RJ, seeing that no-one has responded yet I thought that i would share info about the plants i grew in my South African garden when I still lived in Port Elizabeth, a southeastern coastal city, where rainfall was spread throughout the year and temperatures were mild.
In Port Elizabeth soil was quite sandy and proteas grew very well, so I had several species in my garden, as well as Strelitzia nicolai, beautiful white tall arum lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica), a stately Coral tree (Erythrina caffra), and two fantastic cycads. One of the cycads was an Encephelartos horridus and one was a lebomboensis. Also Agapanthus, Cape Honeysuckle, Nerine, lots of Watsonia, and several of the South African daisies.
I hope someone else jumps in and tell us about their South African garden! Delina

Well I can speak of the garden of my Aunt Gwenno in Bedfordview, Johannesburg. A flower judge and avid gardener, there were always Proteas blooming, outdoors and in fantastic arrangements inside. A beautiful hoya climbing around the front door, masses of cannas in a large patch, greengage plums (oh the memories of the taste), the strelitzia regina with its aray of bright/gaudy colours and the ubiquitos gum trees, always thirsty and not allowing anything to grow below them. Not forgetting the fluffy yellow, fragrant mimosa tree at the bottom of the garden. Wonderful memories and that's where my love of gadening started. Thanks Gwenno - my Fort Lauderdale garden has some of your much loved plants - but I still have a way to go before I can say its finished!

Not many answers posted so let me tell you about my garden . Not a very indigenous garden as it was planted about 5 years ago when everyone wanted a tropical look and now the pendulum appears to be swinging back to having a more South African look to ones garden , but my garden is now mature and I cannot bring myself to uprooting all my lovely plants. Also have run out of space to plant things - quite a familiar problem for avid gardeners. All the following are in the ground in the garden.

Indigenous - Strelitzia nicolae and regineae , agapanthus white , blue and dwarf , Pittosporum variegated , Nerine , White Karee , Sweet Karee , Hypericum - yellow , Pom Pom Tree - Diad cotonifolia, Bulbine, Felicia - white , blue (green & var), Clivia. Tulbachia - wild garlic , Osteospermum , Asparagus ferns (Sprengerii , Meyersii , Mazeppa), Polygala myrtifolia, Arum Lily - Zantedesia ethiopica , Pelargoniums , Cape honeysuckle - Tecomaria capensis , Neomarica Northiana , Ornithalgum - Pregnant Fairy, Lampranthus - vygies ,Chlorophytums ( Hen & Chickens / Spider Plant), Cussonia paniculata Kiepersol, Hypoestes ,Dietes - Rain Lily, Pratia , Carpet geraniums Plumbago (Blue , White , Royal Cape).

Exotic - New Zealand Flax (8), Cordyline (20) , Dasylirion , Musa Banana (8) , Mock Orange (Philadelphis) , Bougainvillea - greens & var ( 8) , Shefleria ( green & var) , Pepper Tree , Salt & Pepper tree , Bottle brush , Black Mission Olive , Lime , Peach trees , Fig Tree , Minoela , Nectarine , Abutilon variegated , Berberis red/purple , Escalonia , Abelia , Golden Privet , Fucrea (3) , Hibiscus -lots , Roses , Japanese Maple , Clematis , Podranea Brycii , Jasmine polyanthum, Ivy (cannot get rid of it) , Egyptian Papyrus , Bamboo , Conifers (4) , Duranta Aussie , Bromeliad , Acuba japonica , Azaleas , Draceana Messanghera , Argyranthemums , Shastas , Impatiens , Lemon Verbena , Verbena , Chillies , Eggfruit , Green Peppers ,Cabbage ,Lettuces , Tomatoes ,Granadilla , Rue , Sweet basil , Mint , Fruit Salad Bush , Ficus benjamina , Nandina , Ponytail - Beaucarnia recurvata , Lamium maculatum , other Lamiums , Dianella tasmanica , various succulents , Palms (Cocos/Queen , Washingtonia robusta , Seaforthia , Livingtonia ) , Potato Bush - Solanum rantonetti , Maltese Cross , Naartjie ( I think it`s called a mandarin in USA), Maleuleca - Johannesburg Gold , Cannas (green , variegated & red foliage ones) , Euonymous japonicus , Philodendrum selloums , Peace in the Home , Artemesia, False Jerusalem Cherry, Day Lilies , Rubber tree - ficus , Ice Cream Bush - Breynia , Tea bush , Altroemerias (Inca or Peruvian Lilies - various colours , White Sails , Mexican Blood Trumpet, Silver birches , Silver Oak , Butterfly Bush, Gardenia , Viburnums , English Lavender , Phlox perennial (also cannot get rid of it) , Vincas , Elephants Ears , Houttenya , Cycas revoluta , Cyanthia brownii - tree fern , Nephrolepsis , Microlepia , Fittonia , Ajuga Caitlins Giant , Acanthis mollis - wild rhubarb, Brunsfelsia - Yesterday ,Today & Tomorrow , Centuarea Dusty Miller , Sweet Williams , Delphiniums - Pacific Giants , Kikuyu lawn , Swiss Chard etc etc.

