Florcom Gardens

This garden is on display at Garden World, Beyers Naude Drive, Muldersdrift, Gauteng Tel: 011 957 2046 or 083 997 6142, www.gardenworld.co.za.

Garden Designed and Constructed by Craig de Necker of The Friendly Plant.

What is more tranquil and in tune with nature than the sound of water as it gently makes its way down a narrow stream?

For as far back as history has been recorded, man has been drawn to water. Not only for the life that it holds, but also for the rhythmic, calming sights and sounds that it so effortlessly provides.

The element of water is at the heart of the show garden, ‘Tranquil Pleasures’, designed by Craig de Necker of The Friendly Plant, and it also provides the link between two distinct sections of the garden.

One is an entertainment area that is reached by crossing a ‘floating’ bridge, and the other is a secluded deck on the water. Both meet the needs of our urban lifestyle – with a space where one can socialize with friends and a space for quietness and peace.

The entertainment space incorporates another element of nature – that of fire. A raised, circular fire place is surrounded by a circular seating area. It is a multi-purpose area; ideal for a braai or just for some fire gazing and good wine.

The deck is more than just a deck. It has been sculpted in such a way that it takes the form of a reclining chair. Just scatter a few cushions on it and lie back and enjoy the sun or read the Sunday newspapers. It is a more soothing alternative, an ideal place to dangle your feet in the water.

The contemporary idiom of the man-made hardscaping provides the perfect foil for the lush greenery that acts as a backdrop. The deep green of cycads, clivia and philodendrons, alongside the lime yellow of Duranta ‘Sheena’s Gold’ and the red tones of Nandina, create a rich tapestry of foliage colour. Splashes of colourful tropical flowers add to the wonderful palette of colour.

This is a contemporary tropical garden where is it easy to shut out the demands of the busy world and feel that you have found your own tropical island hide-away.

Gewone naam:

Sterjasmyn (Star jasmine, Chinese jasmine).

Tuinplasing:

Die sterjasmyn is ‘n klimplant of grondbedekker wat immergroen is en so te sê op enige plek aard. Ideaal as grondbedekker vir groot sonnige of halfskadu areas.

Groeibeskrywing:

Aantreklike slingerplante wat vinnig groei, gehard en immergroen is.

Blomme:

Welriekende stervormige wit blomme wat 20mm in deursnit is. Die blomme word vanaf Oktober tot Desember gedra.

Hoogte:

Ongeveer 1,5 m. Kan aansienlik hoër word indien dit toegelaat word om teen voorwerpe op te rank.

Gehardheid:

Bestand teen ryp.

Voeding en besproeiing:

Redelik droogtebestand, maar groei baie vinnig indien genoeg water kry.

Voortplanting:

Stiggies.

Land van oorsprong:

China

Groeibeskrywing:

Immergroen klimplante. Met behulp van sterk bywortels aan die stingels kan hulle aan feitlik enige oppervlak vasklou en vinnig ‘n digte bedekking vorm. Blomme is groenerig en onopvallend. Vruggies is swart, klein en onopvallend.

Mutasies het bygedra tot heelwat kultivars met ‘n groot variasie van hul ornamentele loof.

Tuinplasing:

Die klimop is onoortreflik om as ranker oor lelike voorwerpe te groei. Kan ook as grondbedekker gebruik word. Vertoon besonder mooi wanneer toegelaat word om teen boomstamme op te rank.

Gehardheid:

Met enkele uitsonderings is die meeste kultivars bestand teen die laagste temperature. Die meeste soorte kan in volle son, halfskadu of volle skadu groei.

Voeding, grond en besproeiing:

Groei maklik in enige tipe grond. Waar die klimop in volle son groei is voldoende water nodig.

Voortplanting:

Steggies van stewige lote en inlêers vorm maklik wortels. Ranke wat op die grond lê vorm ook wortels.

Land van oorsprong:

Europa, Asië en Noord-Afrika.

This is a preventative program designed to combat most of the pests that commonly occur on roses. The chemicals used to compile this program have proved to be compatible with each other and safe (for the plant) within reason if used in the right sequence and at our recommended dosage rates. However, other factors may influence the effect the chemicals have on the plants, i.e. spray water, climate, soil, nutrient status, age of chemicals and storage conditions – spray technique is also critical. We have recommended certain brand names, we do not take responsibility if “generics’ are substituted. There are vast differences in the quality of chemicals with the same active ingredient, but of different origin (manufacture).

This program is based on the assumption that the amount of spray mix applied is approximately 800 to 1200 liter per hectare.

The program consists of a 2 week cycle (preventative) and several ‘special mixes’ that are only sprayed if necessary when an ‘outbreak’ has occurred or when weather conditions are favourable for the development of the pest or disease.

The following preventative spray program will control the following pests and diseases: – aphids, worms, rose beetles, thrips, scale, rose borer, spider mite, powdery mildew, black spot and rust.

Preventative:

Alternate between these mixtures at about seven to fourteen day intervals or longer:

Use a proper wetting agent or wetter/sticker e.g. Latron B or G49 or Agral 90 etc. Dish wash does more harm than good!

Special mixes:

Gewone naam:

Aartappelboom (Potato tree).

Tuinplasing:

Treffende struik wat as gevolg van sy massas blomme ‘n moet vir elke tuin is. Plant in volle son. Kan as ‘n eksemplaarplant of tussen ander struike geplant word. Die aartappelboom vertoon baie mooi waar dit as ‘n heining aangeplant is. Kan ook as ‘n houerplant op ‘n sonnige patio geplaas word.

Groeibeskrywing:

Digte struik. Meestal immergroen, maar bladwisselend in streke met swaar ryp.

Kan met gereëlde snoei gevorm word.

Blomme:

Bloupers, donkerpers of wit blomme wat deur die hele somer treffend vertoon. Ten einde massas blomme te verseker moet plante gereëld gevoed word en in volle son groei.

Hoogte en wydte:

3 x 3m. Vorm kan maklik met snoei beheer word.

Gehardheid:

Bestand teen ryp. Bladwisselend in streke met swaar ryp (word selde permanent deur ryp of koue beskadig).

Voeding en besproeiing:

Gee voldoende water. Genoegsame hoeveelhede stikstof, fosfaat en kalium is nodig vir voortdurende blomvorming (strooi drie of vier keer gedurende die somer ‘n handvol 2:3:4 onder elke struik, benat goed na elke kunsmistoediening).

Voortplanting:

Stiggies.