sages and pelargoniums and enjoy months of trouble-free colour .
No garden is complete without winter-growing bulbs . The winter-rainfall areas of South Africa have a greater diversity of bulbs than any other place on earth . You can ’ t possibly argue that there isn ’ t at least one to suit your garden ! Cape bulbs are dormant in the dry months and come to life in autumn . By planting a range of species , you can enjoy spectacular flowers from early autumn right through to late spring . Bulbs will return year after year and even multiply if they ’ re happy .
When planning your garden , short-lived flowering plants should be added last . It can be hard to resist impulse buying at the nursery when confronted with all those lovely trays of annuals and herbaceous perennials . However , keep in mind that annuals only last a few weeks , and perennials often require quite a bit of work to keep looking good . Fast growers usually need plenty of water and regular feeding .
Think of short-lived plants as the scatter cushions of the gardenbest used in moderation . Having said that , flowering annuals and perennials typify late winter and early spring in the Cape . You can add them to brighten the garden and fill in gaps . Better to cover the area between new trees and shrubs with annuals than to plant too close together . For those on a tight budget , a few packets of daisy seed is a cost-effective way to inject spring colour in the garden .
25 Reliable plants for beginners
Image : Proteaflora
A . The Protea family All require acidic soil with perfect drainage . a . Sugarbush ( Protea repens ) b . Blue sugarbush ( Protea neriifolia ) c . Thistle sugarbush ( Protea scolymocephala ) d . Pincushion ( Leucospermum cordifolium ) e . Sunshine conebush ( Leucadendron salignum )
B . Shrubs for all soil types Large shrubs that will reach one to five meters in height . a . Bush tick-berry ( Chrysanthemoides monilifera ) b . Golden daisy ( Euryops pectinatus ) c . Honey euryops ( Euryops virgineus ) d . Cross-berry ( Grewia occidentalis ) e . September bush ( Polygala myrtifolia )