Garrick, that is an impressive list! How big is your yard, or do you live on acreage? And is it level, or are you against a "koppie" (hill) ... I can just imagine how beautiful a kiepersol (Cussonia paniculata) can be when nestled against a small rock outcropping, as they so often are in the veld.
A friend mailed me some kiepersol seeds which I'll be sowing as soon as spring arrives.
Are any of your nerines blooming at the moment? Seeing that autumn is approaching in your hemisphere.
Thanks for sharing, and please keep on posting ... always interesting. Delina

Darn tootin Garrick. I am jealous that you can grow Strelitzia on the ground. Surprising to see that in your exotics lists there's a great degree of overlap with my own garden. It looks like you have cool but non-freezing weather and mild conditions. Very nice.

Thanks for posting Delina. Cycads in the ground! How neat. I'd only wish. A couple of people round here have them in pots and herniate their backs every year moving them indoors and back out in Spring. He-he, who said gardeners were sane?

Thanks all. Any other Africans/Afrikaners wanna give it a shot. This is fun. RJ

Delina . I have a normal sized city stand , about 1350 sq. metres ( a quarter of an acre ), which is why I have more or less run out of space in my garden at home. Its a flat stand like most of the East Rand but I have created a small bank which is where the Kiepersol is growing and it loves its well drained position. The seeds you have got , I hope they are for the Highveld Cussonia as they are much more frost tolerant than the Lowveld Cussonia (`Spicata`). They do look very beautifull on the koppies , in the South of Johannesburg around Bassonia , Winchester Hills , Glenvista area and also in the Randburg plot areas they are beautifull. Of course all the development in these areas is fast destroying them.
My Nerines are funny , they bloom in early Spring and again in early Summer. I have found them to be a very easy plant to grow , you give them a weekly watering , they dont get effected by the frost and demand very little but reward one with the most beautifull delicate flowers twice to 4 times a year.

RJ
A few of the Strelitzia Regineae are blooming at the moment , look spectacular. Our weather here is quite pleasant , we are always a degree or two cooler than Pretoria as we are higher up than them. This is nice during Summer but of course in Winter we are a a degree or two colder , which means we have a little more frost than Pretoria. I am in Kempton Park ( you probably landed at Jan Smuts Airport - now Johannesburg International). Well the airport is actually in Kempton Park. We get some light frosts in Winter. Other areas of the East Rand ( now called Ekurhuleni Metro) get heavier frosts. Its quite strange , our immediate neighbouring town gets severe frosts , which we fortunatly escape. But then even Pretoria has differences in climate , over the hills in the Northern areas ( formerly called Acasia area ) the climate verges on subtropical , while the Southern areas are more typically Highveld climatic areas.
Where I stay we have a summer average of about 28 degrees C but it can go up to about 31 degrees at times during the day and night time average of 16 to 18 . Winter day temps are comfortable with an average of 21 to 23 maybe dropping to the mid teens a few times a year. Nights rarely drop to below minus 3 to 4.
We can grow quite a lot of the tropicals that that are a little frost tender , especially if one has them in a little bit of a sheltered position and most of them tend to survive if they are reasonably larger , established plants. They usually loose some (or all) leaves in winter but soon recover in spring.
By the way I am interested in hearing what Americans have in their gardens , have seen your site and have an idea what you grow but would like to hear from others. Probably a bit off topic for this forum but whose counting.

Well since you ask

The property is 1 acre or about 4000+sq.m and is located on a low hill top in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Temp is max 40C, min (-15)C, but averages are fairly mild. Rain is about 1300mm per year, mostly falling October to April. Summer is mostly dry and very humid. This is a full temperate climate but because of its mildness it is a transition area from the subtropical to the temperate for many plants such as Hedychium ginger and Brugmansia (root hardy) while still being able to grow Paeonia and all the Spring bulbs like Narcissus, Crocus, etc.

