BRING YOUR GARDEN INTO YOUR HOME THIS CHRISTMAS



Succulent wreath

 Another year draws to an end. With Christmas around the corner I was was thinking of how we can bring our garden into our home during this festive season. I searched the web and had a few inspired ideas of my own. Instead of rushing off to stores and buying decorations why not make your own original organic decorations? This succulent wreath looks better than any plastic store bought one and much more Eco friendly.If you lucky enough to be by the sea why not make a wreath out of drift wood, or unusual twigs.

an unusual wreath made with terracotta pots!



A Clematine wreath


I love this idea it is unusual and attractive. Instead of air plants you could put dried seed pods in the balls, or fill half the ball with a little water and place red and white roses inside!

Glass ornaments with air plants



place red and white flowers inside for a more festive feel

 We have a huge selection of amazing succulents in our country that really are not used to their full potential. These little water wise beauties make beautiful eye catching decorations!




Succulent ornamental ball

 During these hot summer holidays why not pick a few herbs and berries from your Organic Vegetable herb gardens and make them into ice cubes to decorate all those Christmas cocktails with.

Ice blocks that will glam up any drink

Fill your home with a festive aroma.Oranges studded with cloves not only smell fantastic but will also look wonderful as center pieces in glass vases or bowls.

Oranges studded with cloves

Make your own Christmas table centerpieces with recycled objects from your home and garden. Tin cans cleaned and filled with flowers from your garden create a rustic charm. Small terracotta containers can be transformed with a bit of red ribbon , rosemary and white candles.

disguise your tin can by wrapping twigs or cinnamon sticks around it

What is Christmas without a Christmas tree. Instead of those drab plastic trees why not use one of our indigenous beauties.Get a big terracotta tub and plant it up with an indigenous tree of your choice then plant it in your garden afterwards.Or if you choose the right kind of tree leave it in the pot and place it on your patio so it is ready for the next festive season. Here are a few of my favourite indigenous Christmas trees. What are yours?



Podacarpus henkelii



Gardenia Thunbergia

 

Links: vi.sualize.us, haute-hostess.com, flikr.com, weddingfresh.blogspot.com, thepaintedhive.blogspot.com, libp.blogspot.com, MathaStewart,beeskneesbungalow.blogspot.com,marylenalynx.blogspot.com,potterybarn. Grow Wild.

SOIL THE STUFF OF LIFE

The first step to a successful garden is getting the soil right.



Bark chip mulch always looks good 



With our hot African sun mulching is vital. We are coming to a stage where every drop of water counts. Mulching retains the moisture in the soil. Mulching can be incorporated into the design of you garden whether you are going for contemporary, Informal, Formal, Oriental there is a mulch for each and every style and taste.



Rocks and pebbles create a contemporary feel they also bring in an exciting texture



Living mulches these are ground cover plants they come in an array of colours, textures and shapes the choice is vast. What is wonderful about this choice of mulching is that the plants successfully smother weeds as well as pulling the design together. Pebbles, different coloured gravels, shells and bark chips are just a few of the options if you want to bring another texture into your garden. Whichever mulch you choose it is an essential part of the garden

Arctotheca calendula works well as a living mulch

Working in the maintenance industry bought to my attention that most gardeners have an obsession when it comes to turning the beds and making sure that not one leaf dare be left in them. Both of these practices are very bad for your soil. Turning the beds disturbs the plants roots as well as causing dormant weed seeds to surface and germinate. It also upsets the balance in the soil. Leaves that have fallen onto the bed are one of the best things that could happen in terms of improving and feeding the soil. In fact we should be putting as many as we can onto our beds. As the leaves decompose they make the most beautiful rich and healthy soil. The end result is humus this is made up from all that broken down matter, now you have a soil that is like gold dust to gardeners. Healthy soil equals healthy plants.

Adding a little helping hand. Our company does not use chemical products. Most chemical fertilizers leech the soil of its nutrients and all the hard work that has been put into obtaining healthy humus rich soil is lost. Plants can also get burnt and die off if to much fertilizer is applied. We prefer to go the Organic route by using Neutrogs Organic fertilizer range. It may smell for a day or two but the results are amazing. Another product that works wonders for plants is Fertlies this fertilizer comes from earthworm castings, these amazing creatures are soils miracle workers. There are a number of companies that sell these worms with wormaries that can fit into any space big or small. Whether you want to feed you house plants or your whole garden. All you need to feed them is your kitchen waste how simple is that .In return you get the most amazing liquid fertilizer which will give you strong healthy plants that the neighbours will be envious of.

Resources: Arctotheca calendula image from www.plantzafrica.com