Did you know that plants can have an effect on you? Those with bright flowers or vibrant foliage are energising, while softer colours and round leaves are calming. Green has always been a harmonious colour so plenty of green is always a good idea. If you are working at a computer, its necessary to take a break at least every 30 minutes. Keep plants with interesting textures and pattens nearby to rest your eyes on and you will be drawn into contemplating their amazing colours and textures. A good exercise in mindfulness. In the Netherlands, where indoor plants are hugely popular, they now refer ..read more

It is really difficult to garden on steep slopes but creating  a terrace with loffel stones opens up the possibility of creating a vertical garden feature, quite literally a beautiful flowering wall. Loffel stones are precast concrete rings that interlock, each with a cavity that can be filled with soil. Although the cavities are not very deep, they contain enough soil for shallow rooted plants to grow in. Getting started Being quite shallow the soil tends to dry out fast, so a good starting point for an existing wall is to fill each hollow with good soil that consists of one part compost ..read more

Climate change and busy lifestyles have shifted the focus onto garden plants that are low on maintenance and are strong growers even in relatively poor conditions. In medium to large gardens there’s always a need for shrubs or climbers to fill a space, usually towards the back of the garden or to soften a wall or fence. With that in mind, rose grower Ludwig Taschner has sought out shrub roses with ultra-vigorous growth, tough leathery leaves, strong spreading roots, and pickable blooms.  He has also factored in disease resistance for low maintenance. The two types of shrub roses are the u ..read more

Herbs have always been used to flavour food, not just in cooking but as tasty and appealing toppings or garnishes. Herb leaves, whether chopped or used whole, add a burst of flavour, colour and texture to savoury and sweet dishes as well as drinks. The art of garnishing is quite simple and, as the word art implies, also creative if your aim is to produce a masterpiece on a plate. Edible flowers like nasturtiums, pansies and violas, borage, and lavender can be used to decorate desserts, cakes and other baked goods as well as cocktails, fruity drinks, and the ever popular gin and tonic. Some tip ..read more

As South Africans we have a lot to be anxious about, and the reasons are all too obvious. A home environment that is calming, healthy and nurturing won’t solve the bigger problems but could help us become a little more resilient. Nature is a great nurturer and plants, especially indoor plants, have the ability  to calm us down, lift our spirits and clean the air. Bring plants into the home and you’ll be surprised at the difference it makes. The power of green It has now been established that a colour can influence human emotions and our feeling of well-being. What happens is that sustaine ..read more

Autumn is like a second spring, but with flowers and leaves in deeper, richer colours.  Bright yellow flowers form part of autumn’s primary colours. They are great for adding pops of colour to lighten or brighten parts of the garden. They catch your eye, and enhance other colours like purple, red and orange. Make a splash Don’t be shy to make a bold planting of vibrant golden yellow flowers like Coreopsis Uptick ‘Gold and Bronze’ (pictured). It has a far greater impact than spreading the plants thinly through the garden. Just be aware that yellow, especially warm yellows (with red underto ..read more

For salad lovers, there is nothing nicer than a crisp, fresh salad even in winter and lettuce is the ideal salad base, to which you can add herb leaves, edible flowers and other salad veggies of your choice. Lettuce contains minerals and vitamins A and C and the greener the leaves the more carotene they contain, which is an antioxidant that protects the body from damaging free radicals. Starting from seed Lettuce grows easily from seed. It is best to use seedling trays because the seed is very fine and easy to waste if sown in situ. Do not allow the soil to dry out during germination. Once the ..read more

Perk up the patio, harvest herbs and have your pick of fresh frilly lettuce. Indoor plant of the month It’s time to take tuberous begonias indoors for some long-lasting indoor winter flowers. The large blooms with their frilled petals come in such a huge range of colours that it is almost impossible not to find a colour that will either stand out or tone in with your home’s colour scheme. Being compact, they just need to be popped into a decorative pot as a table top or coffee table feature. Make sure they receive good light in a bright room, but not direct sunlight. Water directly onto the s ..read more

Now is the time to do a couple of late-summer gardening jobs to give your garden a last boost in blooms before autumn arrives. Make sure to tick off these March jobs: Prune, deadhead and shape  Heavy pruning is reserved for the cooler months, but a little bit of light pruning is needed in summer to tidy up flowering and other plants. This makes way for healthy growth and new buds. Prune only to remove faded blooms and damaged leaves. Remove faded blooms from flowering plants by cutting off the flower stem below the dried-out bloom but just above the first set of healthy leaves. This pra ..read more

Any veggie patch that receives at least six hours of sun a day, or more, and is fairly sheltered from the cold can yield as much as a summer garden, if not more so. The range of winter veggies include deliciously sweet garden peas, the superfoods kale and broccoli, Swiss chard and many different varieties of lettuce. Cabbage is a winter staple and adventurous gardeners can consider growing Brussels sprouts and kohlrabi. Root veggies like turnips, radishes, parsnips, beetroot and carrots can also be sown in March. Garden green peas Nourish the soil! While you are waiting for summer veggies to c ..read more