Landscape Design and Horticulture Tips South Africa

Working in the Green Industry

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 10:30:00 GMT

Recently I was asked by someone if I work in the Green Industry, specifically, I was asked if “you are a landscaper”.

Innocent question to be sure.

And it does indeed seem to be a very simple ask, not so?

Do I?

Surely this invites a simple “yes” or “no” response?

Surely!

A Green Conundrum:

If it sounds to you as though I am caught in some sort of mystical and enigmatic dilemma, well you are correct, but maybe for the wrong reasons. You see, my hesitation – my pause for reflection in framing an immediate response – stems not from my ability or inability, if you prefer, to know what the ‘Green Industry’ means, or indeed whether or not I actually have some sort of job recognition anxiety – it’s about whether or not I see what I do as work. There is also the distinction I tend to associate with the concept of doing something as opposed to being something.

Let me explain by way of a short anecdote. Some years ago, I was at a function of corporate persuasion and I overheard one gentleman ask another if he was a ‘Captain of Industry’.

“Well,” answered the man, after a pause for thought “a Captain of Industry is not what I am, it is what I do .”

A job, then – he does a job – he is not “ the job ”.

Thought provoking stuff. How clever, I thought introspectively at the time – what a great piece of insight. It was then that I decided to live by that very credo: it is not what I am, it is what I do.

Little did I realise that these words and thoughts would come back to nudge and prod provocatively at my very own insights many years later…

All Play and All Work:

Okay, so yes, getting back to what has now become the vexed question: Do I work in the green industry? Do my colleagues work there too?

Well, when I think about it the answer has to be a resounding NO. No, we don’t. You see, we play – but we play really hard, as anyone who loves what they do is prone to do. Give it stick and love every minute.

Having said this, I must admit that the more I contemplate this poser, the more I realise that the Green Industry is in me, rather than me being in the Green industry. You see, I am proudly landscaped in my DNA.

Landscape Design and Horticulture are amazing – they are, in fact – jolly good infatuations . Passions more than pursuits, a way of life rather than a career. I was once told by a mentor in my younger years that success follows passion. The pursuits of growing and planting plants, of green design are those very passions then – success is the legacy we create by doing that which we love doing – by doing that which comes naturally.

Long Green Tendrils:

And this is so very not the end of the story. You see, there is a Big Amazing Passionate Green Family out there, and they do so many Big Amazing Green Things – with passion .

From the ancient arts of horticulture, gardening and landscaping, the deeply contemplative sciences of botany, plant ecology, water and soil conservation, the vibrant and fulfilling pursuits of large scale plant growing, husbandry, and distribution to the wonderful world of green education and mentoring – the range of activities stretches very far and very wide.

I would so love to unpack each and every one of these amazing careers right here and right now, but there just isn’t the space to do it all in one go – so I will just explore, for now, the fine and noble arts of horticulture and landscape design – two crafts that are inextricably enmeshed one with the other – and for which I have a deep and indelible love.

The Horticulturist and the Landscaper:

There are traditional and conventional distinctions between a horticulturist and a landscaper that go way, way back through the mists of time. It seems reasonable that it should indeed be so.

After all, we can certainly, on the face of it, see horticulturists for what they are and what they do, and although they can have many different roles, as a general rule, they are the people that are experts in the research and growing of plants. So we see horticulturists using scientific knowledge to cultivate and propagate plants, and then pass this on to growers. They are adept at conducting pest and disease investigations, knowing how to control them and how to instil harmony and balance in the garden ecology. Many horticulturists are involved with ongoing experimentation for improved varieties of plants that have greater resistance to disease, more robust resistance to drought, growing position or enhanced aesthetics, for example.

Over and above all of this, they will often work in the field of garden and landscape design to help create beautiful gardens and parks where they play a crucial role, not only in the placement, maintenance and health of the plants, but also the aesthetic appeal, interaction with people, pets and wildlife, and the preservation of critical natural resources.

I must say, I have yet to meet a horticulturist worth their salt that does not understand form and function, colour and texture. In and of itself, planting design is not just a skill, it is a true art form that finds a comfortable space in the world of garden design – so the horticulturist is indeed well placed to find a good fit in the world of landscape design.

