March 2020

Newsletter

News

After two years of loyally serving as the Garden Route Botanical Garden’s Curator, Finn Rautenbach is stepping Farewell to down to pursue other ventures.

Finn was promoted from an intern managing the Nursery and Propagation Yard to Curator of the Garden in Finn January 2018. As curator his responsibilities included managing staff, planning and facilitating events in the Garden, drawing up fundraising proposals and securing funds, forging partnerships with relevant local organisations, and overseeing the administration and media of the GRBG Trust.

Finn has also been instrumental in the strategic planning of the Garden’s development, which has seen the Garden grow and expand in important ways over the past couple of years. He has truly made a lasting impact. As noted by the Chairman of the GRBG Board of Trustees, Roger Bath, “In the last two years we have seen substantial improvements in various areas of the Garden, and we owe this to Finn for his enthusiasm and effort that made it happen. We are sad that he has decided to move on, but wish him well.”

Before he rides off into the sunset, we caught up with Finn to reflect on his time at the GRBG…

Question: Finn, you’ve made a big impact as Curator. Did you have any involvement at the GRBG before taking on the role?

Finn: My involvement at the GRBG started about 15 years ago, when I visited the Nursery and fell absolutely in love with the diversity of trees that I could could purchase for my garden. Some of the trees Question: Do you have a final message for GRBG that I purchased then have grown to heights of 10 Members? meters on my family’s farm. Finn: As I always say, it is an absolute miracle that this In June 2017, I was offered a placement as an Garden has been able to grow to the beautiful, intern at the GRBG. Having cultivated a keen locally indigenous botanical garden it is purely passion for indigenous , I eagerly went for from the goodwill of the community of George. So this opportunity. In the six months that I interned the message I have to GRBG Members is: Thank at the GRBG, I focussed on propagation and You! on the ground garden development. These six Question: And finally, do you have any advice for your months of personally completing the tasks that I would later be required to delegate was of great successor? benefit to my management position. Finn: Enjoy this beautiful garden and make the most of

the incredible learning experiences that come from Question: What has been your favourite part about the individuals surrounding this space! working at the GRBG? ~•~•~•~ Finn: I have loved the process of designing a concept, The Garden Route Botanical Garden wishes Finn the figuring out how to practically implement it and, greatest success in his future endeavours. We are sure after hours of passionate work, coming out with an that his impressive accomplishments at the Garden outcome that always exceeds my expectations. I were only the start of even greater things to come! have also loved the diversity of learning experiences managing a small organisation exposed me to. I will always laugh when I think of the day in which I spent the morning marking out a parking lot and the afternoon discussing the

development of George’s Tourism with the District Mayor.

Through all of these experiences, the incredible, inspirational individuals that I have met will influence me for the rest of my life.

Question: Are there any accomplishments you achieved during your time at the GRBG that you are particularly proud of The Road Ahead…

Finn: Regarding the Garden itself, I have particularly Corné Brink will serve as interim Curator of the Garden enjoyed developing the Aloe Display, the until the GRBG Trust chooses a suitable permanent

Proteaceae Beds, the Education Centre Welcome Curator from the list of applicants. Bed and redesigning the restaurant. Other achievements I have enjoyed include closing the Corné completed her Field Guide Association of South gap between expenses and income, redesigning Africa (FGASA) Level 1 qualification in Kwa-Zulu Natal, followed by an internship at SANCCOB in , the administration block, and increasing the public’s awareness of this magnificent Garden. before studying Nature Conservation at NMMU George Campus. She completed her internship for her NCDiploma at the GRBG in 2019, after which she was I have found a passion in upskilling the GRBG staff. Through a mentorship agreement with appointed its Nursery Manager and Herbarium Kirstenbosch (as well as partnerships with various Curator.

other professionals), we have managed to The selection process for the new permanent manager significantly improve our Garden staff’s pruning will kick off in March, and applicants should expect to and maintenance skills, and they have also learned be contacted within the month regarding interviews. to grow from seed and cutting!

