Archive | February, 2010

some flowers in hogsback

By on February 8, 2010 in flowers, indigenous

for those of you who haven’t visited hogsback… it is a small village in the eastern cape, in the mountains overlooking alice, where fort hare university is situated. there is a big movement to reclaim the area from the pines and wattles, revitalising the indigenous vegetation. i go relatively regularly to visit friends who live [...]

Read full story • Comments { 5 }
Watsonia densiflora

Rare Visitors

By on February 8, 2010 in flowers, indigenous

The summer has brought with it an incredible display of the Natal Watsonia (Watsonia densiflora) transforming a section of grassland on the Westville campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal into a burst of brilliant colour.  Cultivation, urbanisation and invasive plants have destroyed almost all the grasslands in the Durban area, making this an incredibly rare [...]

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

Hydrangea – not a bad exotic

By on February 3, 2010 in aliens, flowers

I’m not a huge fan of exotic plants and, in fact, am vehemently pro-indigenous.  I do, however, have a soft spot for Hydrangeas, a familiar plant in most suburbs in South Africa.  These come courtesy (and out the garden) of my housemate‘s mother and have been keeping me company while I’ve been working today. Anyone [...]

Read full story • Comments { 5 }

Local freedoms

By on February 2, 2010 in environment, indigenous, sustainability

Written on behalf of SWC by Val Payn SWC Chair Box 44, Harding Contact cell 083 4416961 swcoastval@gmail.com XOLOBENI MINING IS A TEST CASE OF HOW MUCH COMMITMENT GOVERNMENT HAS TO LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES. Should local destinies be decided locally? That is the heart of the issue around the Wild Coast Xolobeni mining debate. The [...]

Read full story • Comments { 0 }