The presence of these cute, furry and saucer-eyed nocturnal mammals will only enhance the quality of your outdoor living area.

The first thing to consider when planning on inviting bushbabies to your garden is your pets.  If you have dogs or cats, it might not be such a good idea, as you might be luring the bushbabies to a certain death.

Seeing as these little nocturnal pro-simians are indigenous, you will need to plant indigenous plants in your garden to create the perfect environment for them.  Take into consideration what they need in terms of food, water, nesting and safety.  I suggest you conduct intensive research on these tiny furry creatures to be able to ascertain what their needs will be.

Firstly, bushbabies are arboreal, which means they spend most of their time in trees.  Therefore you will have to plant some large trees in your garden.  They are omnivorous and eat tree gum – from acacia trees – flowers, fruits and insects, such as moths, beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers and even small reptiles, such as lizards.   They are not dependant on water, but it would be a wise idea to provide a safe watering spot for them in your garden.

You can entice them to stay and breed in your garden, by providing a nesting log or box for them.  In nature, they will nest in the hollow of a tree.  Bushbabies normally give birth to one or two offspring and sometimes even up to three babies.

Finally, please keep in mind that these animals are wild and you should not try to keep them as pets.  Be satisfied with providing a habitat for them in your garden, where they can exist in peace and are free to roam as they want.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping can design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

Linda Poultney ©

Many of us have invasive exotic plants in our gardens, such as lantana, pipe grass, cat’s claw creepers, privets (ligustrum robustum privet), water hyacinths and wattle, jacaranda, pine and seringa trees. Rather opt for indigenous plants in your garden.

Indigenous gardens are not only less expensive, water wise, hardy and proudly South African, but also very versatile. You have thousands of indigenous plants to choose from, which means you can design your garden in a variety of styles, ranging from tropical to bushveld. Another advantage to indigenous gardens is that you will attract birds, insects and animals to your garden; creating your very own ecosystem in your backyard. You will also be contributing to the preservation of our indigenous plants.

Typical indigenous plants that we use include tree aloes, cape aloes, marlothii aloes, honey suckle, clivias, agapanthus, arum lilies, bulbines, wild garlic, acacia trees, olive trees, white stinkwood trees, and indigenous grasses, such as three awn grasses, thatching grass, buffalo grass, broad-leaved turpentine grass, bristle grass, Natal red top grass, red grass and fountain grass.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature. We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service. We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

Another advantage to indigenous gardens is that you will attract birds, insects and animals to your garden; creating your very own ecosystem in your backyard.  You will also be contributing to the preservation of our indigenous plants.

Typical indigenous plants that we use include tree aloes, cape aloes, marlothii aloes, honey suckle, clivias, agapanthus, arum lilies, bulbines, wild garlic, acacia trees, olive trees, white stinkwood trees, and indigenous grasses, such as three awn grasses, thatching grass, buffalo grass, broad-leaved turpentine grass, bristle grass, Natal red top grass, red grass and fountain grass.  

Ultimately, the garden design of an indigenous garden should harmonize with the architectural style of the home and with the tastes of the home owner.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.