Birds found in Heaven Scent Garden

Over the years the bird population in the garden has increased tremendously.  The variety is delightful and every year brings new surprises.  I’m not very knowledgable about birds in general, but have a fair knowledge of those around me.  There are some lovely pictures taken here last year by a couple who were at Open Gardens.

I thought I would make a list of birds found  around the garden for anyone who is interested:

Garden Bird List
Barthroated	Apalis
Cape	Batis
Yellow	Bishop
Southern	Bou bou
Cape	Bulbul
Steppe	Buzzard
Jackal	Buzzard
Cape	Canary
Forest	Canary
Bully	Canary
Blue	Crane
Red eyed	Dove
Cape Turtle	Dove
Laughing	Dove
Fork-tailed	Dronga
Paradise	Flycatcher
Dusky	Flycatcher
Fiscal	Flycatcher
Cape	Francolin
Egyptian	Goose
African	Goshawk
Helmeted	Guineafowl
	Gymnogene
Yellow-billed	Kite
House	Martin
Speckled	Mousebird
	Nightjar
Spotted Eagle	Owl
Karroo	Prinea
Cape	Robin
Fiscal	Shrike
House	Sparrow
Cape	Sugarbird
Malachite	Sunbird
Lesser double Collared	Sunbird
Black Sawwing	Swallow
Lesser Striped	Swallow
Olive	Thrush
Cape	Wagtail
Swee	Waxbill
Common	Waxbill
Cape	Weaver
Cape	White-eye

Open Gardens 2011

The years seem to speed by so fast that all the things I assure visitors will be available ‘next year’ seldom are!

I think I have managed to few of the things however – you’ll just have to visit and find out!

Our plants include both exotic and indigenous.

There will be a some specials eg:

1. Buy 2 Eucomis @ R20 each and get the 3rd one for 1/2 price
2. Buy 3 Hermannia @ R10 each and get the 4th free
3. Pale yellow Tecoma @ R6 each
4. Buy 2 Amaryllis belladonna @ R15 each and get the 3rd one for 1/2 price
5. Agapanthus praecox blue @ R9 each
6. Kniphofia praecox @ R7 each

There will be refreshments of a light nature for those who need refueling:

1. Tea, coffee, sparkling/still water, coke  and homemade ginger beer and elderflower cordial.
2. Sandwiches
3. Crumpets and chocolate cake

There is place in the garden to picnic so you are more than welcome to bring your own lunch.

The swimming pool has been filled so may be used as well – all children must be supervised however.

We look forward to welcoming you all again this year.

For more information follow the Elgin Open Gardens link.  You will find us on Route 3.  You can also go to Open Days on our site.

Fynbos for the small garden

While picking flowers in the indigenous part of the garden today I thought of the many people who would love to grow proteas and pin cushions in their gardens but just don’t have the space.  I am very priviledged to have the space to grow just about any size of shrub or tree.  However it struck me that some of my favourites would be perfect for the small garden – everything in miniature.  Here are some photos of the plants I refer to:

This protea shrub varies in size but if cut back carefully can be managed quite easily. I am picking from it for my posies and it is very happy as you can see.  The ‘Bobbejaantjies’ are a great pleasure but only plant them if you don’t have baboons wandering near your garden.  I made the mistake of planting them in someones garden on the golf course at Hermanus!  Baboons love to dig them up and snack on them! That was when the penny dropped about the name!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This lovely yellow pin cushion is about 3cm in diameter and a group of about 2 or 3 is usually produced at the end of each stem.  These I also cut for the posies. The shrub can sometimes be a bit sprawling but cutting certainly helps to make it more compact.

This watsonia is a delight.  Not that easy to come by, but I’m sure your local nursery can find it for you. It comes in a few different colours. I have only seen the pink and orange. I hope this has inspired you to plant some of these smaller delights in your garden.  If you would like to see these photos in more detail or more pictures of fynbos plants that are suitable for small gardens, follow the link.

 

 

September Cut Flowers

It is wonderful when Spring comes and everything starts warming up and every morning when you go out into the garden a new surprise awaits!  I can never remember when things should be flowering so the pleasure is heightened when a new group of flowers appears.  Every flower brings its own delight, although I must confess I am over the moon when my first hellebores open, and of course if my paeony would just flower…… ah well, I still believe it will one day happen!  Here are some bunches that we did in September when the first pin cushions appeared. If you would like to view photos of posies for September please follow the link.