November 2019

I am late with this post as we are already in December. As I write a cold south east wind is blowing. This is normally associated with early spring, but we have had some extremely hot days and summer is definitely here. The spring bloom has faded and we are reliant on summer stalwarts for colour, however looking back November had many stars.

Roses

Early November was a glorious time in the garden. All the rambling roses were at their peak. One of my favourites is an old rambler with clusters of small very double soft pink heavily scented flowers. It is the rose which forms the boundary hedge at the old Boschendal rose garden. I am not sure of the name. I have two big bushes tangled up with a rampageous musk rose and a cerise purple old climbing rose called Russelliana. To be out in the garden in the early morning when the scents of all these roses are heavy in the air is to be in heaven.

There are several musk roses in the garden. Most have large clusters of single white flowers. One has delightful semi double flower. All are scented and most are vigorous growers with particularly vicious thorns making them ideal barrier plants.

November is also when the old Wichurana ramblers such as Dorothy Perkins flower. These roses have small glossy leaves and are common at the Cape surviving in old country hedges. Dolly as we fondly call her has clusters of bright pink flowers and vicious thorns, but no scent. She makes a charming picture growing in the plumbago on the boundary fence. I also have a darker pink red form for Dolly which might be the rose called Excelsa. It makes a huge bush tangled up with a rose which has clusters of single pink flowers with white centres. I grew it from slip gathered on the side of the road near Joubertina in the Eastern Cape

The other very special Wichurana rambler to flower in November is the blue rose, Veilchenblau. I struggle to grow this rose well, but its flowers are a joy every year. I think it likes a little shade

Several years ago I bought two rose bushes from the university Botanical garden in Stellenbosch. Their labels indicated that they had come from seed collected by the previous curator, Wim Tijmens, on a visit to China. Curator of this garden from 1966-1999, he was a great plantsman and I was delighted to give them a home. They have both done exceptionally well surviving with minimal water and make big bushes with smallish pale pink flowers. One is single, the other semi double

Towards the middle of the month the 3 huge bushes of Cécile Brunner or Bloomfield Abundance started flowering. I am not sure which it is as both have tall candlabras of pale pink exquisitely formed small flowers which tower up above the bushes. They were some of my earliest plantings and now they dwarf the plumbago hedge and everything around. They get no water in summer, but are thriving and their pale pinks blooms nodding over the blue hedge are pretty. I seem to have a soft spot for pink and blue combinations which make sophisticated gardeners shudder. What was the old rhyme – “pink and blue will never do, all the boys will wink at you” Well what is wrong with that!

Lastly it would be unfair to leave the roses without singing the praise of Mermaid. She was covered with her big yellow single flowers for about a month. Unlike the other rose mentioned, there will be more flowers as the summer progresses. Mermaid also has vicious spines and grows along the boundary fence surrounded by plumbago.

I was delighted to get her ancestor, Rosa bracteata, two years ago. This is also known as the Macartney rose and has single white flowers with bristly buds/calyxes and shiny foliage. A huge bush used to grow against the wall of the Castle in Cape Town, but last time I looked someone had set fire to it and I am not sure if it survived. This rose is sometimes confused with Rosa laevigata (the Cherokee rose) at the Cape but they are easy to tell apart. The leaves of R. laevigata usually have 3 leaflets, the flowers are bigger and occur very early in Spring, with a few in autumn. Leaves of R. bracteata have 5 or more leaflets, are glossier and it flowers later and on and off all summer. The buds are also bristly and the branches have brownish down.

Trees of November

Without a doubt, November is Jacaranda month. It is not only Pretoria that celebrates this tree, Boland towns also have magnificent specimens, often covered in lilac purple flowers without a leaf to be seen. Our young trees have leaves while in flower and are not yet as spectacular. The sight of the flowers against the clear blue sky is very special, as is the lilac carpet of fallen flowers. These trees are on the invasive aliens list and there are parts of the country where they should not be grown. They are best grown in a courtyard or paved area where you can grow other plants in pots and you can enjoy the carpet of fallen flowers. Very little will thrive in the soil under a Jacaranda.

