BEAUTIFUL SIDEWALK GARDENS ALSO HAVE TO BE SUSTAINABLE
by Andy de Wet – Aloe Farm Hartbeespoort
One of the easiest sidewalk gardens to look after are succulent gardens, especially if they are properly planned and executed.
They generally require a lot less water and can still look nice when you are busy or away for weeks and cannot tend to your pavement.
It is important to envisage the ultimate “look” and have a basic design in mind. An example could be a few well-spaced, suitable trees with an architectural style that won’t create too much shade. A good example is the paperbark thorn (Acacia sieberiana) or The fever tree (Acacia xanthophloea). Like any tree planted, they should be planted in a big square hole with lots of compost and bonemeal.
The soil on the rest of the sidewalk must also be loosened deep and prepared in the same way, mainly because the pavement is the part of your garden that is most likely to be neglected when your life gets too busy and you want the plants to always have a fighting chance and grow and flower as much as possible.
Succulent gardens can be colourful and exciting if you mix and match with care. The general rule of thumb should be:
-Step the plants up from small (in the front), to large at the back in order to make them all visible and not grow over each other and create a mess.
-Plant groups of the same varieties to create “slashes of colour”
– Always try to contrast each variety with the one next to it as much as possible. Not only the flower colours, but also the foliage colours, shapes and textures of each must stand out as much as possible. This will make the garden look colourful, organised and interesting, even when the plants are past their flowering season.
-Plant plants that will attract and feed birds and bees.
Pick your plants carefully. Most big nurseries have trained, helpful staff that can assist with that.
Succulents and aloes can sometimes give a very hard appearance, so it is important to soften the look with spreading succulents like Plectranthus neochilus, Othonna or Aptenia. Tough flowering ground covers like Gazania or Osteospermum can also add a lot of colour. Aloes are a must because they are endemic to Harties and the newer cultivars grow easily and flower spectacularly.
If you plant in a way that lets plants eventually fill up all the space, there will be no space for weeds to grow.
HAPPY GARDENING!