CNC 2020: Stay Informed and Start Training

As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the Garden Route is taking part in the 2020 City Nature Challenge (CNC). From 24-27 April, nature lovers across the Eden District will be locating and photographing biodiversity (plants and animals) and then recording their observations on the iNaturalist online platform the week thereafter (29 April to 3 May). The CNC is a global event, and winning cities or districts will be announced in three categories: Most Observations, Most Species and Most Participants.

Stay In the Loop

To keep up-to-date with all notices, events, and available resources related to the Garden Route’s CNC participation, be sure to like and follow the official Facebook page by clicking here. And, if you haven’t already, sign up to the iNaturalist platform and become a member of the Garden Route's 2020 CNC project.

Exciting news is that the Garden Route District’s existing iNaturalist page has exceeded 100 000 observations! This is all thanks to efforts of everyday nature enthusiasts across the region. You can have a look at some (or maybe all!) of the observations by clicking here and viewing the stunning gallery of photographs.

Training Available

If you are interested in taking part in this year’s City Nature Challenge, but would like to learn more about how to make observations and record them onto the iNaturalist platform, training sessions will be held over the next two months. Above and below: Observations of Sessions will focus on how best to photograph specimens and on accessing the species found in the Garden Route iNaturalist platform from a smart phone or desktop computer. Botanical Garden recorded by GRBG Member Colin Ralston on the iNaturalist platform. The sessions will be open to the general public and will be held across the Garden Route, including Mossel Bay, George, Sedgefield, Knysna, etc. For . updated notifications of sessions taking place near you, visit the Garden Route CNC 2020 project page or the Facebook page. You can also post any queries on the Facebook page or email [email protected].

Most recently, two successful training sessions were conducted for Natural Science students at NMMU’s George campus. This led to over 100 young scientists indicating their eagerness to participate in the 2020 CNC!

GRBG Members and visitors will also be pleased to know that a number of training sessions have been scheduled to take place at the The Botanist

Below: Nature enthusiasts attend restaurant on the Garden’s premises. The sessions will take place at the a Training and Information Session following times: in Knysna in February. Friday, 6 March @ 10:00 Saturday, 7 March @ 10:00 Tuesday, 10 March @ 15:00 Thursday, 12 March @ 16:30 Wednesday, 18 March @ 15:00 Saturday, 21 March @ 10:00

The sessions are free of charge. Please bring a smart phone and/or laptop and have one or two photos ready to practice uploading content to the iNaturalist platform. To speed up the session, you can register on iNaturalist beforehand.

Notices

THANK YOU to our Parking Lot and Welcome Bed Donors!

Of the many projects and developments that were undertaken in the Garden last year, the new parking lot and Welcome Bed were certainly among the more ambitious and eye-catching. The parking lot on the north side of the Garden has provided much needed additional space for visitors to park their cars, while the Welcome Bed ensures that they receive a ‘green greeting’ as soon as they arrive.

These two projects would not have been possible without the goodwill and generosity of the following GRBG supporters:

 WTW Construction donated a great deal of G7 filling material, as well as their machinery and expertise to level and construct the parking lot.

 K1 Quarry donated 120 m3 of G4 gravel as a topping to our road and parking lot to reduce muddiness when it rains.

 Keith Kirsten and Elands Nursery donated R20 814.00 worth of trees for the aisles of the parking lot.

 2hire donated one day’s use of their Kubota digger-loader.

 Tilly Reitz assisted in the landscape design of the Welcome Bed.

The GRBG would like to convey our immense appreciation to these donors for the incredible contribution they made towards the ongoing growth of the Garden.

Main image: The New Parking Lot Right: The Welcome Bed in Progress

Botany Books for Sale

A variety of botany-themed books are available for purchase at the GRBG Reception. Prices range from as little as R10 to R500. The collection includes research and reference books, gardening guides, niche topics of interest, and even colouring-in story books for children. So, whether you’re looking for a great read, a great gift, or a great coffee table book that’s sure to strike up interesting conversations, you’ll most likely find it in stock at Reception.

