Sprig

Passionate about education and a self-confessed tech aficionado, I've immersed myself in the evolving world of digital learning for over a decade with Cambridge University Press and Assessment. It's not just work for me; it's a pursuit of crafting tools that ignite curiosity in learners and support educators. I've been fortunate to lead brilliant teams, producing digital courses and collaborating with global education bodies. Outside of my main role, I'm excitedly exploring projects like 'Diji', a digital platform offering courses in African languages, and delving into the potential of artificial intelligence in education. For me, learning isn't just a task—it's a thrilling adventure.

Leonotis Leonurus

May 14, 2009May 14, 2009 by Sprig

A rather beautiful name for a somewhat sparse green bush that Roger has accused of being a ‘weed’. However, in the last few days Leonotis (as we’ll call her) has been pushing out furry orange spider legs from her green foliage and making quite a show of herself. Some call her lion’s tail, another site … Read more

My very own permaculture garden

March 4, 2012May 12, 2009 by Sprig

Inspired by the Durban Botanic Gardens permaculture course we attended, my mom and myself set about creating a small garden of our own. We first created the border of the bed using old bricks we found in the garden. We then layered the bed with cardboard, then dead organic matter (dry leaves), then live organic … Read more

Garden Essentials: Fly-trap

June 11, 2009May 11, 2009 by Sprig

Durban in the summer is hot, humid and wet – the perfect weather for a plague of flies. Which is why each year I buy one of these nifty fly-traps and hang it in a tree. The trap is an ingenious design, with a funneled entrance which makes it easy for the fly to enter … Read more

DIY Gardening

June 11, 2009May 4, 2009 by Sprig

Here is a link from my sister-in-law (she’s a crafty blogger). It explains how to make a worm composter. After originally investigating buying one, I’ve now decided to try and make it myself. At the permaculture workshop last week I met someone who has kindly offered to donate some worms to get me started and … Read more

Snake Charms

June 11, 2009May 2, 2009 by Sprig

One of my all time favourite indigenous plants, and also very popular with landscapers in Durban, is the Wild Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea or Isihaqa). It grows in clumps of grey-green, strappy leaves that smell strongly of garlic when bruised or, in fact, even when watered. Beautiful purple flowers appear at the end of stalks throughout summer, and look particularly impressive when grouped together.

A hardy, drought-resistant plant, wild garlic requires little attention once settled in your garden. The flowers form seed-pods which are very easy to propagate and wild garlic will self-seed itself if left to its own devices. As the plant grows, larger clumps can also be divided to form new plants.

This plant is also extensively used in traditional medicine – to treat asthma, rheumatism, colds and tuberculosis. In permaculture, wild garlic is planted among vegetable crops to keep pests away, in particular aphids, and the young leaves can also be eaten as a type of spinach. In rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, wild garlic is planted around homesteads to protect them from snakes. Lastly, and I have no proof that this works, the root of the plant can be used as a love charm by men to attract girls.

What an amazing and useful plant!