Shelter From The Sun

i n di g e n o u s g a rd e ning Grassy fynbos slope with rabbit’s ears, Oldenburgia grandis.

ABOVE: Create a shady refuge. Plectranthus ambiguus plants in The Dell at Kirstenbosch. Photo: A. Notten.

Shelter from the sun

Create a shady refuge in your garden with a selection of small trees and shade plants from the Kirstenbosch Garden Fair by Alice Notten, Kirstenbosch

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ardening in a small garden does not rule out trees, it merely narrows your choices and requires more thought regarding which tree to choose and where to place it. Trees have many desirable characteristics, such as casting shade, screening unsightly things, buffering the wind, giving privacy, attracting birds as well as cleaning the air, cooling the house, reducing run-off from rain and sequestering carbon. Nevertheless, the wrong tree in the wrong place could create decades of trouble, and be costly to remove. So take your time and select the best tree for yourself. When choosing a tree for a small garden, first make sure your garden can accommodate one. You will need an area that allows the tree to spread 3-5 m in all directions – depending on the tree you choose. It is best not to plant near drains or too near the house because the roots may cause damage. And when planting near the edge of your property, remember to consider your neighbours. Make a list of the trees that will grow up to 6 m tall, and not taller than 10 m. Some indigenous forest trees can also be considered because they are very slow growing, and although they may reach 20 m in their native forests, they probably won’t exceed 6 m out in the open in a relatively short time. Pick out the trees that suit your conditions, (e.g. sandy soil, coastal conditions). Consult the catalogue that will be on sale at the Garden

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Fair for useful lists of plants suited to various conditions. Take note of their characteristics and eliminate those that don’t fit your requirements. A tree with a spreading crown makes a good shade tree but may need a bit more space, whereas a tree with a narrow, columnar or pyramidal crown won’t need as much space but could get quite tall. A tree that produces fleshy berries is not a good choice to plant near the pool, paving or a deck, as the fruits make a mess, clog up the filter, and can stain and make the ground slippery. Trees with thorns or sharp

spines are useful for a barrier hedge but not suitable for children and could make the area around it a no-go area for bare feet. Flowering trees are a bonus, especially if you have space for only one tree; they make excellent accents and give added interest over many months of the year. Take a look at the bark as well, some trees have coloured or textured bark that adds interest to the garden. Have a look at live specimens or photographs of the trees on your shortlist, and choose the one that you most like the look of. It will be with you for many years, so choose carefully.

KIRSTENBOSCH GARDEN FAIR & PLANT SALE 14/15 MARCH 2009 09h00 – 16h00

VENUE: Stone Cottages opposite the main entrance to Kirstenbosch.

Blisterleaf Knowltonia vesicatoria. Photo: A. Notten.

Enquiries: Tel 021 671 5468 Fax 021 671 7146 Email [email protected]

Small trees for small gardens The coastal camphor bush Tarchonanthus littoralis (until recently this was known as T. camphoratus) occurs from the Cape Peninsula, along the coast to KwaZulu-Natal. It forms a small, shapely tree to 5 m. It has strongly aromatic, leathery leaves with dark green upper surfaces and white-grey undersides. Creamcoloured flower heads are borne in abundance in mid to late summer. Male and female flowers are carried on different trees. After flowering, the female flower heads develop white, cottonwoolly balls, each holding a seed. These white fruiting inflorescences are very showy against the dark green foliage and remain decorative for many months. The coastal camphor bush thrives in windy, coastal conditions, through drought and in poor, sandy soils, making it ideal for coastal and Cape Flats gardens. The Cape saffron Cassine peragua is a small to medium-sized tree, usually only 2-5 m tall but occasionally reaching 12 m in wellwatered, protected situations. It has clusters of fragrant white flowers in late summer to winter, followed by an abundance of green turning reddish-purple, fleshy berries – which attract the birds but will also stain paving. The main attraction of the Cape saffron is its saffron-yellow trunk and its shapely crooked habit. A grove of them in a forest garden make a lovely feature. The pompon tree, Dais cotinifolia is a beautiful flowering tree, and ideal for small gardens. It forms a shapely, rounded, densely leafy crown and is usually 3 or 4 m and rarely up to 6 m. It reaches a decent size quickly, and is pretty tough although it does need some protection from the wind and some watering during summer to thrive in the Western Cape. Around Christmas it transforms into a cloud of soft pink balls. The lavender tree Heteropyxis natalensis is a neat, slender tree 5-7 m tall with graceful, drooping foliage, pale grey bark and fragrant, creamy yellow flower heads in summer. The leaves are an attractive, shiny fresh green and strongly aromatic when crushed. In autumn they develop into a rich red colour. This tree is relatively quick and easy to grow, but in the Western Cape it needs rich, well-composted soil, water in summer and some protection from the Southeaster wind. The leaves of the lavender tree can be brewed into a fragrant medicinal tea that eases heartburn and colic, or can be used as a wash to lightly perfume the skin. The box-leaf phylica, Phylica buxifolia is most often a large shrub, but it can be trained to form a very attractive small tree, to 3 m, with a dense rounded crown. It is very wind resistant and tolerates summer drought, and is also a good choice for fynbos gardens. In autumn to early winter it is covered with masses of fragrant white flowers, which are very long

TOP: The coastal camphor bush Tarchonanthus littoralis female tree in fruit. LEFT: The lavender tree Heteropyxis natalensis has fragrant leaves. ABOVE: The fragrant flowers of the Cape saffron Cassine peragua. BELOW: The pompon tree Dais cotinifolia. Photos: A. Notten.