Don’t Forget to Renew your Donations Welcome GRGB Membership Card! The Garden Route Botanical Garden A friendly reminder to renew your GRGB Membership is a non- card. There has been a small increase in the prices of governmental Adult and Senior cards. The new prices are as follows: organisation (NGO) and relies Annual Access Cards Full Membership Card heavily on R145-00 – Adults (18+) R180-00 – Adults (18+) donations from R120-00 – Seniors (60+) R150-00 – Seniors (60+) the public to fund R 95-00 – Students our activities. (Sadly, although we know a thing or R 70-00 – Children (12-18) two about trees, we haven’t quite figured out how

to make money grow on them.) Cards can be renewed at the GRBG Reception. For more details on the benefits of each card click here, phone If any person, organisation or business would like 044 874 1558 or email [email protected]. to support the GRBG monetarily, this can be done online at www.botanicalgarden.org.za/make-a- donation or by making a deposit directly into our account using the banking details provided further GOLF DAY 2020 DATE ANNOUNCED below. You can also phone our offices at 044 874

This year, the Garden’s annual 1558 or email [email protected].

Golf Day will take place on All donations to the GRGB are tax-deductable. Thursday, 6 August. Any donation – big or small – will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your continued Proceeds from the event support. go towards funding the GRBG. Banking Details: Further details will be announced Name: Garden Route Botanical Garden closer to the time. For now, though, Trust (Current Account) Bank: Standard Bank, George you can mark it off on your calendar Account No: 281 859 183 and start practicing your swing! Branch code: 050 214

Upcoming Events • March/April 2019

07 MARCH 2020

PICNIC & PARTY WITH CLOUD 9

Bring your picnic basket, drinks and chairs and enjoy 60s and 70s Rock ‘n Roll performed live by Cloud 9. The performance is from 14:00 to 17:00 and gates open at 13:00. Entrance is R90 p.p. at the gate, but only R80 for GRBG Members! Accompanied children twelve years old and younger get in for free!

20 MARCH 2020

CARPE MUSICAM & DURBAN CALLIES PIPE BAND: PROMS 2020

Bring your own chairs and a picnic basket and enjoy a performance of ‘Last Night of the Proms’ with a Scottish twist! A total of 120 performers from the Carpe Musicam Orchestra and Choir and the Durban Callies Pipe Band will perform Proms favourites and much more. The event starts at 19:00 on Friday, 20 March. Tickets cost R120 each for adults and can be purchased at the gate on the night. Scholars enter for free.

03 APRIL & 04 APRIL 2020

AUTUMN SALE AT THE NURSERY

The GRBG Nursery will be having a sale on Friday, 3 April (09:00 – 16:00) and Saturday, 4 April (09:00 – 14:30). Selected plants will be sold at special discount prices.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

VOLUNTEER GARDENING AND WEEDING SESSION

Join The Lady of the Herbs, Roxanne, from 09:00 to 11:00 for a bit of gardening and weeding in the Medicinal Herb Spiral. Contact Roxanne at 081 361 6762 to get involved.

EVERY SATURDAY MORNING

PARKRUN

Join other runners for a free 5km run in the Garden starting at 08:00. Registration is required. Visit www.parkrun.co.za/george for more details.

Get To Know The Garden

This month we stop by… New events are continually being added to our schedule.

Stay up to date by visiting www.botanicalgarden.org.za/events. Open to the public Tuesday mornings The Southern Cape Herbarium or by appointment (044 878 1558).

