Still and nursery in Hogsback

As many of you know, I keep returning to Hogsback, and Essential Amathole is one of the reasons. This initiative follows an incredible approach to sustainable rural economic development in 4 ways. Firstly, it is based on a public-private-community partnership. Participation in this manner allows for equitable, responsible and sustainable development, and is a model that can (and should) be replicated as a priority for any development. Secondly, there are both direct and indirect beneficiaries. Not only is the project addressing severe unemployment in the region, but it has established a community trust that holds 24.8% of the profits, the proceeds of which go into a wide range of community-based organisations and initiatives. Thirdly, the business itself is based on environmentally sustainable methods. All farming is organic and focused primarily on indigenous plants endemic to the Eastern Cape. Finally, it is essential oils so it smells absolutely wonderful!

Here are some pictures I took of the nursery in Hogsback:

Nursery

Rose geranium nursery

Here are some close ups of the crops:

Rose geranium

Lavendar

Lemon balm

The project is still in its second phase of implementation so there are a lot more exciting possibilities emerging daily. I would highly recommend a visit if you are anywhere near those parts. It is a great example of an environmentally sustainable economic development model. And all the sites smell fantastic!

You could contribute to the project!  While the distribution of natural indigenous forests in South Africa is fairly well understood, knowledge of the true extent and diversity of plantations of indigenous tree species in this country is limited, and this is an appeal for additional information.   Details that would be particularly useful include the location (e.g. latitude & longitude) of any indigenous tree plantations, the species (or species combinations) planted, the extent of the plantings (e.g. size of the plantation in ha, or the number of trees planted), the planting density (stems per ha) and the current age of the trees (or planting date).   Your assistance through the provision of this kind of information would be extremely beneficial and highly appreciated, filling a knowledge gap and facilitating the choice of potential research sites available to the project.   All information received will be acknowledged and treated with the strictest confidence.

Please send any relevant information by email to Mr. Mark Gush at mgush@csir.co.za

It is a bit of a bun-fight but you can get plants here that are impossible to find at nurseries and they are reasonably priced.

Get some Wild Dagga at Indigenous Plant Fair!

It really is an easy tree to propagate and is very rewarding in your garden.  It has beautiful, bright red flowers each spring (which attract the sunbirds) and loses all its leaves in winter, which I particularly like.

Baby Coral Trees

Imagine my surprise when a few years back I saw lantana for sale at my local, indigenous nursery.  Well, it turns out there is an indigenous species of lantana, with exactly the same flower and leaf structure as the invader.  The main differences are that this one is low-growing ground-cover as opposed to a shrub and the flowers are yellow as opposed to purple.  Plus, it is a great plant to have in your garden.  It flowers throughout the summer and the butterflies really dig it.

Lantana in bloom.

It has a thick, rough bark, thin leaves and long, pod-shaped seeds, but what I really like about it are its flowers.  They are light, candy-striped and kinda Japanese.  Also, the seeds are really easy to germinate and I am growing a bonsai version of it.

Does anyone know what it is called and where it is from?

What tree is this?