My gardening goal has been to design a collectors garden with areas for traditional plants and special beds for speciment plants. ThereÂs very little in terms of decoration or accoutrements. There are 30 beds totalling a little under 1000 sq.m. This includes about 100 trees (mostly Platanus (sycamore), Poplar and Pine plus understory trees such as Cercis canadensis, Cornus species and specimens of Japanese maple and small evergreens). Another 100 or so shrubs grace the beds including Choysia, Hydrangea, Rosa species, Kerria, Beautyberry. Holly, Berberis, Forsythia, Itea, Camellia species, Aucuba, Pieris, and on and on. Most of the beds combine Shrubs with herbacious perennials, bulbs, succulents, terrestrial orchids, wildflowers and some annuals to cover holes of plants that donÂt make it.

The herbaceous plants number about 3000 plants, about 1000 taxa. Some of my favorites are Mums, Daylilies, Irises (over 30 types), Liliums (over 30 types), Salvias, Agaves, kniphofias, Crocosmia, Dianthus, Silene, Phlox, Helenium, curcumas, canna, zantedischia, Hibiscus species, Datura, Brugmansia, Tricyrtis, Claytonia, Armeria, and on and on. Bulbwise my newest love is the amaryllids which I am exploring with gusto. Right now I am studying the South African and South American ones. The North American Zephyranthes spp are also a source of great pleasure and frustration as some rotted this winter.

Three of the beds are large (100 sq. m) rock gardens of the scree persuasion. These are being actively developed right now as you can see in the posted pics from last Fall. Since that time 4 woodland rock/wildflower beds were installed and planted with tiny things like Primula, Gentiana, Cymbidium, Hostas, ferns, etc.

All of these was done over the last year and a half by myself working alone with a shovel and a landscapers fork. I am not as young as I used to be (is anyone?) but this has been a great project to involve the kids and develop good stamina.

ThereÂs also several hundred orchids, succulents and bulbs in pots that I care for indoors. Mostly species from Africa, South America and SE Asia plus several dozen Australian plants. These are mostly grown semi-hydroponically using expanded clay pellets and reverse osmosis water with Dyna Gro complete food in very low continous doses.

I hate weeding and watering in Summer but absolutely love taking early walks and smelling the many fragrant things. On any one day one doesnÂt know what will be in bloom, or what rotted after the last storm. But it is always changing and challenging and that is why IÂll probably garden till I die.

Longwinded but hell, I got inspiredÂ

RJ

Forgot to mention. Most of the plants came from a lot of scrounging, seeds, trades and plain old buying. It's become a real art form to procure things, and a great deal of fun!

Garrick, the kiepersol seeds are Cussonia paniculata and were collected near Potchefstroom. I believe Potch gets pretty cold, doesn't it? Would guess winter minimums to be about 2 or 3 degrees Celsius below freezing. Am I guessing right? My plan is to have the kiepersol grow outside in my garden here in S.W. Oregon (USDA Zone 7). Delina

Yes. Potch can get quite cold . I think the Kiepersol will be ok in a USDA Zone 7 area. You may think of giving it a little protection for the first 2 years though. Frost sometimes scourches some or all of its leaves but they regrow leaves in spring. The paniculata is a slower growing variety than the spicata and also does not grow as large. Its leaves are a more greyish shade than the greener spicata. Good luck. Garrick

Well, I am now stuck in Texas and have tried to grow a few of our plants but oh boy! All it took was one of these rotten winters to kill the lot. I so want a Strelitzia again and am researching how to get it to survive, other than moving it indoors.

We are so blessed living in SA and have an incredible diversity of plants. It takes living in another country where everything vreks - in summer as well as winter - to really appreciate home.

