Agri Kultuur August 2014 | Page 56

Article & Photos by Andrea Durrheim “I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.” Ruth Stout O ur diverse indigenous plants have inspired many plant breeders both in South Africa and overseas. Every year, new hybrids appear on the market. Are these plants really better than the species types? Are they indigenous? Are species types better to use than hybrids or aren’t they? You’ll find that the choice between species and hybrids depends on your requirements. Arctotis makes for a fine example. The creeping species types come in a range of colours and have lovely, Agapanthus 'Peter Pan' 1 large flowers in springtime. They’re also as tough as nails and will cover ground quickly in harsh conditions. The hybrid types on the other hand, are usually clump forming and not quite as drought tolerant. At the same time, they flower more prolifically and will produce flushes of flowers all year round. This makes them ideal for smaller gardens where every plant has to make an impact. Examples would be hybrids such as ‘On Fire’ ‘Radiance Red’ and ‘Sunset Radiance’. Osteospemums can also be found as either species or hybrid types. Of these, the species types are the hardiest while the hybrids, though they can last for two to three years in just the right spot and if planted early enough, tend to die off in the heat of summer. If you’re trying the hybrids out, consider them as seasonal colour, whereas the species types are much more durable as well as being likely to self-seed and have a more spreading growth habit. This said, the hybrids do come in a magnificent range of colours, so they do make really pretty seasonal fillers to bring a lovely touch of col- Agapanthus 'White Ice'