Plant Indigenous Now: please your pocket and the planet
Category Gardening
Heritage day sees Homes Of Distinction celebrating everything proudly South African, including our gardens!
A garden is an essential oasis of peace and beauty in any property, regardless of size, but at the same time there is nothing worse than a poorly maintained garden dragging down the tone of your property. The huge effort and cost involved, however, often lead to a decline in landscaping as it slips on the priority ladder while owners have to focus on more pressing property matters. So why not consider a change in approach?
As we experience a growing water crisis with the Vaal Dam at just 37% capacity, the benefits of an indigenous garden become apparent from an eco-friendly perspective, as well as an aesthetic one.
TOP REASONS TO GROW AN INDIGENOUS GARDEN:
1. Indigenous, locally sourced plants are water-wise, requiring very little water to maintain them.
2. Indigenous plants are inherently hardy against disease, erratic climate, and neglect, making them a low-maintenance dream.
3. Due to this hardiness and sparse thirst, these plants don’t require much investment in improvement of soil and composting before planting. Whatever you already have will accommodate some version of local plant life, making them easy to establish naturally.
4. Consider that you are creating your own eco-system – you can attract bird life, recycle seeds, plant medicinal plants, and considering that many indigenous plants are edible, even include them in your next dinner party for a homegrown touch.
5. All of these reasons make this type of garden great for another reason... it’s easy on the pocket!
Remember that your rolling high-maintenance lawn can be substituted with rockeries and ground cover, or even a self-sustaining grassland. There are many options available and virtually all nurseries are now supporting a “lekker local” section to embody this attitude, and help you to choose the right garden for your house, taste, conscience, and budget.
Author: Georgie Roberts