SowthEfrikan
Sorry that everything vreks (dies) out there. I'm in KwaZulu-Natal's midlands area where we do ge frost, but not to severely. My strelitzias are flowering at the moment - awesome.
The clivias (which grow wild in our area) are about to flower - I can't wait. I also have a couple of Arum Lilies, cycads, and a beatiful treefern.
SAVeg

SowthEfrikan
I, too, come from South Africa and am gardening with quite a number of my old favorites ... just had to be practical and not expect the subtropical plants to survive winters with hard freezes.
Don't get discouraged ... in my container garden where it dropped to as cold as 14 degrees F last winter, the following all did fine: crocosmia, watsonia, nerinas, sparaxis, ixia, babiana, amaryllis belladonna, agapanthus, cape fuchsia, and cape honeysuckle. Not sure i got them all listed, but it gives you an idea.
You could always grow a Clivia as an indoor plant ... just embrace where you are, and surround yourself with the S.A. plants that will flourish in your new climate instead of pining for the ones that won't ... I tried to grow proteas, for instance, and they grew nicely for 4 years until a hard freeze killed them off in one night. Heartbroken, but I realize it was an exercise in futility. Now I accept my parameters and am content. Groete vanuit suidwestelike Oregon van iemand wat in Durban en Port Elizabeth tuingemaak het ... ja, 'n wonderlike klimaat vir 'n tuinier. Delina

Where do I begin??? Polygalas, crotolarias, freylinia, orthosiphon, anisodeontea (a bit too rampant) buddleja, hypericum, pavonia, indigofera, bauhinia natalensis, rothmannia globosa, dietes (both bicolor & grandiflora), euryops, osteospermum, plumbago, tecomaria as well as umpteen ground covers and aloes. Halleria Lucida, ... the list goes on, and on. What an absolute joy! I also have an indigenous Bug weed!!! bright red berries which the birds love

In Krugersdorp, West of Johannesburg. The trees are all less than 3 years old (except where stated). I have too many to list but interesting ones are listed. Go to www.plantzafrica.com to see some of these.

Trees/Shrubs:
1. Rhus lancea Karee- 10 m - in full fruit birds everywhere
2. Rhus pendulina White Karee in flower
3. Olea europaea ssp. africana Wild Olive - buds forming
4. Peltophorum africanum Weeping Wattle growing fast 1m in 5. Rhamnus pruinoides Dogwood finished fruiting have sown and germinated its seeds
6. Buddleja salvifolia finished flowering have collected seed
7. Gomphostigma virgatum River Star/Otter Bush in full flower at my pond.
Bulbs
1. Crinum bulbispermum River lily flowering and fruit developing on some flower stems.
2. Scadoxus puniceus Paintbrush lily/Snake lily just finished flowering
3. Crinum graminicola near my pond leaves have emerged
4. Eucoma sp. Pineapple flower leaves have emerged
5. Hypoxis sp Yellow star/wild potatoe in flower

Herbaceous plants
1. Geranium incanum carpet geranium - in full flower
2. Gazania krebsiana - full flower
3. Diascia integerrima twinspur - in full flower easy to propgate from cuttings
4. Scabiosa columbarae Wild scabiosa in full flower easy from cuttings

Grasses
1. Melinis repens Natal red-top in flower
2. Setaria sp
3. Panicum maximum
4. Eragrostis sp in flower
I have a natural-looking pond with a small wetland filled with reeds. I have some common tilapia in the pond to control mosquito larvae. Around the pond I have wild grasses and an almost prairie area with wild flowers. In the other side of my garden I have a forest area which I am establishing under an exotic helicopter tree Tipuana tipu and a karee Rhus lancea. I have planted the forest bell Mackhaya bella (very easy from cuttings), wild peach Kiggelaria africana, various Plectranthus sp, Scadoxus puniceus, Clivia miniata, Asparagys plumosus Asaparagus fern, Setaria megaphylla broad-leaved bristle grass amongst others. I am still working on the rest of the garden (about 2000 square meters).

Will keep you all updated!
Charles

I like the sound of your garden Charles I like it very much.This question posted is very difficult to answere,it would take entire volumes and lists like you wouldnt want to read,not to mention what the birds bring in by way of seed.But I like it any-way.
My "garden" is a small farm almost completely indiginous,bar 1or2 original classic homestead exotics of the region like the "flamboyant " which I have innoculated with a "ficus natalensis" as a strangler.
A nice quick answere would be to start with the palms,I have, here follows the grand list....

a) Phoenix reclinata.One ancient clump of 20odd crowns,and many self seeded clumps of only a few trunks.Plus many seedlings I have established along the boundry fence at the back of the house.Very easy to grow,and very fast.
b) Hyphaene natalensis.A few scrapy looking ones in the grass land,keep getting burnt but survive and flourish on and off.Plus a few fenced off seedlings I grew from seed.
c)Raphia Australis.Many planted in the swamp land some already quite impressive others still seedlings.Scale insects a problem.But easy to establish, planted above water line.

