Down the Garden Path

Renewal, renovation and maintenance are an expected part of gardening.

Soil needs continual improving and mulching and plants need fertilising, pruning and sometimes to be moved as they can become too big, invasive or fail to thrive.

While I renew the vegetable patch two or three times a year, as part of the normal food-growing cycle, I spend less time on the ornamentals but aim to rejuvenate one established bed each year.

The forest pansy tree I planted about four years ago in a side garden was slow to establish but has now grown into a wonderful specimen.

Unfortunately, I over-planted the area and it now shades the Little Gem magnolia and the Iceberg climbing rose. I planted a second Iceberg in a sunnier spot last year, as roses need full sun positions, and will relocate the magnolia to the other side of the garden once the weather cools.

At the other end of the bed the spreading canopy of a frangipani now casts too much shade on the Molineux rose, which I’ll move to a sunnier spot after pruning in July.

The biggest job is digging out the invasive succulent Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi Variegata which has grown too successfully due to regular water.

I’m transferring it to areas with minimal reticulation as it has gorgeous blue-green and cream foliage and very pretty flowers. I’ll rejuvenate the soil by adding soil improver and clay to encourage the existing cat mint (nepeta) and yellow-flowered African daisy (osteospermum) groundcovers to spread.

Clumps of society garlic (tulbaghia), which have grown too well in another garden, will be dug up to act as edging.

A few weeks ago we installed bamboo panels on the fence and attached horizontal wires for passionfruit as my neighbours did not appreciate the vines growing through to their side.

By the end of the year I’m expecting this side garden to be a symphony of yellow, blue and purple flowering plants and the fence to be hidden by the rampant passionfruit foliage — and I anticipate picking a few fruit!