Beginning a Succulent Garden

Despite looming deadlines and a tonne of work to complete, we just had to take a break from concrete pouring, setting up of workshops, making staircases, etc etc. It got to the point where we just had to do something totally different. What better way then a day or two in the sun (or rain), working on a succulent garden?

Gwen has been planning on a succulent garden since we moved to the site. She has been collecting off-cuts wherever she can and propogating plants. Now, we have quite a nice collection of succulents for our garden. We have enough to make a little rockery in the driest corner of our yard. Gwen’s plan in the end is to have a little area where we can sit and enjoy the plants.

Cape Town’s Best Kept Secret

Of course, there’s always room for one more plant, and we have always wanted lots of fruit trees. Gwen wanted an appropriate tree for the succulent garden for a bit of shade. Sandown Wholesale Nursery was having a sale on aloes. Kevin and Gwen went to have a look and came back with a few aloes, a few more really awesome succulents to supplement the ones Gwen had propagated, and a couple more fruit trees. They bought some more olive trees for our tiny olive grove. The olive grove is situated behind the succulent garden. They also bought an orange tree and a lime tree.

Sandown Wholesale Nursery gave us deal that could not be refused. They offered us a thorn tree for the garden and included delivery and planting (we just had to dig a hole for it). So, Gwen got her tree – a “fever tree”. It looks a lot like an acacia to me but it doesn’t drop thorns the way acacias do (so I’ve been told). The fever tree is quite popular in the Cape area.

If you’re living in the Cape Town area, and are looking to buy plants, Sandown Wholesale Nursery should be your first stop. Alan is extremely passionate about his plants and they have a large variety. If the name didn’t give it away, prices are wholesale and therefore a little cheaper. Visits to the nursery are by appointment only.