Know, grow, protect and enjoy South Africa's indigenous plants

Fynbos gardeners: Why you should get your hands dirty this autumn

Autumn is the ideal time for Cape fynbos gardeners to get busy. From your beautiful spring-flowering geophytes, such as the gorgeous Gladioli, to spring-flowering annuals.

The quirks of growing Lowveld Chestnut

The Lowveld Chestnut is a fascinating species restricted in nature to the terrain surrounding the granite inselbergs in and between Nelspruit and Barberton with some populations

Growing trust Sthembile Zondi

In Pietermaritzburg, a young curator’s energy is helping transform one of SA’s oldest national botanical gardens

A liquorish-like vine for your food forest: Growing African Ginseng

African Ginseng, also known as uMondi or Mondia whitei.

Eat wild

Find and eat wild vegetables for the flavour of our heritage, urges Cape Town wild-food champion Loubie Rusch

How to grow a garden for butterflies

There are around 28 000 butterfly species globally and 800 found in South Africa. Of these, 420 butterflies

Tasty, healthy and easy to grow: Water chestnuts

Water chestnuts are an incredibly productive crop, particularly given the minimal input needed for growth.

Earth mother Nomama Mei

In the first of our new series on curators, get to know Nomama Mei, who has the exciting challenge of developing the new Kwelera National

Easy autumn gardening ideas to light up your garden

As the weather cools and autumn arrives, we start to look ahead towards the cold winter months – and keeping warm indoors rather than being outdoors in the garden.

How plants bring people together: Revival of a community garden

Plants can and do bring people from different walks of life together. At the Franschhoek Indigenous Medicinal Plants Demonstration Garden, gardeners and plant lovers came together recently

How to grow a grassland garden in South Africa

The grassland biome is the second largest in the country, covering around one third of South Africa’s land surface.

Sustainable gardening with Keith Kirsten

A Q&A with expert horticulturalist and gardener Keith Kirsten about gardening sustainably in South Africa

How to be climate-smart and plant indigenous

In order to be climate-smart, gardeners should choose plants that are locally indigenous.

How to grow magnificent Clivias

Warm colour easy-growing blooms for your home or shade garden

When plants and heritage meet: Revitalising an urban community garden

Moja Gabedi is an urban community garden started and run by the University of Pretoria’s Department of Community Engagement, and the development of the project

How to grow Proteas in your outdoor space

It’s easier than you might think to grow a Protea in your outdoor space, rewarding you with stunning flowers and attracting a range of wildlife to the garden.

Meet the kalanchoe people

New South African kalanchoe hybrids have been named in honour of key figures in our botany and horticulture

Where to Enjoy Aloes in South Africa

Winter is Aloe season in South Africa. As these majestic succulents come into bloom en masse, their bright and spectacular flowers transform mountains, koppies, open plains and gardens.

One of the World’s Happiest Hobbies? Why, gardening of course

The Botanical Society’s Kirstenbosch branch encourages you to start ‘Gardening for Happiness’, as they prepare to launch the Kirstenbosch Plant Fair.

Mamelodi’s hill of dreams

One man had a dream in Tshwane’s Mamelodi – and helped preserve a natural gem overlooked by botanists

Get your garden buzzing!

Our guide to gardening for bees gives tips on growing beautiful indigenous plants that create a thriving ecosystem for pollinators. Insects are a vital