Another tree which flowers this month is the Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) or Indian bean tree. Despite the common name this tree is native to the south eastern states of the USA. These trees have large pale green hairy leaves and their tubular scented white foxglove-like flowers with maroon speckled interiors come in drooping clusters. They like water and my tree is struggling, but farms nearby have some magnificent specimens. I first saw this tree near Zoo Lake in Johannesburg almost 50 years ago and have always wanted to grow one. It is closely related to the Paulownia with lilac flowers which I tried to grow, but lost.

The Jamboes tree also bears its clusters of creamy white fluffy flowers now. These if we are lucky will grow into tasty rose apples to enjoy at Easter. This tree is a member of the Eugenia family and has glossy leaves which emerge an attractive bronze red. Jamboes used to be common in old Cape gardens, but they are seldom seen now.

Lovely white shrubs.

I have several pretty white shrubs which look great in November. First is Romneya coulteri, a poppy with spectacular big white flowers with yellow centres. Fried egg plant is one of its common names. This is a wandering perennial plant which sends up tall stems (about 2m) of greyish silver leaves. It is tricky to get established and will only grow from root cuttings taken in the middle of winter (June). It comes from California and Mexico and does well in the sandy soils of the Cape, but you need a big space to do it justice as once it gets going it will spread over several metres. From my front veranda I can see it displayed against the purple dodonea, but the real joy is to stand under the plants and look at the sky through their crepe paper like flowers. It is very drought tolerant and gets no summer water.

The carissas are also in flower this month and Carissa edulis in particular has been fabulous. The whole bush was covered in clusters of white flowers emerging from pink buds. The sweet scent is glorious, and I picked a big branch for the vase and enjoyed the fragrance indoors for a week.

Escallonia is also a valuable shrub in the garden. Its evergreen foliage always looks healthy and is a good foil to the plant’s clusters of small waxy pristine white flowers. You do get pink and red colour forms, but I prefer the white. I should prune and shape the plant more to enhance its value.

Lastly is sweetly scented Bauhinia bowkeri. This scrambling shrub comes from the Eastern Cape, but has done exceptionally well here. The white flowers emerge from unusually coloured mink brown buds and cover the big bush for at least a month at this time of the year. It has typical twinned bauhinia leaves which are a fresh green.

Cacti

Early in November we were treated to a spectacular flowering of the red cacti on the succulent beds. These cacti usually sense approaching rain and time their flowering to coincide with the rain. I should try to find out what they are called, but meanwhile we just enjoy them.

One grows as a cluster of tallish columns (about .5m) and has small red flowers that stick all the way up the stems. It flowers off and on all summer as fronts pass.

The other has an increasing clump of dumpy stems covered in prickles from which flower buds emerge. The large brilliant red iridescent double flowers remain open for a few days. These flowers are also triggered by the promise of rain, but the flowering in November was exceptional and the entire clump was covered in blossom.

Lastly I have a pale pink cactus which has similar short stems which make spreading clumps and it only flowers now in spring, but the large single flowers are exquisite, albeit short lived.

Fruit and veg

The veggie garden is dying back in the heat, but we are enjoying the courgettes. These are very rewarding to grow and one has to be vigilant as they can turn into giants overnight. The Lazy housewife beans are also starting to bear. These runner beans do well out here in the Boland and are delicious if picked before they get too old.

I was able to make us a pot of gooseberry jam from my pickings in mid-November. We have also been feasting on Logan berries. These ripened towards the end of the month and are a fleeting treat. The apricots are starting to ripen so more jam making is scheduled. The mouse birds are eating the peaches much to my annoyance. When I first came here there were none of these birds about, but their numbers are increasing.

