Posts Tagged ‘monkey thorn’

FRAGRANT GARDENS

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

By planting herbs, shrubs, creepers and trees in your garden that exude heady aromas – by means of essential oils – you will enhance the dimensionality of your garden.  Perfumed plants emanate aroma via their flowers, leaves, wood, bark or fruit.

Shrubs, such as lavenders, abelias, buddleias, azaleas and gardenias are perfect fragrant plants to incorporate into your overall garden layout. 

Fragrant creepers include star jasmine (jasminum multiflorum) and most other jasmine species, Rosa species, such as rambling roses, Wisteria species, and Chilean jasmine (mandevilla laxa).

The indigenous white gardenia (gardenia thunbergia) and September bells (rothmannia globosa) are perfect fragranced garden plants to add to your garden.

Indigenous trees, which radiate heady scents, include the monkey thorn (acacia galpinii), camel thorn (acacia erioloba), fever tree (acacia xanthoploea) and the sweet thorn (acacia karroo).

Most scented plants prefer direct sun in hot and dry weather, with good drainage.

Just keep in mind that you should try your utmost to select indigenous plants, and that you need to consider the toxicity of plants, if you have children or pets.

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.

TREE #1 OF 2009 – MONKEY THORN (ACACIA GALPINII)

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

The monkey thorn (acacia galpinii) has been appointed as one of the trees of the year for 2009, by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs.

This fast growing tree – with its lush, light green foliage – can grow up to 36 meters in height and has a wide, spreading crown.  It is a deciduous tree, which means that it loses its leaves during winter.  During spring, this lovely tree carries light yellow flowers and maroon-coloured seed pods during late summer and autumn.  The monkey thorn is ideal for large gardens and can be planted in your lawn – or along the edges of your lawn – as it provides mottled shade, which will allow enough sunlight through to the grass blades.

This indigenous tree is quite hardy and can survive in hot and dry weather conditions, as well as, frost to some degree.  Saplings should be properly protected from frost, however.  It also attracts insects, such as bees and wasps, and will also provide shelter for birds in your garden.

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.