Now the intrepid landscaper, as you can, no doubt surmise, is a design animal who sees kaleidoscopic pattern in everything when wearing a design hat – especially in outside and open air spaces. Form and function, space and line, texture, colour, harmony and rhythm are the landscaper’s tools of the design trade.

A landscaper transforms garden and park spaces into things of functional and aesthetic beauty – artworks sculpted out of raw landscapes. These spaces are skilfully crafted into the visions of clients and communities using ingredients from the world of outdoor elements, garden features and a myriad of available materials.

Landscape designers see spaces as the sum of their parts – architecture, features and surrounds are skilfully blended into a synergistic, integrated completeness of blissful rhythmic harmony. The world of the landscaper is characterised not only by designing, but also literally constructing, creating and transforming these amazing spaces.

And, of course, in all of this, there is the wonderful world of plants, for no landscape is a landscape without the inclusion of a plant palette from the astonishing array of available plant material. The ability to understand plants and related horticultural aspects is elementary to any design work in the landscape. Plants offer the critical edge – their presence breathes life into our surrounding spaces, be it indoor or outdoor. For the designer there is colour, form, structure, fullness, texture, nuance, movement and seasonal changeability. Plants afford us a mouth-watering anticipation of metamorphoses and transfigurations to come as the garden matures and grows into its own personality.

So in every landscape designer, there is a plant person too.

Where the Twain Do Meet:

It is often said that some people who are part of this rich, lush, verdant world are horticulturists first and designers second, or vice versa. I suppose it’s probably true to some extent, yet there can be no doubt – to me anyway – that the true horticulturist carries the design bug to a greater or lesser extent in the same way that the true landscaper has plant material infused into their DNA – to a greater or lesser extent. Either way, the more design insight a horticulturist has, or the more plant appreciation a designer has, can only be to the greater good when all is said and done.

Whichever way we see it, the result is a legacy like no other – a viridescent footprint that we leave in our wake that will flourish, transform and endure for years to come.

For my part, it is a calling I would swap for no other. You see, being part of the greater green family is not actually what I do – it is, in fact, despite my earlier epiphany in life to the contrary, not what I do, it is what I am .

Phytocustos – The Plant Guardian (or parent)

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 10:29:00 GMT

New Kids (and Parents) on the Block – the Indoor Green Revolution?

One of the emerging tendencies or inclinations – or should I say groundswell – is a movement that carries the rather enigmatic tag of Plant Parenting – and really, even referring to it as a “movement” seems a bit diminished because I honestly see this bent as a strong contender for an important part of a new human social condition, if the social trenders have anything to say about it.

So before plunging into my reflections, I was asking myself, “What on earth is a plant parent?”

And you may well be doing the same thing. Does this mean that the plants themselves – especially those grown indoors – are the Nouveau-New-Age kids-on-the-block? Even more intriguing a question is; who are these phytoparents when they are at home?

Well, on the face of it, it seems as though the designation is aligned mainly – though not necessarily exclusively – to the Millennial Generation or Generation Y – a phrase used to describe a person who reached adulthood in the early 21st century and covering those born between roughly 1980 and 2000.

So we are really looking at those in their mid-twenties to late thirties , give or take. It also suggests a generation that has taken to the nurturing of indoor plants – all guns blazing, so to speak.

So I was considering what makes this all new animal different from some of us dedicated “Indoor Plant Keepers” , for want of a better expression.

I mean, I am one myself. I like my houseplants – I like them very dearly, have as many as will make the house look and feel comfortable and welcoming, and I have friends who are like-minded. We have all been doing this for years and most of us are Baby Boomers.

In truth, as much as we like our plants, some of us still tend to feed them when we remember (some have better memories than others), water them when they look sad (and then often drown them with love), and generally try our best to nurture and protect them. We still make mistakes – as one does – and then we get on with our other lives.

And Here Be the Rub

Not so the intrepid and dedicated plant parent. Yes, they do indeed get on with their lives as well – but here’s the main distinction – the plants in their care are true surrogates , not living ornaments, – so they get on with life but the plants under their foster care are an integral part of that life – as would be the case with one’s own children or pets.

This, then, is the crux and it helps, perhaps, to define and characterise them, as well as to distinguish them, from the more familiar devoted plant hobbyist.

The vexed question is – well – why?

Firstly, we should consider the whole social situation in which these young adults find themselves, and this has to do with technology, work conditions, living conditions and even economic considerations.

