Indigenous Garden

My father and his wife have spent the last 20 years building an indigenous garden on a one acre plot in Hillcrest, South Africa. The British occupation of the Cape Colony led to an exchange not just of people, things, and ideas but also of plants. Australian trees gained world wide popularity, and one of these was the Blue Gum. Thirsty as they are, they make it very difficult for other plants to survive. They on the other hand, thrive. The first job in establishing the garden was removing more than 50 of these trees. With the benefit of time, all that was required was cutting a path, and slowly leaving the garden to, mostly, look after itself. Now and then adding a few plants. Tending the path. Occasionally dealing with the aftermath of storms. Sometimes natural, sometimes the ones in my head and heart. A lesson in resilience.

This garden is a happy place.