The Colour Green - Online Magazine

First Edition 2017 | Vol 01
Spring
is in The Air
The Colour Green | 2017

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• For the love of gardening | For The Colour Green •
The Colour Green | 2017

The Colour Green | 2017

Spring
T he sun is shining, birds are
singing and it’s time for your
garden to come back from the
winter weather. Your garden
needs some help getting back
in shape, though, so it’s time
to get the supplies, pull out the
tools and get to work.
Here are some tips for your
getting your spring garden
green and beautiful by the time
the season reaches its peak:
1. Clean out the garden.
It’s time to clean your garden
and remove all the debris. Get
rid of weeds, making sure that
you get the roots so they won’t
grow back. This is also a good
time to sharpen your garden
tools, if needed, because you’re
going to require them for plant
maintenance and soil care.
2. Revitalize the soil.
Because your soil is likely dried
out, it’s time to add moisture.
Add organic material like
compost or manure. You might
need to test the soil to see what
nutrients it needs, so you give
it the right mixture. You might
also need to add more fertilizer
to increase the health of the
soil and increase the life of your
plants.
3. Trim old plants.
Plants that survived the winter
will need to be pruned so
they’ll grow anew in the spring.
Blooming plants should be
pruned right after they bloom
to avoid cutting off future
flowers. Summer plants should
be pruned in early spring.
4. Add mulch.
In addition to fertilizers and
organic materials, you should
think about adding mulch to
your flower beds and garden.
Mulch helps to prevent weeds
and diseases. It also keeps the
moisture in the garden and
maintains the temperature. The
rule of thumb is to keep the
mulch a few centimetres from
the plant stems to prevent roots
from rotting.
5. Plant new flowers and
shrubs.
Once you’ve gotten the garden
in shape and handled all of the
old plants, it’s time to turn your
attention to new plants. Some
recommendations for good
spring plants include:
• Pansies
• Azalea
• Clivias
• Violas
• Arum lily
You should lean towards
planting more perennials rather
than annuals, because annuals
have to be replaced every year.
Perennials, last for two to three
years and usually survive winter
frosts.
By: huffingtonpost.com, Home Advisor.
The Colour Green | 2017

is in The Air
The Colour Green | 2017

7SOUTH
AFRICAN
plants for a
beautiful garden!
South Africa is home to some of the most beautiful garden
plants. Here are just a few gorgeous flowers that you could grow
in your garden to make it ‘proudly South African’.
1. Clivia
This easy-to-grow plant is
indigenous to the Eastern Cape,
KwaZulu-Natal and eastern
Mpumalanga. It’s one of our
most popular plants, you will
often see it in faraway gardens
overseas. The orange clusters of
flowers herald the beginning of
spring.
The plants are happiest out of the
sun - in shady areas, under trees,
in containers or on a shady
veranda. It’s also available in
other colours, like pale yellow and
deep reddish orange.
2. Arum lily
The elegant arum lily is a must in
any garden. The attractive white
flowers with long, broad, dark
green leaves stand out among
other plants and add interest to a
flower bed.
It flowers during winter and
spring in the Cape areas and in
spring and summer in summer
rainfall areas. Arum lilies love
being planted in damp, shaded
areas and if they’re happy in
your garden, the plants will
reward you with long-lasting cut
flowers.
3. Pincushion Protea
One of our most loved proteas,
it’s native to the south-western
Cape, but in the right conditions,
it should grow in most areas of
our country. The flowers grow
on roundish shrubs that grow to
about 1.5m high.
Once established, the Pincushion
protea it is a rewarding, lowmaintenance
plant that birds
will love, and the cut flowers
will add a proudly South African
touch to your home for weeks.
The Colour Green | 2017

4. Red hot poker
The name says it all! These upright
plants with bright flame-coloured
flowers are seen all over the
country. Different species flower
in different seasons and they’re all
great for attracting sunbirds. Be
sure to plant them in large clumps
for a spectacular showing.
They love water, so water them
regularly during summer and give
them fertilizer during spring to
ensure a good show.
5. Dietes Grandiflora
These white, iris-like flowers are
beautiful to behold with their
yellow and mauve markings, but
their real glory is seen when many
are planted together.
A single flower only lasts a day, but
because new flowers open continually,
plant enough and you’re
sure to have a magnificent spring
display. Best of all, it’s not fussy at
all, and will grow well in dry, shady
or sunny areas.
6. Strelitzia
What a unique flower the Strelitzia
is, with its vibrant orange and blue
flowers. It is also called the crane
flower because of its magnificent
blooms reminiscent of a crane
with a crown of feathers.
In fact, it’s such a South African
icon, that it even appears on
our 50 cent coins and in flower
arrangements all over the world. If
you’d like to grow the plant, only
water it when dry and keep the
soil well mulched.
7. Vygies
Also known by their tongue-twisting scientific name as ‘mesembryanthemum’,
which means midday flowering. This little plant is indigenous
to the south-western Cape. It comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and
a wide array of colours from pinks to purples, oranges and yellows.
They are a great addition to a rock garden or other dry areas because
you do not need to water them very often and they flower reliably and
spectacularly. The succulents are also easily propagated with cuttings
and butterflies just love them!
Reference: www.essentials.co.za
The Colour Green | 2017

Designed by:
Jenna Nürnberger
T
The Colour Green | 2017