Page 17 - Dainfern Precinct Living 8 2021

BOOK REVIEW
SOFT
TOUCH
Next Generation SOUTH AFRICAN

Original Gardena Fittings SPECTACULAR

New, improved soft touch garden fittings with
sophisticated modern design and uncompromised Saunders’ Field Guide to Gladioli of South
quality. Africa by Rod and Rachel Saunders

?
What makes our fitting special? WARRANTY REVIEW BY JAMES CLARKE
5YEAR
Color coding: light grey nut Color coding: Black nut nother exquisite volume has been added to South
connects to tap adaptor connects to water attachment nt WARRANTY Rod and Rachel Saunders
Special designed sleeve Africa’s mushrooming array of natural history books. who set out, years ago,
nut allows 30% more grip Integrated water stop allows AThis latest, Saunders’ Field Guide to Gladioli of South to photograph every
for a tighter connection for leak-free change of species of gladioli in
accessory without Africa, is a 400-page, high quality volume dedicated to this
turning off water flow South Africa.
Ergonomic design with country’s unrivalled variety of a certain flower – the gladiolus. The
textured soft grip components
for easy handling genus first captivated the world of botany in the mid-1600s when Gladiolus-debilis
Special design of
inner structure Europe’s first plant hunters
Rubber ring to prevent began combing the world
breaking and chipping
Frost and UV protected for plants that would interest
SOFT science and wow gardeners.
Higher grade ASA material
with improved weather resistance
TOUCH
As long ago as the beginning
All fittings come with a 5 year warranty. of the 1700s, gladioli from
southern Africa were being
introduced into many
European gardens and
botanical collections, especially
in Holland and Britain.

There are today at least 270
known species of them in the
world - 166 are found in South
Africa.
gardena.com
The profusely illustrated book
is a monument to a fascinating
couple – Rod and Rachel
Saunders who set out, years Gladiolus-ornatus-Spear-shaped
ago, to photograph every
species of gladioli in South
Africa. Many are found only in
remote and difficult spots. Such
an example is at a remote site
in Mpumalanga where a rare
species grows and to which the Saunders climbed six times yet still failed to find it in
flower. Many species flower only after a veld fire, or only when a certain amount of rain
occurs at a critical time.

In addition to the hundreds of photographs, illustrations and
botanical information, the book carries some excellent
introductory contributions by world-renowned plant hunters.

Their book was published posthumously, for the couple
was abducted and murdered in KZN in 2018.
Part of the book’s fascination is to see the original native
plants and compare them with the ‘glads’ we have today Gladiolus-microcarpus
after four centuries of hybridisation.
Gladiolus-delpierrei
www.struiknatureclub.co.za
2 15
DPL