My favorites are the acacia,but so many to mention.Perhapse Sieberiana an all round favorite.
Im getting home sick just at the thought.Only thirty eight sleeps to go ...........
J-C

I've been enjoying this (slowly) developing thread. Any others? Thanks for all the contributors -- it's a great way for us non-africans to learn about your plants. RJ

Hi there. I am a total newcomer to this group and to gardening as well. I am a South African now living in the Southern Coastal Bend of Texas. I am not sure which plants are indigenous and which are not, but my dad was an avid gardener and I did so enjoy the plants in his garden. I keep comparing what grew in the suburbs of Johannesburg and what grows here and have come up with:

Plenty Oleander, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Roses of course ( although I am beginning to understand that growing roses in this area is a big challenge due to black spot and powdery mildew... I am learning!) I also see Cannas and Strelitzias. Magnolias of course (my Dad's tree grew to about 45 feet) and I spotted a flowering Jacaranda in the garden of a home nearby! I did not know that the Jacaranda originated in South America! Pretoria, a city about half an hour's drive away from Johannesburg, is called "Jacaranda City"! It has fantastic displays of Jacarandas in late spring/summer.

I have also seen Brunsfelsia (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow). My eye is becoming more attuned and I am thirsting to find out more about gardening and particularly attracting hummingbirds and butterflies (so far all I've attracted is bunches of white fuzzy caterpillars which completely stripped a Coral Trumpet Honeysuckle which I bought for the hummers!) Any advice on non-poisonous bug removers? Johannesburg has gorgeous big trees, and so many names I don't know, but I miss those kind of trees here in the Coastal Bend! Well, I am homesick in general. I hope this post is not way too late after the original questions. I want to learn more!

Hi soolin

Welcome! I live in Krugersdorp, sort of on the border bewteen Roodepoort and Krugersdorp on a hill at the back of the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (used to be the Witwatersrand BG). If you are homesick for SA vegetation (do karee, suikerbos, rooigras, haak-en-steek, wag 'n bietjie, knoppiesdoring ring a bell?) then this is the right place. Also check out www.plantzafrica.com for more info on gardening with SA plants and www.sana.co.za for info on gardening in general.

The only plant indigenous to SA that you mention in your post is Strelitzia. Strelitzia nicolai is the large one that looks like a banana tree. Strelitzia reginae is the famous crane flower. If Strelitzia nicolai does well in your area then then you should look at growing stuff from Kwazulu-Natal and the Lowveld with your high humidity and temperatures. There are some nice books on plants from these areas available from the National Botanical Institute at www.nbi.ac.za.

Some weather news from SA. Winter has set in. It has snowed on the mountains all over SA. Here in Johannesburg the temps for today are minimum -1 degree C (30.2 degrees F) and maximum 13 degrees C (55.4 degrees F). We have frost on our lawn every morning. It is very sunny though, which is a blessing.

The following are flowering in my garden and around JHB:

The veld aloe Aloe greatheadii subs davyana
Krantz aloe Aloe arborescens.
Red hot poker Kniphofia sp.
Succulents such as Crassula sp, Kalanchoe sp.
Gazania krebsiana.
Wild Scabiosa Scabiosa africana.
White arum lily Zantedischia aethiopica
Bush Lily Clivia miniata (although unseasonal)
Geranium or Malva Pelargonium sp.
Confetti bush Coleonema album
River star Gomphostigma virgatum (flowering non-stop since spring)
Snapdragon Nemesia fruiticans
Bloubitou Osteospermum sp.
Namaqualand or African daisy Dimorphotheca sinuata.
Twinspurs or horintjies Diascia integerrima
Wild orchid Dietes grandiflora

Please don't hesitate to ask if you need help. There are some knowledgable people on this forum.

My garden (which I haven't seen in two years!) is located in a town called Barrydale in the Western Cape. Its in the winter rainfall region which means plants like proteas, leucospermums, ericas, etc. all do particularly well. But I've personally always preferred planting and growing indigenous trees especially because they're few and far between in this area. I've gone for an oasis style garden, I moved here 8 years ago from Cape Town and immediately ripped out most of the exotics (except a Jacaranda and Pepper tree) and the plants are finally starting to look established.

