If you want to extend your garden, as far as the verge, and it’s usually overgrown, here are some low maintenance tips. To screen the house from the road, you can plant a hedge of plumbago and honeysuckle. A mixture of wild Irises, bulbines, agapanthus, aloes, wild garlic and money plant can be planted anywhere in front, to give you spring and summer flowers.

Day lilies, although not indigenous, can be planted in between the above mentioned flowers, as they flower for a while and give lovely colour to the area.

Even when the agapanthus and the Dietes (wild irises) are not flowering, they will still make a lovely display, at the entrance to your home, instead of overgrown grass and weeds as usually found on verges.

Another plant, like the Crassula obovata, which has lovely rounded leaves and dainty flowers, or the Senecio macroglossus, which has ivy-like leaves, when planted around  the above mentioned flowers, will give a lovely contrast.

The Senecio is generally a climber, but if not supported, gives a glossy mass effect, which flowers from late summer, through to winter, and gives lovely colour, for the in-between months.

The wild white Iris flowers throughout the year, depending on the rainfall.

The Bulbine frutescens also flower throughout the year. Out of the two colours, the yellow one multiplies much faster, than the orange one. This can take over and suffocate the other plants, so divide them up and plant elsewhere in the bed.

Gazanias and osteospermums can also be planted, as it is another groundcover, which flowers in summer.

If one prefers a shady verge, you can plant a Chlorophytum bowkeri and Crocosmia aurea. The Chlorophytum reaches a height of 1 metre, with long straight stems and spectacular, white, star flowers. These contrast well, with the bright orange of the Crocosmia.

For a multi-coloured contrast, one could also plant hybrid Plectranthus monolavender, which has deep purple to greeny leaves in colour and pretty lavender coloured blue flowers.

The Aloe tenuior (the fence aloe) is another plant one can grow, at the back of the bed, if supported by a fence, or other shrubs. This is rather an untidy plant, but has striking flowers.

For colour in winter, the smaller aloes are your best bet. Use either Aloe maculate, or A. chabaudii, as these can be inter-planted with grasses, such as the Anthericum saundersiae. These flower throughout the year, in sun, or shade, or virtually any weather condition.

I got the idea for this article from a report I saw, in the Natal Witness Home Section. It was written by Jane Strode, whose family owns the Claremont Farm Indigenous Nursery, in Umhlali, on the north coast of KZN.

How does lazy gardening appeal to you. Find out how to have a lovely garden without any digging. Get the book Easy Gardening. It is one of the best sellers and a worthy guide to all serious gardeners. See more here. http://dersalsites.com/eg/

Sally Robson is a South African Internet marketer, who together with her husband Derek, have a vision of empowering all fellow South Africans and other non U.S folk, to have equal opportunity and success on the internet, by overcoming the many obstacles facing them. They have started a string of sites, resources, courses and articles, as part of Dersalsites. Sally has a passion for gardening. For more articles and advice on gardening topics, visit Sally at: http://www.dersalsites.com/sallysgardeningtips/ 

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