Coucals Garden

Shrubs/Trees
Abutilon
Acalypha
Ardisia (berries)
Azaleas
Bougainvilleas
Brugmansia
Calliandra
Callistemon
Camellia
Clerodendrun
Croton (leaf colour)
Dahlia Imperialis
Dombeya cacuminum
Dombeya calantha
Dombeya Ianthotricha
Eremophila
Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’
Euphorbia leucocephala
Euphorbia millii
Euphorbia pulcherrima
Grevilleas
Holmskioldia aurea
Justicia adhatoda
Justicia aurea
Megakepasma
Montanoa tree daisy (seed heads)
Pycnostachys urticifolia
Reinwardtia indica
Roses
Ruellia colorata
Ruellia macrantha
Ruttya fruticosa
Senecio petasitis
Strelizias
Strobilanthes Goldfussia
Tetradenia riparia

Perennials
Angelonias
Anthurium
Centrantherum punctatum
Cleome
Coleus
Cosmos
Dianthus
Gerberas
Heliotrope
Limonium perezii
Nasturtiums
Otacanthus
Pachystachys
Pelargoniums
Pennisetum Grasses
Peristrophe
Plectranthus
Ruellia macrantha
Russellia
Salvias
Schauria (Miss Milly)
Stachys byzantina
Whitfeldia

Succulents
Aloes
Crassula
Euphorbia millii
Kalanchoe
Zygocactus

Orchids
Angraecum
Cattleya
Cymbidium
Epidendrum ibaguense
Phalaenopsis
Hardcane Dendrobiums
Vanda
Zygopetalums

Bromeliads
Aechmea
Billbergia
Guzmania
Quesnelia
Vriesia

Bulbs
Anemones
Chasmanthe
Jonquils
Freesias
Ornithagallum
Snowdrops
Tulbaghia

Vines
Cobaea scandens
Clerodendrun
Dalechampia
Ipomoea quamoclit
Maurandya barclayana
Pyrostegia venusta

This winter has seen some beautiful colours before leaf drop with the crepe myrtles and liquid ambers in particular. The little bit of rain we have had this winter has given a boost to the garden but put precious little in the tanks.

COLOUR IN THE GARDEN
I have a very relaxed view of colour in the garden. I like all colours however, I do have some favourite combinations. Gertrude Jekyll said ‘do not spoil a white garden by growing only white flowered plants in it’. There are some wonderful mono tone gardens, i.e. Sissinghurst in the UK and Stellenberg in Cape Town. Both have beautiful white gardens but, they also have other gardens with multi colours.
Pink, white and silver is a lovely, soft combination. Silver is a restful colour and will tone down harsher colours. For impact reds and oranges go beautifully with blues and purples. Generally speaking, lighter colours and two toned plants are better at the back of the garden as they stand out more with darker colours in the foreground.
I like to plant groups of the same colour of a plant together in drifts because it gives impact. For example I don’t mix up the colours of my hippeastrums. I have a large area of the same colour red in one area and a soft pink in a separate area. I do the same for the blue and white agapanthus.
Our climate allows us to have colour in the garden all through the year, so we have to consider what is going to flower and when. Because we live in a sub-tropical climate we can grow foliage plants like crotons, cordylines, acalyphas, alternantheras and many more. These plants allow us to have colour from leaves instead of flowers and therefore colour all year round.
Because our light is so strong we can use much brighter colours than in the northern hemisphere. You will notice that in bright sunlight all the bright colours are washed out and on cloudy days they look brighter.

THE MEDITERRANEAN PLANTS ARE IN THEIR ELEMENT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. They love the cool nights, but do expect a bit more moisture at this time of year. These include Perennial Cleome, Pelargoniums, Santolina, Marguerite Daisies, Heliotrope, and Lavender and this is a good time to take cuttings of these perennials. Lamb’s ears and Tulbaghia can be divided. Helichrysum petiolare and Artimesias which add lovely silver highlights to the garden are best propagated by layering. Find a long woody stem to push into the ground and place some mulch on the stem between the main plant and the end of the stem. Leave about 15 centimeters of the end of the stem above the mulch and keep watered.

MAINTENANCE IN THE GARDEN:
Cut back the Tetradenia riparia (Nutmeg bush) and Strobilanthes when flowers are finished, by about half and the autumn Salvias that have finished flowering. I cut and drop the smaller cuttings as compost direct onto the gardens and put the larger stems through the mulcher and put it straight back onto the gardens.

Cut back the Montanoa Daisies and Tree Dahlias to the ground once they have finished looking good. I leave the seeds heads on the Montanoa Daisies as they look great and don’t seed at all. Cut the fatter canes into 30cm lengths with a ‘node’ or two in each piece and place them on top of potting mix in a shaded spot or in the bush house.

VEGETABLES will need constant water and it is a good idea to plant seedlings monthly to keep a succession of vegetables to harvest. Seedlings of Root vegetables, Brassicas, Beans, Silverbeet, Onions and Tomatoes. It is important that the bed is well manured, mulched and watered consistently to keep the vegetables growing well.

ORCHIDS
Cattleyas are putting on a beautiful show as are Cymbidiums, Phalaenopsis, Hardcane Dendrobiums and Zygopetalums. Don’t be tempted to over water orchids in winter. A misting daily is better than a heavy watering and this should be directed onto their leaves. Mist them in the mornings so that they are dry by nightfall as they hate being cold and wet.

Make sure that the temperature doesn’t drop below 10 deg Celsius for the Hardcane Dendrobiums and Phalaenopsis Orchids. We keep ours in an orchid house which is not heated but manage to keep it at that temperature by closing it up at night and growing ferns and other plants, therefore creating a micro-climate with extra humidity that these beauties enjoy all year round.

ROSES
I don't do a hard prune on the roses as they can flower throughout winter. Prune the stems that have flowered back to strong stems and cut out any thin stems and dead wood as well as opening up the centre of the bush. It is always good to prune when the soil is moist so that you get immediate buds and new growth. You can then fertilize with Blood and Bone with 10% potash added or Sudden Impact for Roses, giving each rose a good trowel full, when it rains.

Good Gardening and keep safe
Jan