As we move towards Xmas we are spending more time on the stoep/veranda in the heat of the day doing jigsaw puzzles. We share this with nesting rock pigeons, swifts and sparrows. It is a fairly busy and noisy household.

KSU November 2019

24th February 201925th February 2019

February 2019

Although February is traditionally regarded as the hottest month at the Cape, it doesn’t seem to be the case here at KSU. I think it may have to do with the shape of the mountain ranges to the east and west of us. The mountains to the east are much closer and can delay sunrise by an hour or more, but they taper away to the south, so the midsummer sun in Nov/ Dec rises comparatively early at about 5:30 am. However the range rises steeply to peaks which delay sunrise as we move towards the equinox. The sun in February is now rising well after 7am.

The same occurs on the west. The gap in the mountains formed by Bainskloof is directly opposite the house and this is where the sun sets in midsummer after 8pm. The range rises gently to the north and now sunset is around 7pm. Thus the mountain profiles shorten the hours the sun beats down in February compared to December.

The days and nights nevertheless are still hot and we have had no rain this month except for 3ml on the 2nd Feb. Plants are starting to look stressed and long for autumn rain. The south-easter has also blown almost all month. Although this cools and makes the heat bearable, it also desiccates. The air is often hazy with dust and smoke, but this is a month of plenty harvest-wise.

Figs & Grapes

Farmers around me grow wine grapes and the harvest has started. When I first came to KSU the grapes were harvested by hand, but within the last 5 years all farmers have acquired tall harvesting machines which straddle the rows – great behemoths with big headlights in the sky, scary to meet on the road before daylight. Roads are busy with tractors dragging trailers full of grapes to the co-ops. The trailers tilt to tip out the grapes once the load has been weighed then back race the tractors for another load.

Grapes

My garden has been developed on an old Hanepoot vineyard. Some of the old vines are still in the garden and the grapes ripen towards the end of the month. First to ripen are the tiny black seedy Jacques grapes. Pronounced Yak-kay locally, Jacques was an old rootstock, no longer used. The grapes I look forward to are the Catawba grapes. This is an American grape which has a particular musky flavour, not admired by everyone, but addictive to those who like it. The skins are firm and the flavour only develops when the grapes are completely ripe. When I lived in Cape Town I had a vine which grew amazingly well, but the 3 vines I grew from cuttings and planted on a pergola here struggle a bit. They bear well though and grapes make delicious jelly which is especially nice mixed into plain Greek yoghurt.

Figs

February is fig time. They ripen faster than we can pick them and the mouse birds are having a great time. First to ripen is the little Cape brown fig, a firm little fig which makes a tasty bite. This year the big purple Adam fig starting ripening at almost the same time. These are luscious figs with a deep red centres. Lastly come the tiger figs, with green and yellow stripes these figs are also red inside and are very sweet making them my mom’s favourite fig. The strong winds blew down and broke a big branch this year just as the fruit was ripening.

Figs don’t keep and are best eaten straight off the tree. One of the rewards for watering the garden is making frequent forays to the figs trees for sustaining snacks! I have friends who enjoy fresh figs too so lots get given away. Some get cut up and covered with brown sugar or honey and port and popped in the oven to bake and then enjoyed either warm or cold with Greek yoghurt- a very easy and delicious dessert. Some get made into jam. I find plain fig jam is not always a success and this year I have mixed them with Kei apples to add a bit of acid and pectin and I think the results are yummy. Best of all is sandkorrel konfyt. Mrs Olive Niewoudt of the Cedarberg shared her recipe with me many years ago. This jam is a mixture of fig, hanepoot grapes and watermelon rind. It is tricky to make, but absolutely delicious when you get it right. The famous green fig preserve is made in spring from young green figs, not now in late summer.

