In yesterday’s article, we were looking at succulent plants, suited to planting in the garden. We reviewed a few, of the more common varieties and outlined which ones required special treatment and which were hardier.

We continue, in this article, looking at some of the more common varieties, of succulent plants The last article dealt with 5 varieties. Here are some more.

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Succulent Plants In The Garden part 2

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Almost half, of the world’s succulent species, originated in Southern Africa. They have adapted to survive, in low rainfall areas. They tend to have bold , strong shapes, with simple dynamic lines, which are great, for any garden design. Large succulents are ideal form plants, while the ground cover and creeper varieties, are perfect for banks, or mass planting, in sandy soils.  There are many varieties of succulent plants, including the leafy ones and those that flower, in many different shades, colours and textures, but all are suitable for the garden.

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Succulent plants In The Garden part 1

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These days, when everybody is trying to do their bit for the eco system, chemicals for insect and disease control, are frowned upon. If you hate the thought of storing and using these chemicals, if you want to save money, or if you are concerned for the well being of children and pets, then you will be pleased to know, that several simple remedies for control of these insects and diseases, can be mixed up, using nothing more than common household ingredients.

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Insect And Disease Control Of Plants From Household Ingredients

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The most rewarding Clivia, of the six types indigenous to South Africa, is the Clivia Miniata. It is the first to flower in spring and has large clusters of orange, trumpet like flowers. It also attracts the pretty Swallowtail butterfly, to the garden. These Clivias are lovely in a vase and last for weeks. They are equally  beautiful indoors, or in the garden.

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Clivias In The Garden

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The favourite with South African Bonsai enthusiasts, is the Commiphora Harveyi, or the Paper Bark. This tree exists naturally, throughout KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern parts of the country and in the Kruger National Park. People on the Reef and in the drier regions, work extensively with this type of Bonsai. It’s branches are often used as fencing arrows, around villages in Zululand.

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Paper Bark Bonsai

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The most common species, used for Bonsai, in northern areas, are Conifers. The Conifer family is huge and includes both Pines and Junipers, each of which have many sub varieties. In the northern countries, these trees are generally tall and pointed, to cope with the snow, whereas the bushveld varieties, of Southern Africa are flat. This is to provide shade for animals and include the Flat-top, the Pierneef and the Baobab styles. These all make for great Bonsai trees and here are some tips for growing the Juniper varieties of Bonsai Conifer trees.

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Bonsai Conifers

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An ornamental, or decorative grass can make a nice attraction in your garden. These are not the lawn variety of grasses, but the attractive, hardy types of ornamental grasses, which can actually grow quite tall. These grasses can generally tolerate most conditions, they are easy to grow, require little water and are usually pretty frost resistant. They can compliment many styles of garden, whether planted among wild flowers, or alongside succulents and pebbles.

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Decorative Grasses

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This is the second part of the article on indoor plants. In part 1, we looked a selecting the right indoor plant and looked at some that require very little attention. We also looked at growing bulbs indoors.

d) Indoor plants that love the sun

Although some plants prefer cool, dark spots, there are also plants that need sunlight. These plants receive direct sunlight for all, or part of the day. The strength of the sunlight will depend on the latitude, the time of year, the position of the window and whether any shade is provided.

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Indoor Plants part 2

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a) Selecting a suitable indoors plant.

There are several types of plants that are suited to indoor life and they can really brighten up an otherwise unattractive room. These are very popular, but are ideally suited to those who have no yard and cannot have an outdoor garden. They are also perfect for the elderly and infirm. When deciding on your indoor plants, go for a vigorous looking plant with strong stems and good, even coverage of healthy leaves. If selecting a flowering plant, choose one with lots of flower buds and avoid tightly closed green buds, as they might fail to open indoors. An example would be the Impatiens Accent Cerise and the Heptapleurum Arboricola.

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Indoor Plants part 1

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The type of lawn care, that works best for you, depends on the time and money, that you decide to put into your lawn. If your lawn is your hobby, you can spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on it. On the other hand, if all you want, is a low maintenance green expanse, around a pool, or for the kids to play, or that you can enjoy with family and friends, then there is still a better way.

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Lawn Care Tips

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