Page 18 - The Villager May 2021

Gardening

AUTUMN pLANTS

ARTICLE COURTESY OF THE RANDOM HARVEST INDIGENOUS NURSERY

Autumn days on the Highveld are beautiful. A sure sign that autumn has
arrived is that the Aloes are starting to bloom, as are the Crocosmias.

Here are some plants that we suggest for your garden this autumn.

Impatiens hochstetterii – Mauve Impatiens. This attractive, soft
perennial thrives in shade and will grace the shady areas of your garden
with pretty leaves and many small pink flowers until late autumn. Then
they should be cut back and mulched for the winter. Don’t despair if
they are hit by frost as this is natural pruning. Even if the mother plant
dies, the seeds it has dropped will germinate in spring and you will
once again be able to enjoy this lovely plant.

Sideroxylon inerme – White Milkwood/Witmelkhout. This beautifully
shaped, medium-sized evergreen tree is a protected species in South
Africa. It bears clusters of white flowers that are followed by black
berries which are relished by birds. Plant as a specimen shade tree or
as an element of a forest in your garden. This species has a rich history
and has a long lifespan. If you visit Mossel Bay, you can visit the Post
Office tree which was used by early explorers to leave post to be taken
to their homes.
Aloe dyeri – Large Flowered Aloe. This is one of the rosette-
forming spotted Aloes but it is a giant one which makes it a Aloe tenuior – This rambling, shrubby aloe bears some
wonderful accent plant. It prefers to grow in dappled shade, flowers almost all year round but mostly from May to
or almost-full shade, but should receive an hour or two of August. The tall spikes of flowers are carried at the tips of
sunshine per day. In early autumn (they are flowering now) it the branches and attract pollinating insects. Plant in full
sends up a long, branched flowering stem that carries a myriad sun, (although it can flower well in semi-shade too, but it
red-orange flowers. It also makes a wonderful container plant then needs to be supported). Plant as a backdrop against
a wall or fence or in amongst other shrubby plants.

16 • Issue 5 2021 • The Villager