The Sunday Mail
Andrew Mangwarara
AS gardeners enjoy their past time there is nothing more evident to many, the fact that water is becoming a scarcer commodity in our beloved city.
Until definite solutions are found we have to do all we can to conserve the water we have. Which is why all the more need to adopt water wise garden plants in our landscapes. We have chosen here just a few of them that you can incorporate into your garden for their hardiness and ability to survive with minimal care.
Commonly referred to as the dusty miller (centaurea cineraria) will survive any drought situation. An all year round effect plant reaching a height of 60cm with beautiful purple flowers though it rarely flowers. It is easy to root from cuttings and is drought tolerant.
This plant will grow in a full sun position in any soil but just ensure that it is well aerated as it cannot withstand a lot of humidity. Use it for edging along driveways or roundabouts, mass it in a border to bring a contrast in colour. Will also look good in a container.
A common hardy evergreen plant used for landscaping besides its herbal properties is English lavender. Lavender adopts well to dry situations. It produces attractive mauve to purple flowers. Formerly known as lofficinalis plant, as a stand-alone specimen or as part of a border to give colour. Will succeed in a pot but use a well-drained mix. Use it as a hedge around your vegetable garden or as a groundcover in a rock garden with other drought tolerant plants.
An attractive specimen especially if it is allowed to grow to its full size with its leaves able to grow two metres in length. The desert plant or century plant (agave americana) is worth incorporating in your water wise scheme. It can flower in a decade’s time producing a 10m flower stalk. Requires a full sun position in your rockery. A good specimen for a large pot or a low maintaince garden. Will blend well if planted with other low growing succulents like kalanchoe, senecio or aloes.
Though very common agave attenuata has its place in a garden. Slow growing succulent, which can be positioned in part shade to a full sun position. It forms a beautiful multilayered cluster, which is summed up with a long flower stalk.
Have seen gorgeous specimens at entrances and will hold its own in a border or rockery with other desert plants like euphorbias, echeverias or kalanchoes.
The list is by no means exhausted, there are many more relics such as globe artichoke, silver carpet, echeverias, donkeys ears, sedums and cotton lavender, which you can include in your garden as it has been focused that we have the Elnino effect with us this season. We shall explore these at a later date. Happy gardening!
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