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lasting in the vase. The box-leaf phylica is also an effective screening or hedge plant. The wild pepper tree, Loxostylis alata is a compact, well-shaped tree 4-6 m tall with decorative foliage. Young growth is tinged with red. It is drought tolerant and can be grown successfully in many different soils. The wild pepper flowers in summer, and male and female flowers occur on separate trees. The male flowers are white, fragrant and borne in masses. The female flowers are greenish white, and soon after flowering the sepals enlarge and turn a very attractive pink-red. Both put on quite a show. The bladder-nut Diospyros whyteana is a neat, small tree, 3-7 m tall, often multistemmed, with a dense rounded crown of strikingly glossy, dark green leaves. Small, fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers appear in spring, followed by curious inflated, balloonlike capsules that enclose the fruits. It is the perfect small tree for fynbos gardens, and thrives in sun or semi-shade. It is a good screening or clipped-hedge plant, and a good container and bonsai subject. Gardening in the shade Having created a cool, shady haven in your garden with appropriate small trees, finish it off with some colourful and interesting indigenous plants that thrive in shade or semishade. Shade-loving plants come from the forests and to get the best out of them, try to mimic forest conditions. Spread lots of wellrotted compost and leaf mould at least every spring and autumn, plant them where they are protected from the midday sun and strong winds, and water regularly. Choose from a wide variety of groundcovers and forest-floor plants, foliage plants, eyecatching accent plants, shade-loving bulbs, and middle- and under-storey shrubs and small trees. One of the best groundcovers for shade is Plectranthus, also known as spurflower. There are many different species and cultivars, all quick and easy to grow, providing decorative foliage and autumn flowers in shades of purple, blue, pink, lilac and white. Look out for the striking silverleaf spurflower, Plectranthus oertendahlii, with its exquisite silver variegated foliage. This spurflower forms small clumps, 50-200 mm high, and has spikes of small, white flowers in autumn. Grow it in well-composted, loamy, well-drained soil and give it regular water, but be careful not to over-water. It needs full shade, and too much light will cause the leaves to lose their silver markings and turn yellow. It grows very well amongst Clivia miniata, Streptocarpus and Veltheimia bracteata. The silverleaf spurflower also makes a lovely pot plant, which can be grown indoors. Streptocarpus, also known as Cape primrose, is a low-growing, clump-forming, stemless 28

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TOP: The wild pepper tree Loxostylis alata. ABOVE: The glossy leaves of the bladder-nut Diospyros whyteana. RIGHT: Silverleaf spurflower Plectranthus oertendahlii. Photos: A. Notten. perennial herb with showy, trumpet-shaped, mauve, purple, blue, violet or white flowers. They are the ideal plants to bring colour to damp, shady, sheltered areas. There are many different ones to choose from. Try Streptocarpus cyaneus with its beautiful dark purple summer flowers. It makes a good bedding plant or pot plant and can be grown indoors. There are many shade-loving bulbs to bring a splash of colour to a shady spot. Plan for seasonal colour – choose the bush lily Clivia miniata for its orange or yellow flowers in spring. For early summer, go for the white

RIGHT: Cape primrose Streptocarpus cyaneus. RIGHT BELOW: Natal lily Crinum moorei. Photos: A. Notten. spikes of the candelabrum lily Albuca nelsonii. In late summer, the Natal lily, Crinum moorei presents its large, pink, fragrant trumpets on long stalks. Its leaves are about 1 m long. It needs full, dappled or semi-shade, as too much sun will burn the leaves and the flowers. It can be planted amongst Plectranthus and Asparagus densiflorus. In winter, choose the forest lily Veltheimia bracteata, for its pink or yellow flower spikes. There are few shade-loving flowering shrubs to match the forest bell bush Mackaya bella with its glossy dark green foliage and large, pale lavender flowers in early summer. It is a large shrub or small tree, 2-3 m tall that does best in a protected spot with fertile, wellcomposted soil and plenty of water in spring and summer. It can be planted in semi-shade or dappled sunlight, and also does well on the south or south-east side of buildings. The large-leaved dragon tree Dracaena aletriformis is a showy foliage plant with symmetrical rosettes of large, strap-shaped leaves crowded towards the top of the stems. It is evergreen and develops into a large shrub or small tree, 2-4 m tall. It requires fertile, compost-enriched soil and shade. The largeleaved dragon tree makes a bold and attractive focal point, as well as an excellent container plant for a shady patio or indoors. The blisterleaf Knowltonia vesicatoria, is one of the few shade-loving fynbos plants. It is a clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial with attractive, leathery, dark green leaves. Pretty, white or yellowish-green flowers are carried above the foliage during spring, followed by shiny purple-black berries. It earned its common name because fresh sap from bruised leaves applied to the skin causes blistering. The Blisterleaf is slow-growing but long-lived, and it is tough and waterwise once established. It can be planted in the shade of bushes in the fynbos garden, or it can join the Plectranthus and Streptocarpus in the shade garden. It is not easy to find plants for sale, so get one while you can. The wild pomegranate Burchellia bubalina, is a neat, ornamental shrub or small tree, 2.5-5 m tall with glossy, dark green foliage and showy heads of scarlet to orange, tubular flowers in early summer. It can be grown in full sun, but does best in semi-shade or shade, and needs rich, compost-enriched soil, protection from strong wind and plenty of water. Its flowers are also popular with nectar-feeding birds like sunbirds. Grow the wild pomegranate in the shade garden, or try it as a small tree.

LEFT: The flowers of the forest bell bush Mackaya bella. BELOW: The large-leaved dragon tree Dracaena aletriformis. BOTTOM: The wild pomegranate Burchellia bubalina. Photos: A. Notten.

READING www.plantzafrica.com, the website for information about plants native to southern Africa. Van Jaarsveld, E. 2000. Wonderful waterwise gardening.Tafelberg, Cape Town.

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