Seeds of friendship help bloom a new chapter

AN unlikely friendship and a shared love for plants – the story that ended up on the pages of the Berea Mail two weeks ago – is a tale that André Van der Walt, once known as a homeless man, and Caitlin Simmons may tell for years to come. The Berea Mail wrote about a homeless man who voluntarily went around brightening the streets of Glenwood with his green fingers and with the help of plant donations.

The story’s wide circulation on social media caused it to be noticed by the Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc), KZN Coastal Branch, as they reached out to honour the man who had taken it upon himself to spread their message of nature conservation.

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On February 9, the BotSoc met with Van der Walt, accompanied by Caitlin Simmons, who was the first person to donate succulents to him, and also wrote about him on Facebook. What followed was her family, friends and some of the community members from Glenwood gifted him with a book called Bring Nature Back to Your Garden by Charles and Julia Botha.

“Thank you for what you have done with this place, André – looking at what you have done now, it’s absolutely mind-blowing that you had no prior experience or knowledge on how to work or handle succulents. We, as the BotSoc, want to thank you for spreading our vision and for understanding the importance of such species of plants. With this book, we hope that you will learn even more on what succulents are and their importance and also familiarise yourself with the different types there are,” said Suvarna Parbhoo, chairperson of the Botanical Society, KZN Coastal Branch.

Van der Walt, who couldn’t believe that all the people at his favourite coffee shop, the Coffee Tree, were there to honour him, said he was very thankful that people had taken the time to meet with him and see his work.

“I am really happy, and this, for me, means everything. I just want to continue doing what I am doing, one island at a time. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and who continue to support what I do,” said Van der Walt.

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While many things have come out of the story, the best news is that Van der Walt is no longer a homeless man – he now rents out a flat, also in Glenwood, thanks to the people who have hired him to man their gardens and to look after their houses as a security guard – and to the owners of Coffee Tree. The BotSoc representatives said they would love to take Van der Walt to attend one of their seminars as he is now an honorary member of their society.

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