Nestled between the Nursery, restaurant the Quick Guide forming the initial go- pose of environmental impact and reception area, the Southern Cape to for plant identification. assessments and rescue. Herbarium is the only herbarium between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth The main herbar- New Year, Fresh Start offering a plant identification service ium collection After experiencing operational focussing on the local flora. includes speci- difficulties last year, the Herbarium has mens represen- turned over a new leaf and is once Staffed mainly by volunteers under the ting plants in again a well-functioning division of the guidance of a curator, and open to the their different GRBG and a noteworthy feature in its public, the Herbarium’s main function forms and habitat own right. is gathering and preserving examples of gradients, all having the Southern Cape’s plant life. The been data-based. From this data further Corné Brink is officially curating the Herbarium’s collection research and data mining can take place. Herbarium, assisted by Dr Niels currently compri- Jacobsen and Jenny Potgieter. The ses well over Research team has expanded, gaining three new 12 000 speci- A comprehensive botanical library is volunteers who have proven to be a mens, and the attached to the Herbarium, providing great asset. There are now eight ultimate aim is to ample sources for research in the area. volunteers in total assisting in the have at least one The Southern Cape Herbarium has Herbarium.

specimen of every plant pre- been visited by local and international The huge backlog of work which had sent in the area of focus. researchers who also contribute to its gathered after the breakdown of systems data by positively identifying plant is now being attacked with a vengeance. Focus Area specimens that fall in their respective Specimens are being correctly labelled Specimens are sourced from all across area of expertise. and filed, and the 1:50 000 maps of the the South Cape, specifically in the region lying between the Duiwehoks Another aim of the Herbarium is to local area have been reorganised by new River in the west and the Western Cape facilitate a better understanding of local intern Fred Munro. (These maps are provincial border in the east, and the plant diversity in terms of the on sale at R30 each.) Swartberg Mountains to the north and distribution of each taxon. Rapid The Herbar- the southern coast. development in the area means that a ium has also Herbarium specimen is often the only been given Four of the nine biomes in South Africa surviving record of the historical a spring are found in this focus area, including location of a taxon. clean and the the Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, Albany working space for Thicket and Forest biomes. The area is Other functions of volunteers and visitors noted for its rich floral diversity, and is the Herbarium has been enlarged for ease of use. home to certain endangered as well include envi- as some endemic plant species. ronmental The Southern Cape Herbarium is once edu- education, more a place bustling with activity, Methodology as well as spe- especially on Tuesday mornings when As with all herbaria, plant specimens are cies identifica- it is open to the public for any plant pressed, dried, mounted and filed, with tion for the pur- identification they may wish to do.

Nursery Plant of the Month

Species: verticillata

Common names: whorled heath / marsh heath

Family:

Description: This beautiful shrub usually reaches heights of between 1½ and 2 metres. The tubular-shaped flowers are arranged in whorls organised in distinct groups along the principal stems and near the tips of sturdy branches. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers appear in shades of pink and mauve/lilac. Erica verticillata’s peak flowering season is from late summer to autumn (January to March.)

Natural Habitat: Erica verticillata was endemic to the Cape Peninsula. With a highly restricted distribution range, it was limited to the damp, sandy flats around Wynberg, Kenilworth and Zeekoevlei.

Conservation Status: Due to urbanisation and development, this beautiful species of Erica was and remains classified as extinct in the wild. It was rediscovered in a park in Pretoria in 1984, as well as in botanical gardens around the world, after which it was brought back into cultivation by Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. Horticulturalists at Kirstenbosch and Table Mountain National Park staff continue with efforts to re-establish the plant in the wild via their restoration programmes.

Growing It In Your Garden: A great decorative plant, it is relatively hardy and disease-resistant, and is easily grown from cuttings. It is pot-plant friendly, although potted plants should be kept outdoors. Pruning is recommended from an early age to increase the number of branches and flower-bearing stems. Erica verticillata thrives in soil that is sandy, acidic, moist and well-draining. Planting it in a well-ventilated area of your garden that receives full sun is also recommended.