In truth, millennials lead a screen-based existence – much more so than the Baby Boomers and even Generation X who were only really on the fringes of this condition. Apparently, they tend not to be home owners or to delay home ownership, partially due to economics, but also given the high degree of relative mobility that characterises this generation.

As a result they usually rent rooms, flatlets or apartments, especially during the more upwardly mobile part of their life journey. People of this peer group tend to be largely unmarried, have no children and seldom have pets – exceptions conceded. Millennials have also been dubbed the ‘Wellness Generation’ and plants fit very nicely into this profile.

The fixation that millennials have with plants has coincided very neatly with social media and access to articles, pictures and care tips. Plants are also “Instagrammable” which makes them that much more desirable to on-screen junkies.

It has been suggested that millennials are addicted to plants because they really don’t know what the future will bring. They are always on the move and so concern over what to do with the plant when moving is simply not an issue.

But having said all this, it is becoming increasingly evident that millennials are simply getting deeply in touch with their more nurturing side by adopting plants . A nurturing that is accessible – the joy of caring for a living organism and watching it grow and change along the way.

In so many ways, millennials do not have the same outlets for their energies or even extensive living space that early generations had. Caring for living things in a confined, urban setting soothes and provides a sense of real purpose. In so many ways plants can really mitigate loneliness and anxiety and, of course, plants brighten up the space . It is also, not surprisingly, a reaction to the increased modern urban living patterns of today.

I have, as a much younger person, lived in a small flat when starting out my journey in life and yes, I did turn to plants even then. This was back in the early 1980s, so how much more does this resonate and apply now with all the added factors and the fast, mobile pace of today?

I rest my case.

Into the Realms of Phantasy – the Plant Hotel

On the road to convincing myself that indoor plants are fast becoming (or indeed, have already become) the new child of the times, my attention was brought to the world’s first hotel for plants. Nope, I kid you not. Called the Patch Plant Hotel , this plant care destination, reminiscent of kennels for pets (or more fashionably called Pet Hotels) was established in London in September 2019.

Plants can be booked in when the owners (or dare I say, parents) are away on holiday or business.

Among other things, the hotel offers “Top Notch Fertiliser”, “Careful Watering” and “Perfect Sunlight”.

With slogans like “Give your plants a holiday as good as yours, free of charge” and “Just relax and let us look after your plants while you are away” – I think we may have a winner here. Time will tell if this catches on – I just happen to believe it will.

Why the Fixation with Indoor Plants?

While houseplants have never gone out of style as low-budget home décor, sales of indoor plants have increased in recent years.

This has been largely attributed to the millennial’s obsession , but probably also has much to do with the infectious nature of plant nurturing. Also, because the potential for plant sales has increased, growers and garden centres are seeking new and exciting varieties to put out of the shelf – one simply feeds on the other.

So, for anybody, the joy of having indoor plants has a place – whether you see yourself as a plant parent, hobbyist, décor-savvy fashionista or if you simply wish to add some organic brightness to a dull and lifeless space. Plants are essential for the quality of the air we breathe inside our homes , they are important for our state of mind , they lift our spirits and bring a bit of cheer and happiness to boot.

Part of the evidence I have seen is the wide array of new books on the subject . On one site alone, I found over sixty books on plant parenting and indoor plants – a far cry from what was on offer a few years ago. They also have some amazing titles such as “Houseplant Survival Manual”, “How to Praise a Plant and Make it Love You Back” and “Indoor Jungle”. My Personal favourite title is “How Not to Kill Your Houseplants” – I think that’s a good place to start.

I, for one, am delighted by all of this. The more plants we get out there (or in there, depending on your point of view) the better – and the finer will be our overall sense of wellbeing and quality of life.

Personally, I think that if we really think about it, we can all try to be responsible, loving and caring Plant Parents whatever our circumstances!

The post Phytocustos – The Plant Guardian (or parent) appeared first on Lifestyle College .

To Bee or Not To Bee, That Really, Is The Question

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:49:00 GMT

So we have probably heard them all:

“All the Buzz about Bees", “Bee nice to bees", “Beehave and the bees will bee there", “Bee aware", and so it goes on.

All very trite I suppose, but at least there is hope for some sort of awareness out there.