Pomegranates and prickly pears

Pomegranates are also ripening now. It is great to see that this ancient fruit is back in fashion. It is one of my favourite trees as you can see from the banner of this site, and I have one growing just off the stoep. In spring the new leaves are a lovely bronze, then come the bright orange flowers and the bright green leaves. It is lovely to watch the beautifully shaped little fruits swell and ripen and then split to reveal the jewel-like red pips. When the chilly nights come the leaves turn yellow before falling and let the sun through to warm us on winter afternoons. I have also planted some pomegranate hedges. We eat the fruits and some years I try making pomegranate molasses, but it takes lots of pips to get a little bottle.

Prickly pears (Opuntia sp.) take me back to my childhood growing up in the Eastern Cape. My father would peel lots and chill them in the fridge for breakfast. It is still the way we enjoy them. When I bought KSU there were several old plants on the boundaries. Some are massive. The tastiest form has yellow flowers, lots of prickles and orange flesh. The one with less prickles has paler fruit which is less tasty. Safely picking and peeling prickly pears is an art to cultivate as the tiny prickly hairs are fiendish.

Pretty barrier plants

Aside from Kei apples (Dovyalis caffra)which I wrote about last month and prickly pears, two other prickly tough plants which can be grown as barrier shrubs are carissas and durantas. Both are long flowering and are still looking good in February.

Amatungula, num-num or Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa) is full of fruit now and still has a few flowers. The fruits are quite tasty and I believe make a good jelly, but I have not tried yet. It is native to the eastern coastal parts of the country and I have been surprised that it grows quite well here but is not as tall as in coastal areas. The large scented single white flowers are followed by bright red, oval fruits about the size of a prune.

Carissa edulis has much smaller black round fruits, and smaller tubular flower which come in clusters like spring jasmine. The shrub has been flowering on and off all summer. The scent is heavenly, the buds and flower tubes are red pink which contrasts beautifully with the starry white flowers. The long spines are vicious. It comes from the bushveld and further north in Africa and does well here.

I have two duranta bushes, but may acquire more as they are tough shrubs requiring very little water when established, real stalwarts for summer. They come from Mexico and South America and are sometimes called golden dewdrops. One of mine has variegated leaves with a silvery gold edging and pale blue flowers. The other is the real beauty with darker violet blue flowers which are edged with white. I think it is the cultivar called Sapphire showers. The flowers are faintly sweetly scented and cover the large shrub all summer. Both shrubs also have golden berries now.

Stars of February

With elegant, pale pink lily like, scented flowers, Crinum moorei has been a treat all month. The flowers remind me of ballerinas in Giselle. Sometimes called the Natal lily, this member of the Amaryllis family has big bulbs and prefers shade. Mine are growing in a big pot under a tree and have survived considerable neglect. Their scent is stronger at night making them a good choice for a shady courtyard.

Another pale pink beauty flowering for weeks from mid to late summer is Barleria greenii. This likes some sun and also comes from KZN and I read that it is also scented at night. It is critically endangered in the wild. A bushy perennial with big (for a barleria) delicate flowers, it has prickly leaves. My single plant has survived in the garden for many years, but I must try to propagate more as it is out of its comfort zone here. I do prune it back a bit each winter and wait anxiously to see if it will shoot in spring. I also water it weekly in summer.

Much tougher and brighter is Crassula perfoliata var. falcata which is also a February star at KSU. This is a succulent from the Eastern Cape with attractive grey stems of grey sickle shaped leaves which complement the big heads of tiny bright red flowers. Easy to propagate from cuttings, I have a few plants in the rockery and have noticed that those which get afternoon shade do best. There seems to be some confusion about the name of this plant.

Even bigger and brighter is the firewheel tree, Stenocarpus sinuatus, from tropical rain forests of Australia. I have been amazed that it has grown and flowered here, but it is a member of the protea family and I think must like the acid soil. The flowers are like bright red, spidery catherine wheels and the seedpods an elegant pale green. It has very handsome glossy dark green leaves too which make it attractive all year round.

And lastly let us not forget the humble petunia, a pot of them have been flowering beside the front steps all summer long, a daily star.