much faster than standard petunias. They are perfect for patio pots, hanging baskets and smaller garden beds.

Inside the trial house, almost the size of a rugby field, is the main collection of plants on trial. This year there are more succulents, but colour hasn’t been sacrificed. There are banks of dahlias, begonias, and petunias, as well as drought hardy echinacea, Kangaroo paw, pelargoniums and new salvia. The kangaroo paw (anigozanthos) is probably the hardiest of them all and there is a multi-coloured collection of them. The underground rhizome enables the plant to conserve water and use it to keep the foliage hydrated during drought. They can adapt to a variety of climates and conditions, making them hassle-free landscape plants as well as tough container plants.

Finally, there are new vegetables; a baby butternut (butter baby), mini sweet peppers and tomatoes, artemis and helix, that produce trusses of very sweet cherry tomatoes. There are interesting herbs too; a very large leafed columnar basil, a spicy oregano and a creeping thyme that tastes like lemonade.

Open day information: The gardens are open on November 9 from 9am to 5pm. Entrance is R30 per adult, R15 for pensioners and children under 12 are free. A portion will go to charity. Food and refreshments, including a gin and beer bar, are available, and people can bring their own picnic baskets. There is a jumping castle for children. BallStraathof estate is at 1550 Printech Avenue, via Juice Street, Laser Park, just off Beyers Naudé Drive in Honeydew, 2040.

For more information, contact 011- 794-2316 or www.ballstraathof. co.za for directions.

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