Me, I take it very seriously indeed – to the point of soapbox evangelism on occasion at worst. I must confess, that since taking up the cudgel with regard to the whole bee drama I catch myself invariably slipping in the subject at every opportunity during idle conversation.

It beggars belief, to my mind, that there are still so many people out there that have not yet caught on to the potential devastation surrounding dwindling bee populations across the globe.

It continues to astound me that some folk still see bees as the enemy and destroy hives or kill the first one they see hovering over their soft-drink bottle. Sad.

The highlight of my day is to rescue a single bee in distress, whether it be struggling on the surface of water or stuck in the house….

The Importance of being… A Bee

We so often these days, hear about the ‘Plight of the Bees’. Let me first say that this is euphemistic at the very least – we should be talking about the “Plight of the Planet” – because if the bees go, we go. Now you may think I am being a tad neurotic or theatrical here, but let’s think about this.

Bees are undoubtedly the most important pollinators on the planet – even outstripping agents like wind, bird, bats, butterflies, moths, flies and people.

Research has shown that honeybees pollinate sixty percent of the flowering plants in South Arica and that they are the main pollinators of many agricultural food crops to boot.

It is estimated that of 100 crops species that provide 90 percent of the world’s food, 70 are pollinated by bees – yes, this is quite a big number indeed, but wait, what does this mean to us?

Well, from a South African perspective alone, this means that honey bees pollinate 50 crop-types worth more than R10 billion each year and their activities help to sustain more than 100, 000 jobs.

So, if we contemplate our collective navel on this simple truth, we can then postulate that, if the bees go, we lose not only direct access to crop foods but the animals that feed off these crop foods will also die out – and many of these animals are food to us as well.

The implications just seem to grow exponentially. Having said all this, and despite the critical importance of these beloved insects, bee decline is everywhere and we have seen declining populations of up to 50 percent in the industrialized Northern Hemisphere.

Why Is this Happening?

Well, from my part, I don’t think the root causes are that hard to figure out.

I can immediately think of the obvious ones like habitat destruction, which as we know is not only a threat to bee populations but the global ecology as a whole. Then there is the rapid spread of people, especially urbanization and urban sprawl. And how about the injudicious and widespread use of chemical pesticides. As always, there is the odious practice of vandalism and theft – unrestricted harvesting of the hives – remember that the honey produced by bees is their food for the winter.

As if all this is not enough, bees have also been subjected to attack by a parasite called varroa mite, widely known as the Varroa Destructor (sounds appalling) -an external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on honey bees and passes on a disease called varroosis. Apparently, the varroa mite can only reproduce in a honey bee colony. This small tick-like mite sucks the blood out of honeybees, and has been considered to be the most serious parasite of honeybees in the 20th century.

Record has it that in 1997 this deadly parasite entered South Africa, possibly sneaking into the country via a harbour in the Cape. Scary stuff!

So, having considered all this, I can only think of the incredible level of trauma that these creatures must undergo – which leads me to the question of stress.

I was thinking of a vicious circle, where a series of events aggravates another series and this aggravates right back again. Here causes and effects simply reciprocate on each other and the aggravation and damage tends to grow exponentially – what a mouthful, but let’s consider a very simple example in the bee calamity.

Bee population dwindles , so pollination decreases . Growers need pollinators so arrange for a hive to be moved temporarily to the area. Bees are subject to a new stressor directly linked to relocation and dwindle some more, so pollination decreases…and so it goes on – a vicious circle within the vicious cycle.

The “What-Can-We-Do?” Conundrum

So it seems clear that temporary stop-gap and band aid fixes are not really the answer to the conundrum A journey of a thousand miles begins with a simple step it is said, so what can we do?

Somehow, we will have to think about a more permanent fix, and, of course, we must start somewhere. I guess the best place is to give the bees back some sort of habitat , make it safe and inviting and minimize bee-related stressors.

Let’s consciously take those first few steps with some simple things we can do to help these amazing creatures.

We start by planting bee-friendly plants that are nectar rich and resplendent in colours and scents that bees like. Their favourite colours seem to be blue-mauve, orange and yellow , but this is not exclusive. I would lean towards indigenous choices but this is too s not exclusive.