Interesting Fact: An image of Erica verticillata is included on the school badge of Bergvliet Primary School. The school is situated in the Cape Town suburb of Bergvliet, which lies between Wynberg and Zeekoevlei, and therefore in the area where Erica verticillata was once found naturally.

Availability at GRBG Nursery: Although the GRGB Nursery does sell Erica verticillata, due to the high demand of this species and its amazing backstory, we are currently out of stock. Our propagation specialist, Maria Martins, is hard at work creating a fresh range of Erica cuttings. We will notify you in this newsletter when these cuttings become available for sale.

The above photo was taken in the Garden Route Botanical Garden, where the plants are currently in full bloom. Specimens found both at the GRBG and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens were grown from cuttings supplied by the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew in the United Kingdom.

Nursery Trading Times:

MONDAY – THURSDAY 08:00 – 17:00 FRIDAY 08:00 – 14:30 Additional source: SATURDAY 09:00 – 14:30 http://pza.sanbi.org/erica-verticillata

Get To Know Our Staff and Volunteers

This month we meet… Malibongwe Julies

What is your role at the Gardens? I’m part of the Gates Staff. I welcome visitors at the entrance gates to the main Garden and issue stickers. At closing time, I lock up and make sure that no one has been left behind accidentally.

How long have you worked here? Roughly five years.

What is your favourite part about working at the GRGB? I enjoy interacting with visitors and making sure they have a positive experience of the Garden, starting as soon as they arrive.

What is the strangest or funniest thing that has happened at the Garden while you were at work? No specific event stands out. I do, however, enjoy making jokes and laughing with my colleagues, and it’s always interesting to see the types of animals that are brought into the Garden. Apart from all the different dog breeds visitors bring with them, we also sometimes get wild animals that are released into the Garden. I’ve seen frogs, tortoise s and lizards. Also, snakes… but I don’t like them so much.

What are some of your personal favourite plants? I love aloes. The Garden’s Aloe Display is quite close to one of the entrance gates, and I occasionally get a chance to help out with the Display. I really enjoy doing that, and I find it amazing how many different uses there are for the aloe plant.

Agony Aunt

Raymond from Lavalia, George asks: This tree [pictured left] with its distinct bright orange flowers has been growing in my garden for many years. Despite my best efforts (and Google searches), I haven’t been able to find out what species it is? Can you help me identify it? (I was once told by a passerby that they had seen it growing in Zimbabwe.)

Agony Aunt answers: Hi, Raymond. Your tree is an African Tulip Tree, and a very beautiful example of one indeed. It’s also known as an African Flame Tree because of its ‘flame-like’ flowers. Its Latin name is Spathodea campanulata, and it’s the only species of the monotypic genius Spathodea. African Tulip Trees are native to the tropical regions of Africa.

Do you have a botanical query? Perhaps we can help! Email your query or dilemma to [email protected] with ‘Agony Aunt’ in the subject line and we’ll offer some advice in next month’s newsletter. Remember to include your first name and where you’re from (town and neighbourhood). Feel free to include a photo to give us a better idea of your particular problem. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Make the Switch

Advice on introducing indigenous plants to your garden.

Pioneer Plants

After the wildfires the Garden Route experienced 18 months ago and with the effects of climate change becoming increasingly palpable, many people would like to reduce the prevalence of invasive plant species that put a strain on water resources and increase the likelihood of fires.

Frequently asked questions, however, are Where do I start? and What do I plant? Well, the easiest place to start is your own garden where you can clear alien vegetation and plant pioneer plants. Pioneer plants are hardy species that are the first to colonise new habitats that may be barren or have been disturbed by events such as wildfires. Indeed, as described by earthbuddies.net, “they are the heroes that help other species find the place to live”.

A good way to begin repopulating a garden that has been cleared of alien species is to plant a pioneer tree. The beautiful Virgilia (Virgilia divaricata & Virgilia oroboides), also known as keurboom, blossom tree or amakwasboom, is a fast grower and will delight you with pink flowers after two years. Once established, it can be used as a nursery tree under which you can plant slower-growing trees that require protection from the elements in their early growing phase.

