January and February are arguably the prettiest months of our gardening year. The days are crisp and clear with deep blue skies, and the nights are cool. These conditions make for vivid colours of the plants, particularly the cordylines, exemplified beautifully in Moira’s magnificent garden. The garden that The Garden Club had the privilege of visiting this month.

Moira’s masterpiece, being on a gentle slope, is on two levels, adding another layer of interest to her landscaping. The garden style is relaxed and very natural looking with dramatic and large sculptural plants juxtaposed to softer, smaller specimens. The occasional architectural surprise keeps the visitors’ interest piqued. The combination of colours, shapes and textures make for a veritable feast for the eyes.

A small pool on the upper level is beautifully framed with various tropicals, successively incorporating it into the garden. Adjacent to this area and along the dramatic hillside is a lovely selection of hanging baskets and shade plants. A stag-horn fern has pride of place on the trunk of a small tree. At its base are dark purple colocasias and maiden hair ferns of different sizes. Our indigenous Chrysothemis  pulhcella is perfectly located for maximum impact, and oh, how beautiful it looked!

To the front and East side of the house one is met with the spectacle of a wonderfully tall Song of India (Dracaena reflexa) and a equally spectacular elephant ears( Alocasia macrorrhiza). An amazing, large and healthy specimen of Dracaena sucralosa can be seen tucked more at the side of the house. The beds are filled with a large variety of shade and indirect-light plants giving credence to the well known saying “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

On the lower level a collection of sun tolerant bromeliads make a beautiful statement and soften the adjacent hardscape. Torch shampoo lilies in bloom draw the eye to a shady area below a large black olive tree on the perimeter.  

The more one looks the more wonderful specimens are noticed and appreciated, underlining that the above description barely scratches the surface of this endearing space.

The president called the meeting to order and outlined the upcoming events, in particular a tea and bingo to be held in May at Hayes Court ( one of the magnificent seven). The meeting was a very lively and interactive one. We were taught details of the Pandanus compacta variegata by Denise D’Abadie and the Loropetalum chinense by Linda Paul, both ladies proving their skills as thoroughly engaging teachers. They left all of us wanting to care for and propagate these beauties.

Sharing of a few edibles and chatting with each other heralded the end of another wonderful meeting.

Our next meeting will be held in Paramin at the home of Paul Duval, on 15 March, until then…HAPPY GARDENING!