First prize is to have all-round flowers so Aloes and Kniphofia seem two obvious choices for the cooler months. Plants to look for would be honeysuckle, daisy-like plants and some of the blue-flowering shrubs like pink mallow, cork bush, cross berry and puzzle bush. I must say though, that from and exotics point of view, I have seen bees go crazy over lavender. Vygies are a great succulent option and Clivias for shadier spots are a good choice. Don’t stop here though, go and do some searching and you will uncover a veritable treasure trove of floral delights.

The type of garden which bees are attracted to is typically an overgrown, flowering and fragrant type cottage garden and yet we can include bee-friendly plats in any garden, patio or balcony without being a slave to stereotype.

Add to all of this a few shallow water pans , avoiding chemical pesticides a touch of urban greening and maybe even a small inconspicuous beehive and we have taken not just a small step, but a giant leap of faith.

Conclusion

Finally, I really hope this has reached out in some way and that more of us can move from the aware through the active to the evangelistic!

Garden Therapy

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 09:17:00 GMT

"We might think we are nurturing our garden, but of course it’s our garden that is really nurturing us” – Jenny Uglow.

This is very true. While caring for, protecting, feeding and cherishing our gardens, studies have found that we benefit from all that giving in so many ways.

The Benefits of Gardening

The most obvious gain from tending the garden would be on a physical level.

In digging, bending, lifting, picking up, planting, pruning and mowing we use a wide range of muscles and burn a lot of energy.

Gardening is a perfect form of exercise – it’s out in the sunshine and fresh air, you can do it any time of the day for as long as you allow yourself to, you don’t need the latest fancy outfit (but then again you can dress up or not at all if you want!) and age and gender plays no role.

If you’re a calorie counter, you can burn more than 400 calories per hour, depending on your activity – digging will burn up 200 calories per half hour, planting a tree 180 calories and the simple act of watering the garden will buy you a well-deserved cappuccino! So not only will you build a strong, healthy body but you will lose weight while growing a beautiful garden.

Gardening has been found to lower blood pressure and increase cardiac health which reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

By working outside you expose your skin (always with protection of course) to the sun, our main and best source of vitamin D, which is vital for strong bone formation.

The fresh smell of recently dug garden soil can boost your immune system. Soil contains beneficial bacteria called Mycobacterium vaccae which we absorb through inhalation. It has been found to help with respiratory issues like asthma and allergies.

Digging and planting activities build the muscles of the hands and improve hand strength and dexterity – this might seem trivial, but it does become important as we age.

Using complex muscles and hand-eye coordination as well as the planning and forward thinking involved in planting and laying out a garden is stimulating and boosts our brain health.

A Deeper Healing

The more subtle benefits of gardening reveal themselves in the effect they have on our mind and soul.

The smell of fresh soil, the feeling of the warm sun on our skins and the effort and exercise of gardening can reduce the level of cortisol – the dreaded stress hormone – and increase the secretion of serotonin – the feel good hormone. This not only boosts our immune system, but we feel happier and more content.

Gardening has also been found to have a positive effect on depression and insomnia.

Nurturing Growth

Planting a seed or plant, caring for it and tending to its every need creates a feeling of nurturing and responsibility and seeing it grow and thrive or ultimately picking its blooms or fruits boosts the self-esteem and instills a feeling of pride and accomplishment.

The sight of a familiar flower or the smell of a shrub as you brush against it, can trigger fond memories of a family member or friend or a long forgotten good experience – that warm fuzzy feeling all over again!

Family Time

Speaking of family, gardening together as a family can be an incredibly bonding and elevating experience. All members of the family across all ages can participate and spend time together in and with nature to create a space to play and visit in.

Gardening keeps us focused and in the moment – this helps to bring our scattered thoughts back in line and for a while we forget the busyness and demands of the world outside. Tasks like pruning and weeding, similar to packing and clearing cupboards, can be very liberating as we remove the old to make way for new and fresh growth.

We have to exercise patience when gardening since nature’s pace is set and it can’t be rushed and the rewards of our hard work are great, but not instant. This is priceless in a world of instant gratification!

So many great reasons to go gardening – garden on your plot or in your little townhouse haven, on your balcony or the windowsill of your pad, garden wherever you can place a pot or create a bed to dig your hands in and lose yourself a little.

Let nature inspire you and discover your wild with gardening…

A word of caution: Gardening can be extremely addictive, but it won’t harm your health!