Another great pioneer tree is the evergreen Cape Beech (Rapanea melanophloeos), also known as Kaapse boekenhout. The very small, white flowers of the female tree turn into purple berries, which are relished by a variety of birds. It makes for an attractive garden tree with a none-aggressive root system.

Pictured clockwise from top, right corner:  A mature Virgilia;  The pink flowers of the Virgilia;  A Cape Beech growing in a garden;  A Cape Beech growing in the wild in Cape Town.

Catching Up with CREW

CREW are the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers , a citizen science project supported by the Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc). The ‘custodians’ are ordinary citizens from different socio-economic backgrounds who monitor threatened plant species in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region, Summer Rainfall Region and the Eastern Cape.

Jenny Potgieter of CREW writes… Additional source: www.sanbi.org

This year the OuTramps CREW group have been joined by a group of interns from the Garden Route Botanical Garden. It is a joy to see their enthusiasm, help them learn more about wild, flowering plants, and to show them the special places where we search for endangered wild flowers.

We go hiking every Friday to look for plants with special status. We had two very rewarding trips to Bergplaas in February where Brian du Preez found what he thinks is a new species of Argyrolobium of the Fabaceae family. To make sure, we will have to return to the area to catch the Gladioulus sempervirens plant flowering. Apart from the Argyrolobium, there were also wonderful displays of Watsonia knysnana in Begplaas to delight the senses.

On the last weekend of February we had a very adventurous outing to Waboomsberg in the Swartberg. It was cold, windy and misty, but this didn’t dampen our enthusiasm to see Protea venusta, Protea montana and Leucadendron dregei – all plants with special status and in flower.

The highlight was finding a very rare Crassula that we had been tasked to find by our boss, Ismail. It was hiding in a cave, but didn’t escape group member Dave's eagle eye. There were also plenty of other rare plants in this special Fred Munro with a Crassula peculiaris specimen. spot.

On Saturday, as a bonus, we climbed up to the fern forest above George to see the rare Gladiolus sempervirens. What a display! There were hundreds of these beautiful red flowers all over the southern slopes. It just shows what a fire and good rain can do to stimulate plant growth.

The crew take a To find out more about the OuTramps break in front of CREW group and how you can join, email some Crassula. Jenny at [email protected].

Photo-synthesis

This month’s Photo-synthesis contribution comes courtesy of local photographer Etienne de Beer who has spent countless hours meandering through the Garden Route Botanical Garden observing the diverse birdlife. Featured here is Etienne’s photo of the distinctly coloured Malachite Kingfisher. A range of Etienne’s stunning photos are featured on the GRBG website. To view them, click here.

Have Your Botanical Garden Photos Published in the Next Newsletter!

If you take a photo of something beautiful or interesting in the Garden, simply email your photo to [email protected] with ‘Photo-synthesis’ in the subject line, and you might see your masterpiece in the next newsletter. We’ll publish as many photos as we can fit in. Remember to include your first name, where you’re from (town and neighbourhood), and a short description of your photo in your email. Looking forward to seeing your snapshots!

Share Your Thoughts

We’d love to know what’s on your mind! If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this newsletter, or ideas on what you’d like to see in future newsletters, please don’t hesitate to tell us in an email.

If you have any suggestions on how the Garden Route Botanical Garden, its facilities and attractions, or the visitor experience can be improved, we would appreciate your input too.

Send all your comments and suggestions to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

* Attributions: This newsletter was designed using resources from www.freepik.com, including images designed by brgfx and dryicons. * Content Contributors: Roger Bath, Corné Brink, Pauline Cloete, Nicole Jonklass, Anne Kellner, Jenny Potgieter, Colin Ralston, Finn Rautenbach and Gabby van Huyssteen. * Design and Layout: Nicole Jonklass