tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post6514534136370318910..comments2023-10-10T10:19:57.677+02:00Comments on Driftwood Ramblings: The wetland gardenUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-66543651492701590802011-04-08T16:06:27.777+02:002011-04-08T16:06:27.777+02:00Hello Desiree, I enjoyed seeing all the little nat...Hello Desiree, I enjoyed seeing all the little native violets peeping through. I use them a lot in my garden, they cover the ground so well and are so hardy. <br />The ferns are so pretty too... in fact, everything is. Using greywater for your wetland sounds like it's working very well too.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15849036690807834080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-6433771187146745612010-11-25T05:07:44.428+02:002010-11-25T05:07:44.428+02:00Thank you, Kiki! I do feel very privileged to liv...Thank you, Kiki! I do feel very privileged to live in such a beautiful part of SA and I enjoy my garden immensely as, over the years, we've attracted some delightful little visitors to it and I do feel that it's the life in one's garden that makes it so special and magical.Desireehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069419364783245762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-36113113999370996492010-11-25T03:31:37.298+02:002010-11-25T03:31:37.298+02:00Desiree!! Wow...what a fabulous and beautiful post...Desiree!! Wow...what a fabulous and beautiful post! YOu are lucky to live in such a gorgeous place...truly a space of wonder! I love where your birds feast! How awesome is that!Love it!<br />Enjoy your magical world!<br />Thankyou for visiting me too and your kind words!<br />Happy Gardening!<br />Kiki~Victoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09280128561139519596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-64239419279893883372010-11-24T17:08:43.895+02:002010-11-24T17:08:43.895+02:00So happy to hear you're enjoying my garden tou...So happy to hear you're enjoying my garden tour, Annie :) <br /> <br />Now, to answer your questions:<br /><br />1. Colocasia (elephant ear) is not indigenous to SA, but does well in the right spot! It is thought to have originated from Eurasia and as you correctly indicate, it is a tropical plant. We live in the Fynbos vegetation biome of the Western Cape. It is unique in the world and has a Mediterranean climate (i.e. hot, dry summers; winter rainfall). We can, however, grow a wide variety of hardy tropical plants.<br /><br />2. The elegant reed you spotted in my wetland garden is a member of the restio species indigenous to our region. It is Elegia capensis. It was originally described as an Equisetum (horsetail) a worldwide one-genus member of the ancient flowerless Equisetaceae family (cf. Restios of the Fynbos co-authored by Haaksma & Linder & published by the SA Botanical Society). <br /> <br />I do think the secret to successful gardening in our region, especially, is to use plenty of compost, mulch and bark. <br /><br />Happy gardening and experimenting!Desireehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069419364783245762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-43223882412627730622010-11-23T23:57:42.954+02:002010-11-23T23:57:42.954+02:00Oh Desiree, Thank you for the eye candy! Your gard...Oh Desiree, Thank you for the eye candy! Your garden is absolutely incredible. I love what you have done with your paths. The wood you use in the garden is very unique. <br /><br />The wetland garden is wonderful! What is the big tree like grass surrounding the banana tree in picture number 7? I wonder if I could grow it here. It looks rather tropical so I may be out of luck. Your colocasia looks like it grows wild there! I am envious!<br /><br />AnnieAnniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18094162453440856943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-54135226924594830352010-11-23T20:27:19.601+02:002010-11-23T20:27:19.601+02:00What a lovely surprise to have you visit my blog, ...What a lovely surprise to have you visit my blog, Catherine and so delighted to know you've enjoyed learning about my garden. Your exquisite garden and especially your enviable pond, have given me so much visual candy. The changes you undergo from summer to winter are totally foreign to me and I am continually amazed to see how rapidly northern hemisphere gardens spring back to glorious life after having been apparently annihilated during the severe winter months.Desireehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069419364783245762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-20643843906850350502010-11-23T19:24:40.717+02:002010-11-23T19:24:40.717+02:00I've enjoyed reading through and seeing all yo...I've enjoyed reading through and seeing all your pictures on all of your posts. Your garden is just amazing! I'm sure the wildlife just loves it there.<br />I love how tropical everything looks, so different from my garden here. I was wondering about your seasons, so now as we are freezing here you are enjoying the sun. I look forward to seeing more of your sunny garden to help me through the winter :)Catherine@AGardenerinProgresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05001060769253273283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-14644245535876713802010-11-23T17:38:44.691+02:002010-11-23T17:38:44.691+02:00Yes, I'd read about the problem you have with ...Yes, I'd read about the problem you have with mosquitoes in one or two of your posts. We obviously also have them here, but they aren't as much of a problem. I do try to change the water fairly regularly, though. I guess regulations vary from country to country and some might be opposed to discharging bath water directly into the garden. In SA, some people have installed a submerged tank and the grey water is discharged to that first, then filtered before being pumped into the garden. As long as your bath water is free of oils, it should be fine. I always use bubbles, plus there's the shampoo and conditioner, but we've not had any problems, as the water seeps away (there is no standing water in my wetland garden, other than that in the little rock water feature) and my plants show no ill-effects whatsoever. On the contrary, they flourish. We do have potable water laid on as well, as the grey water on its own is not sufficient. In our situation, the system works well.Desireehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069419364783245762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7626558959674808582.post-69725713934878977302010-11-23T16:26:19.518+02:002010-11-23T16:26:19.518+02:00What a great , informative post. So your seasons a...What a great , informative post. So your seasons are the complete OPPOSITE of our seasons in the US. I think it is wonderful how you use your bath water in the garden, I am unsure if we can do that, but will ask my husband. I can't have so many open areas of water for the birds, as the mosquito problem is HUGE here. I know you can change the water out daily , or every other day. Beautiful garden, take care, GinaAntique ART Gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06674268803389194210noreply@blogger.com