Lusciousness and lushness!

This week, the action takes place around the fishpond so that my favorite Koi, nicknamed 'Luscious Lips' can get a good look at the plants too. 

Someone once told me that horticulture makes one dotty and that I'd be next. What could they have meant by that?

To business:

First: a feast of Agapanthus

PRIDE OF PLACE has to go fabulous Agapanthus inapertus 'Graskop' - get this sought-after plant in 20cm pots @ R35.20. 

Just look at how full they are! Not too many of these around, so the early bird get's the Aggie!

Gorgeous Agapanthus 'Peter Pan' with their big, open flowers and plenty of buds still opening. 4kg bags for just R9.30.

Perennially popular Agapanthus Nana Blue are still on the go: 4kg bags @ R9.30 

Desirable (well, they are aren't they?) Agapanthus inapertus 'Deepest Blue'  flowering for you in 4kg bags @ R12.95.

The perfect plant to round off the flowering Agapanthus extravaganza! Agapanthus inapertus white in 4kg bags @ R12.95

BOUNTIFUL BULBS CONTINUED:

Are you saying 'Ho-hum... Dietes grandiflora'? I once saw a crowd of British botanical society tourists gather round one and 'Oooh' and 'Aaaaah' over the lovely flowers. We're so spoiled with beautiful plants aren't we? 4kg bags @ R11.05

Speaking of plants with 'Ooooh!' value: Dwarf Eucomis zambesiaca always grab attention! 15cm pots @ R14.50. Time to stock up!

Gladiolus dalenii aren't in flower yet, but when they are, they look like this:

I had a bunch of them growing on a neglected bank, and they just came up and flowered, year after year without fail. Best to flower on the shop floor as they don't transport well in bloom. 4kg bags @ R15.70

Tulbaghia 'Silver Lace' are in flower 4kg bags are R9.30 and 15cm pots are R13.95.

NOW FOR SOME JUICY SUCCULENTS:

Lampranthus Orange are surprising us with buds and flowers at this time of the year. .

Lampranthus Red (Tch! No picture) have swelling buds about to burst open

The flat, frilly groundcover is Plectranthus strigosus  and the little white flower is Delsoperma cooperi.

All in 15cm pots @ R12.35

Are you tired yet? Of course not! Nor am I!  Onwards with the perspiration-free nursery tour... how about something dainty for...

FLOWER FAIRIES!

Sweet, sweet sweet! Diascias Red and Pink in 15cm pots @ R13.00

And who's the sweetest of them all? I say it's our own Selago 'White Cascade' introduced to the trade by us in Spring 2010. Get it while it's 'different'. 15cm pots @ R15.35

Buds are bursting into beautiful, bountiful, besonderse (Oops! I'm alliterating in Afrikaans now - that's cheating!) blooms: Stachys aethiopica Pink and White in 15cm pots @ R9.95.

Scabiosa Pink Mist. (Note: this is not my hand for once! Contortionism is not among my many skills!) 15cm pots @ R15.35.

Adorable Tecoma Yellow with a wealth of golden blooms: 15cm pots @ R13.00

Have you EVER seen such full Polygala fruticosa? Me neither. Plenty of buds still opening. 4kg bags @ R15.75

NOW FOR SOME TOP TREES - REMEMBER TO LOOK AT THE LIST IF YOU'RE A TREE-HUGGER!

MY Indigofera jucunda: Mine, mine, mine! Oh alright, they can be yours too. 50kg trees @ R254.00.

Have I told you a lot about Gonioma kamassi? Well, expect to hear more! If you read 'Environmental Management' magazine - it's in the next issue. I can't get over the pretty foliage, neat upright habit and scented flowers. 4kg bags are R18.10.

Here's a tree that's steeped in lore. Touch the foliage to get the strong Aniseed aroma. It's such a pity that our forefathers christened it 'Perdepis' as a result of the nasty taste of the infusion they used to make to combat colds, fevers and flu. The flowers are creamy-white and scented, and the blue-black berries are loved by birds.Clausena anisata 4kg bags @ R18.95.

Most years, Rhus crenata sells out before I can get it to a decent size - so we increased our batch - this is more like what I like to show! 4kg bags @ R18.10

Another favorite of mine: Gymnosporia buxifolia - also known as Maytenus heterophylla, or the Spike Thorn or the Pendoring. It's the ideal plant for creating a dense, thorny security barrier - and it's pretty too. In season, they get covered with tiny creamy flowers like confetti and birds love their seeds. 4kg bags are R11.70

A hedging or screening plant without the teeth - fast-growing and highly ornamental when covered with pretty, pinkish seed pods: Dodonaea viscosa var angustifolia - the Sand Olive. 4kg bags are R11.70, and there are lovely 10kg plants @ R24.50.

Last week's plants are still fantastic, so do take a look further back! Hoping you enjoyed my pictures and perambulations.