Trees:

Celtis africana (White Stinkwood)
Podocarpus falcatus (Outeniqua yellowood)
Strelitza nicolai (Natal banana)
Schotia brachypetala (Weeping boerboon)
Halleria lucida (Tree fuschia)
Bolusanthus speciosus (Tree wisteria)
Dombeya rotundifolia (Wild pear)
Virgillia oroboides (Keurboom)
Olea europaea spp. africana (Wild olive)
Buddleia salvifolia (Sagewood)
Harpephyllum caffrum (Wild plum)
3 Acacia spp. (karoo, sieberiana and xanthophloea)
Dovyalis caffra (Wild Apricot)

I also have a mixed hedge comprising Tecomaria capensis, Plumbago auriculata, Carissa macrocarpa, Bauhinia galpinii and Barleria obtusa. Full of colour almost year round and very attractive to all sorts of wildlife. I have future plans for a rock garden with various aloe and succulent species and am interested in the idea of a pond or stream water feature with accompanying bog garden.

Now that we've added non-indigenous gardeners and as no one else has posted from the Western Cape's North American analog I guess I will :-).

I garden on a 1/4 acre lot (quite large by local standards) about 50 miles wnw of Los Angeles, CA. I'm on a coastal plain with generally pleasant temps year-round (summer= 24/15; winter= 18/7) we don't often see temps above 30 or below 2. I grow one or more SA representatives of the following genera in a bed that receives no summer irrigation: Nerine, Aloe, Sparaxis, Babiana, Morea (homeria group), freesia, Dymondia, Amaryllis, sansevieria (yeah, but it is from Africa, just not SA), Haworthia, Ledbouria, Euphorbia, Pelargonium, Crassula, Chlorophytum, Melianthus, Agapanthus and Dietes. There are probably one or two more, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head (collector's garden, one or two of everything that could be easily obtained).

I was surprised by how well some of the Eastern Cape species tolerate climate reversal (winter rain/complete summer drought), though one hasn't been tested yet: Chlorophytum.

Ryan

Hello all, I live and work some 40-50 miles west of Ryan in a similar, perhaps more maritime microclimate. My landscape management company has recently installed special Mediterranean floristic gardens on part of 12 acres that we formerly landscaped mostly with a mix of plants adapted to this region. (In addition, we farm about 5 acres of organic vegetables and fruit trees.) So, about a year ago I began researching and collecting plants native to South Africa, Australia, European/African Mediterrean, Chile, and California.

To date we've installed a California Chaparral, Coastal Live Oak Woodland (with existing trees), and Riparian Habitat. In final stages is the conversion of perennial borders to the Euro-N.Afr. Mediterranean border with an overstory of European olive trees. As part of this planting we've included "islands" of bulbs/corms native to that part of the world.

The Australia Woodland was completed in late November on nearly one acre already with an overstory of Eucalyptus species.Included are some 90 species/cultivars, some of which are technically New Zealanders. In California we are blessed with a number of wholesale nurseries carrying substantial numbers of Australian cultivars and experience in their culture. In addition, there are specialty growers offering in season more rarer specimens.

By year's end we've mostly planted the area set aside for South African flora, some 4000 sq. feet. I feel less confident about this assemblage and its management. Our soils tend to be very basic (pH 7.8) and rather heavy textured in part on the site. Our irrigation water ranges around pH 7.10. South African and Australian species evolved on acid sands of low fertility with exceptional drainage and often with an intolerance of summer watering. So, I think of this block as a testing ground.

We established bulb/corm plantings bordering pathways and have planted the more sensitive proteaceae along small ridges in mostly sandier soils. We followed advice from an old hand and have applied copious woody mulch over the area. We lost a couple of plants within a week of installation, but others seem to be surviving, even thriving even after receiving over 20 inches of rainfall since Christmas.

When I've a bit more time I'll list the more than 50 S.Afr. species/cultivars planted thus far. Elsewhere on the property are others long part of our plantings.

As a landscaper, I'm a bit embarrassed by the one-each-of-a-kind approach, but my clients wanted these floristic assembleges complete with signage and learning kiosks (in the future). I've tried to group specimens by size and class and sometimes by special habitat requirements (e.g. shade, summer watering or no supplemental watering.) Come on by in a few years when these special plantings are maturing.

Interesting reading all the posts! I lived in Potch for a short time, and yes, it certainly did get cold there. Living in the Durban area is exactly the same as living here in South Florida. Semi-tropics with all the exquisite plants one can get ones hands on. I'm whistling in the wind with my Strelitzia Regena's here as I believe they may...or may not... ever flower. Trying anyhow. Grew Jacarandas from seed and have quite a few trees doing very well. Though no blooms yet! I miss the proteas which would never survive here!

