Page 12 - Landscape-Issue134

FEATURE

GRASSLAND GARDENING

By Dr Jonathan Foley

No other plant has so influenced human history. As one of the oldest plant
families on Earth dating back millions of years, grasses, giant ferns and fir trees

dominated the landscape.

Aloe cooperii Gladiolus dalenii Watsonia densiflorus

he development of grasslands in the is the second largest in the country, through agriculture and urban
Miocene period was assisted by two covering one third of the land surface and development in all provinces so that only
Tpowerful forces: fire and herbivores. known for its exceptional biodiversity. a remnant of scattered islands remains.
As William Bond describes it: “Grasses Found largely on the inland plateau of the Due to the ancient and complex nature of
opened up space in a land covered with summer rainfall region, the habitat covers the grassland ecosystem, transformation
forests and into the space poured the inland and coastal regions of the Eastern of Afromontane grassland by ploughing
sunlight. From the sunlit and open spaces Cape, KwaZulu- Natal, Gauteng, Northwest is sadly irreversible. Grassland scientist
that grasses had created, a plethora of life Province, Mpumulanga and Limpopo. The Craig Morris notes that usually only one in
emerged”. This included the development winter rainfall region of the Western Cape is five plants naturally present are actually
of flowering plants or Angiosperms. (Bond well represented by another unique plant grasses, the rest are called ‘forbs’, the non-
is a grassland ecologist and emeritus group, the restios, however these are not grassy herbs or ‘wild flowers’ which include
professor at UCT). grasses but are allied to the Protea family. low growing herbaceous plants, succulents
With over 10,000 species of grass The botanical ‘hotspots’ or conservation and bulbous plants. It is this rich variety of
worldwide, ranging from the short grasses flashpoints of most concern are the moist, plants that make grassland gardening so
of lawns to the towering bamboo, there are temperate (cool weather) Afromontane intriguing and challenging.
few aspects of our lives that are not touched grasslands of the Drakensburg as well as Grassland plants are largely perennial
by grasses. They stabilise soil with their the Maputoland – Pondoland – Albany ‘re-sprouters’ which often require seasonal
extensive root systems, supply oxygen, act complex which stretches along the Eastern burning to survive and reproduce. The
as a carbon sink and provide food, medicine seaboard from Kosi Bay in the north ‘pre-rain’ flowers are a unique group
and building materials. to the rivers of the Eastern Cape in the which flower and set seed after the
This article focusses on the ecological south. According to botanist Braam van dormant season, following fire but before
importance of our local indigenous grasses Wyk, these species-rich regions compare the first rains. These survivalist tactics are
and describes how to recreate a grassland with the world’s most significant primary typical of the Angiosperms or flowering
garden using locally available resources. grasslands: the prairies in North America, plants which developed following the
the pampas in South America and the dinosaur age. In brief, primary or original
Significance of South African eastern steppes of Euro- Asia. grasslands are maintained by burning and
grasslands The grassland biome is the most grazing. It is often not possible to engage
In ecological terms, the grassland biome threatened, having been transformed in burning in a suburban environment,

10 Landscape SA • Issue 134 2024 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za