The Kloof Conservancy Indigenous Open Gardens takes place this month and whether you are an experienced or novice gardener or you want to find out more about going indigenous, it will be a great day out.
The fund-raising event, on June 22 and 23, sponsored by Builders Express, will be a showcase of seven beautiful gardens featuring winter gardens which promise to be colourful, with a wide range of succulents in flower.
Two industrial gardens will be featured, including the award-winning garden of Cato Ridge Electrical.
This is part of the conservancy’s effort to show that business and industrial premises need not be ecological deserts.
Also on show will be Gary and Sandi Edwards’s garden on Hill ’n Dale Farm (formerly Bartlett Estate) that will provide historical curiosities for visitors. There will be four more gardens on show in Kloof and Hillcrest.
A series of talks will be on offer at the tea garden at Kloof Junior Primary School, with gardening writer and TV personality Tanya Visser in attendance on both days.
There will be a competition for children and a kids’ corner at the tea garden.
Art and organic and gourmet food will be on sale at Highbury Place (one of the Hillcrest Gardens) and the KZN Youth Wind Band will be setting off the entertainment at the tea garden at 10.30am on the Saturday.
Besides raising funds, which are used for the conservancy, vice-chair Sarah Chiles says she hopes it will encourage people to go indigenous.
“Growing indigenous plants in the garden is perhaps one of the most accessible and immediate ways in which you can contribute to environmental sustainability,” she says.
“In a water-scarce South Africa, it is essential that we do everything we can to save water, particularly in the light of climate change. Indigenous plants are water-wise, and if placed correctly, require no watering.
“Indigenous gardens also contribute to the protection of our biodiversity. They are havens for wildlife, providing habitats for species which are otherwise ushered out of our urban landscapes.
“ If landscaped correctly, indigenous gardens require very little maintenance and, contrary to popular belief, can provide year-round colour in the garden.
“They are becoming a growing trend in KZN, with indigenous plants providing a geographically appropriate and diverse palette of textures and colours for landscapers.
“As any indigenous gardener will tell you, the rewards of ‘going indigenous’ are truly great.”
Pre-sale tickets will be available in the Kloof area or on sale at the entrance of each garden and the tea garden.
The cost is R60 for adults and free for children under 12.