As a South African living in New York, with a small terrace garden, I grow bad things like old English roses (David Austin), various Lilium (amongst them African Queen!) and clipped boxwood. But I also have a large pot of stunning Crocosmia Lucifer, which have overwintered successfully (outdoors), and I grow several pots of Plectranthus as annuals. They bloom from August through to the first freeze, and reach two and a half feet in a shady spot. In the sun, Helichrysum grows very fast and provides the honey/mustard scent that reminds me so much of long holidays in Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.

I live in Port Alfred on a crest of a old sand dune very old .I dig one spade and it is golden sea sand .We have a three huge Wild fig and a few Milkwood growing in a lower part of the property about 2500m2 I made the fatal mistake when I bought the place to get someone to clear the undergrowth and plant my own choice .NOT A GOOD IDEA very little grew .I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY LET IT DO ITS OWN THING AND JUST MANAGE IT .
The real badies I take out but left the interesting ones .
Most successes have been bulbous plants and Bromeliads I HAVE GOT THEM EVERY WHERE about 35 different GENERA ETC can anyone tell me more about the pregnant fairy or wild onion I HAVE A HUGE CLUMP of them they make a beautiful cool green display What uses etc are they known for I BELIEVE the Sangomas etc use them ?????

I try to include as many Oregon natives as will fit in with the rest of my garden. My primary focus is Iridaceae.
I grow all but four of the South African genra, all of the Australian genra, all but two of the North American genra, and about half of the tropical genra. I'm trying to find seed sources for the others. I also grow every species I can find seed for in Ericaceae, Epacridaceae, and Theaceae.
I grow many flowering trees including several Magnolias, Cornus, Prunus, Cercis, Diospyros, Punica, Hallesia, and Styrax. I grow every Aquilegia I can find seed for. I grow all the aeroids I can find seed for which ar even marginally hardy in Z8. I also grow several species lilies and amarylids.

Oh, this makes me miss home even more *sigh* I so miss the Jacarandas and the bouganvillias, and the proteas and the scented geraniums.

We just recently bought a house in Arkansas which we had to bushhog so I am trying to discover what is a plant and what is not. I am an avid herb gardener, love roses and would kill for a jacaranda tree. I am planning on planting some cannas and as many south african species as I can get away with, as well as old roses/antique roses, herbs and edible flowers as I am more interested in medicinal and culinary gardening. I will also have a fragrance and butterfly/hummingbird section and a 'wild' section too. Quite a lot to squash into a smallish space.

I really do miss home, even though I wasn't born in South Africa, I'm an ex-zimbabwean *smile*, south africa became home for many years.

I realise the last post was a year ago - but what the heck...
Just recently half-finished a major renovation of an old house (circa 1934) in Observatory, Johannesburg, and am now starting to get stuck into the landscaping. This is my third garden of sizeable proportions in the area - except that this time I decided to wipe the slate clean. Oh boy. Got the tree fellers in and ripped out all the old fruit trees, a very old Loquot and a couple of Australian Black Wattles (fiendish water thirsty weeds - good riddance)
Anyhow - the terrain is terraced (located on the south side of the koppie) - but not too steep - so the ground is pretty well drained. Soil needs a lot of conditioning as it is mostly shale.

Right now I've levelled the terrace closest to the house and in so doing got rid of most of the kikuyu lawn - easier said than done - noxious beast!!!!

The big plan is to plant up an entire Highveld-like Savannah. But with a formal twist! And so to that end I've planted 9 Combretum Erythrophyllum trees like little soldiers and underplanted these with Sanseverias, asparagus, aloes (on the north side of the trees) - A. Chaubaudii/A. Forsteri + stunning new A. hybrids, Helichrysum Petiolare, Dierama Pendula, Grass aloes, crassulas, and GRASSES - oh several varieties - I cannot remember them all. One thing we in Johannesburg see a lot of is grasses - and I think that's why we don't pay too much attention. Pity we cannot buy most of these stunning varieties in the nurseries - but right now with the move towards indigenous landscaping, I feel it's about to change. Some of the large estate developments are showing the way with stunning results.

Anyway - I'm grass hunting this Saturday, I've got access to a few lots past Fourways where I'll be digging up those yummy specimens for relocation to my backyard...... Piet Oudolf, eat your heart out!!!! Ha, I even rescued some beautiful grasses (it's now winter - so dried out and dormant!) off the top of a compost heap at my favourite indigenous nursery (with their permission of course) - yep - I think I'm totally hooked on grass. ha ha ha.

