Gardeners shouldn’t miss this talk
THE season of renewal is a busy, happy time for gardeners but if you need a little inspiration to start your spring gardening projects,visit Crocworld Conservation Centre near Scottburgh.
For a start, you can find out all about indigenous plants by booking for the talk by Professor Ben-Erik van Wyk at the centre on September 13. This is one of the interesting monthly talks on environmental matters. Prof van Wyk, a renowned botanist, will present a talk entitled ‘The Uses Of Indigenous Plants’.
He will highlight all the creative and surprising ways in which indigenous plants are used in South Africa, particularly focusing on the relationship between indigenous plant species and traditional cultures. Today, traditional culture is increasingly giving way to urban living and South African people are becoming further removed from nature. Professor van Wyk’s talk offers an opportunity to learn about the historical relationship between humans and plants before it is forgotten completely. The talk will serve as a review of this relationship, highlighting South Africa’s importance not only as a centre of botanical diversity, but also as the home of the Khoi and San people, genetically proved to be the most ancient of all human lineages.
Professor van Wyk has taught as a professor of botany at the University of Johannesburg since 1990. He also serves on a variety of prestigious boards, including in the capacity of chairman for the Indigenous Plant Use Forum. Over the course of his career, he has conducted extensive research on all aspects of indigenous gardening, from medicinal plants to the classification of individual species. The results of his research have been published many times, in 19 books and over 300 scientific research papers.
In recognition of his expertise and his contribution to botanical research, he was awarded the Havenga Prize for Biology in 2006, the Silver Medal of the South African Association of Botanists in 2007, and the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for the top researcher at the University of Johannesburg in 2009. Most recently, Professor van Wyk has been dedicating his time to a project whose aim is to record and conserve traditional knowledge of useful indigenous plants.
Guests who attend the talk should be at Crocworld Conservation Centre by 8.30am, in time for registration. Prof van Wyk will speak from 9am to 10am, after which there will be a question and answer session followed by tea, coffee and scones. Tickets for the talk will be priced at R70 per adult, with a concession price of R30 for pensioners, scholars and students. Booking is essential. Contact Nolean Allun at 039 976 1103 or 083 654 9651.
Another source of spring gardening inspiration is the centre’s new Izinyoni Nursery, which offers good advice and top quality plants and shrubs. The nursery, which opened its doors at the end of last year, enjoys the input of professional landscaper Elsa Pooley and propagation specialist Doug Cooke. It is run by Gareth Hampson of Crookes Brothers Ltd and its particular focus is on indigenous gardening.
As well as offering gardeners advice on readying their gardens for spring, Izinyoni Nursery is able to help them to choose the best water-wise and hardy indigenous plants to meet their specific needs.
Izinyoni nursery staff are also offering gardeners plenty of tips on ‘spring cleaning’ their gardens.
“You’ll want to get to grips with any weeds that have strayed into your borders or onto your lawn as soon as the first rains come, when the ground will be moist enough to remove them easily. This is also the time for deadheading plants to encourage new growth and for pruning and trimming trees and shrubs. The cuts will heal more quickly in the final weeks of cool weather than they will in the heat.
“Remove any annual plants that have run their course, making way for the planting of new ones. Give your borders a good tidy and make sure to clean up all the off cuts and trimming,” said a spokesman for the nursery.
She pointed out that, once that was done, September would be the time for planting, staking and feeding .
“Consider enriching the topsoil in your garden with mulch and compost. Rainfall and watering can be responsible for washing away many of the nutrients in the top layer of soil. Coastal gardens tend to suffer from soil that is too acidic, so prepare flower beds with lime and super phosphate,” she said.
Nursery staff would love to help gardeners choose the best plants for their gardens and to give them plenty of advice on how best to use them. The nursery is at the entrance to the Crocworld Conservation Centre and is open Monday to Sunday from 8am to 4.30pm.
