LIVINGSTONES

very year the weather gets hotter The smaller succulents can be Eand drier and for yet another divided into two groups: low growing summer we are faced with water 'shrubs' and spreading groundcovers. restrictions. Many gardeners will have The more attractive low growing to change their ways of gardening, and are Aloe brevifolia (rosette aloe), I suggest replacing water-thirsty plants A. spicata, A. striata. A. branddraaiensis, YAMAHAPower Products ~t with succulents. Most of the towns up A. succotrina, coccinea (red crassula), Cotyledon orbiculata (pigs' 25 the West Coast and in the Karoo have Z been gardening this way for decades, ears), Portulaca ria prostrata, Haworthia, . but unfortunately, besides a few Gasteria and Bulbine frutescens. Pig's ears have round grey or green leaves specialist nurseries, not many garden GE103 centres supply succu- with orange tubular lents, nor are a big flowers growing f£ ~ variety of succulents from an upright propagated by stalk. The sap from growers. There are the leaves is said to however, many easy- cure warts. Bulbine to-grow succulents frutescens is one of that look great in a the most popular garden, and I have garden and medicinal listed a few of the plants. The sap from best, according to size. the narrow leaves is The bigger used for a variety of succulents can be skin problems I TORTH'S used as feature plants, especially for acne ! (jAhOI:NI'1l(NlflIt.tVI) LlU I like Aloe ferox, and sunburn. It has A. marlothii and attractive orange or A. barberae (tree aloe). yellow inflores- ~~ These three aloes are cences that flower almost all year upright and make ~~ excellent features round. The red Garden Furniture Available in Wood and Cast Aluminium whether they are crassula flowers in planted on their own late summer in the or in groups. They Be inspired by the spectaculai': Cape Peninsula STIHL Petrol FS36 Electric E140 flower from late colours of the vygies in the Mathews _ mountains, its autumn and peak in Rockery at Kirstenbosch. " brilliant red flowers ~ winter when their red pollinated by the ~.~ j or orange flowers brighten up any Mountain Pride butterfly (Meneris garden. Although they eventually reach tulbaghia). It can be seen growing high 3 m in height, they are relatively slow up on cliff ledges and in rock crevices. growing. Other attractive, but more The largest available variety of difficult to obtain aloes that reach 3 m succulents are found amongst the are Aloe plicatiJis (fan aloe) and groundcovers or 'vygies'. These plants A. dichotoma (the quiver tree or come in many colours - red, orange, kokerboom). yellow, pink and purple. The most Medium sized succulents that grow commonly grown species are from 1.5-2 m are vital to any succulent Delosperma cooperi, D. lydenburgense, garden as they bridge the gap between Aptenia cordifolia and the many the taller plants and the groundcovers. Lampranthus species. The easiest succulents to grow in this All of the plants listed above must category are Aloe arborescens, be grown in full sun and in well Crassula ovata and afro drained soil. However, there are a few (spekboom or olifantskos). These succulents that will only thrive in a plants are often used as hedges or shady position, such as Crossula for screening a wall, especially on a multicava, C. spathulata and hot, north-facing aspect. The spekboom C. pellucida. These spreading ground- is very attractive with its small round covers have dainty white flowers and Answer to be found are suitable for dry, shaded areas. on our website· leaves and Aloe arborescens gives a e-mail or post beautiful display of red flowers in Most importantly, almost all of the your entry to us winter. Crossula ovata has a trunk plants mentioned in this article will before 31 December similar to that of a baobab tree. attract either birds or butterflies. 2000 Another fascinating medium sized For those of you gentle readers that How many products succulent is Cyphostemmae juttae that not convinced or who think that ~re on spedal on our webSit:/ (desert grape) that is found from the succulents are unattractive, may I Northern Cape up to the Namib suggest that you visit the Karoo L1VINGSTONESGARDEN WAREHOUSE Desert. This peculiar has a thick, Botanical Gardens, the town of Woodmead Commercial Park;Woodmead gnarled stem and after flowering, Vanrhynsdorp or the aloe garden at (near MAKRO) Sandton Tel: 802 4822 produces large bunches of red or Kirstenbosch in June or early spring. PO Box 47396, Parklands 2121 purple fruits that look like grapes. You will definitely be inspired.®