Oh, and in-between the savannah I'm planning gravel footpaths and formal squares of different hedges, each at differing heights, to tame the wild and stand as silent sentinels of the bushveld. The real reason they're there is to pander to my obsession with pruning things - I figured it was better than punching walls - so I cut things. It keeps me calm. And the shrink agrees.

On order is two large Aloe bainsii and 10 Cussonias to guard the pool.

And more grasses.

Chyldeoflight, I am a former resident of Rhodesia and this string has made me homesick too. I was just a kid, but a Rhodesian nurserywoman noted my interest in plants and encouraged me to follow it into the Green Industry. You are right, not alot of your (our) favorites from southern Africa will grow in Arkansas. How are you doing so far? Your climate should be pretty similar to Safariofthemind's, who started this string.
I miss the glorious Jacarandas of a Salisbury September
most of all, though they are indigenous to Brazil. The closest thing you could grow in Arkansas is Princess Tree,
Paulownia tomentosa, an escape introduced from China. The leaves and the canopy-shape have no similarity, but the blooms are very similar. Most consider it a weedy tree, but well-trained up from a sapling it can be beautiful. Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania has a beautiful well-trained alle of them. But it will seed a forest if you let it. Joanmary_z10, your Jacaranda will bloom much better if you starve it of water, turn off the irrigation to it, etc, in the winter and make it defoliate. It seems to bloom better no leaves, after a dry winter.
I think Gloriosa Lilies may well return year after year in Arkansas if well placed and well drained. Same with Agapanthus. I saw beautiful Agapanthus in the ground in East Tennesse, in a planting at a low-cost hotel, surrounded by gravel, beside the parking lot. I suspect neglect was its best friend. Adenium obesum multiflorum, the Sabi Star, was my Mother's favorite in the Rhodesian Lowveld. It is certainly worth growing in a pot and kept in the garage over winter. Lycoris radiata (native to Japan) should grow in Arkansas. It reminds me of the Blood Lily that grows on the cliffs enjoying the "scenes so lovely ... gazed upon by angels in their flight." You know where I mean. I gotta stop. I'm waxing poetic.

I just want to say how much I have enjoyed reading this thread in anticipation of my first trip to South Africa this coming October. Over the last few years I've gotten excited about seeing the South African natives in their own chosen places. After observing them and their surroundings i hope to be successful in adding more of them to my own garden. jwww

Just to revive:

I live in Durban (Westville) on the Palmiet river. Youll be lucky to find anything but weeds along the river let along indigneous trees and shrubs! To be honest many of the indigneous plants that many of you like (Fynbos/highveld) plants just dont do well here. I prefer tropical plants so its suits me fine. An indigneous tree that ALL gardeners should have is Anthoclister grandiflora.
It may well tolerate a fair degree of cold.

Cycads are a must.

I love my Anthuriums, Bromeliads, Crotons, Phylos etc.

CHeers

Dennis

Dennis....I understand why you like the Anthocleister grandiflora "Cabbage Tree". I am curious about its hardiness. I saw it growing at fairly high altitude in the Drakensberg and yet see it listed as tender. What do you think about its frost tolerance? Judy WWW

Hi Judy

A.grandiflora comes the far Northern areas of SA and is without doubt a temder tree, it may come back after a freeze though I dont have first hand experience. Are you perhaps thinking of Cussonia? A.grandifloras common name is the forest fever tree. See pic below from my garden.

Dennis....You are right. I was just paying attention to the common names. When I looked up A.grandifloras in one of my books it was called cabbage tree and I recalled what had been pointed out to me as "cabbage tree" and yes it was Cussonia (either paniculata or sphaerocephala) and without a photo I didn't realize my error. Your A.grandifloras is gorgeous and I do recall admiring those in some of the botanical gardens. I've done a little more checking and find that the cussonias may withstand light frosts. I may try to grow C.paniculata in a pot and pull it into my cool greenhouse (which is getting crowded) when temps drop below freezing. JudyW

Hi Judy

Yes Cussonia grow in cold places here in SA. I live in Durban so I am not too familiar with growing Cussonias and how much cold they will take. I have two in my garden that were here already and I have left them. I will get a few pics and post!

Enjoy the nice warm weather.

Neo

I enjoyed this thread tremendously -- and in my mind's eye was picturing all of your gardens. would more of you post pictures? I'd love to take a peek into your gardens.

j.