Spring in our winter-rainfall area is rich with a huge diversity of wild flowers. We recently revisited the coastal area around the small Danger Point peninsula near Gansbaai in the Overberg, mostly to see the spring flowers that grow along the roadsides and down to the seashore.
Continue reading “Reframing flowers in the Fynbos Biome”
I am always happy when volunteer plants in our garden turn out to be interesting, non-invasive and preferably indigenous. One that is all three (or so I first thought!) is a species of milkweed, which is known colloquially as balloon milkweed, balloon wild cotton or hairy balls. One of its attributes is that it is a host plant for the African monarch butterfly.
Continue reading “Balloon milkweeds hosting butterflies”
A day trip to the De Hoop Nature Reserve could not possibly do justice to its wonders from the high sand dunes near the coast to the mountains on its inland side, its endangered lowland fynbos vegetation and the 12 km-long (7,5 miles) vlei (lake) that is rich with waterbirds. Plus, its rocky shoreline adjoins a marine protected area in the Indian Ocean. De Hoop, home to Cape Nature’s Whale Trail, offers remarkable land-based whale watching opportunities from June to September each year.
Continue reading “Day trip to De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Overberg”
It’s a little over a year since we moved to the Overberg region of the Western Cape. To celebrate this anniversary, here is a random round-up of some the photographs taken when we were out and about during the course of the year.
Continue reading “Over in the Overberg”
I was worried about moving from a wet summer/dry winter region to the Mediterranean climate of the Western Cape and learning to adapt to its wet winters. But here we are and experiencing what neighbours tell us is the worst Cape winter for years.
Continue reading “Flowers defying a wet and windy winter”
Following the local Wandelpad, I took these photos on a recent walk. From old milkwood trees to tiny flowers, it was good to take a break from home maintenance demands.
Continue reading “Along the Wandelpad”
It is somewhat trite to say that change is a constant – be it good or bad or even when we try to be indifferent. Moving house, especially when moving further afield, certainly foregrounds change. And even when the change is chosen, adapting can be demanding and nostalgia can become one’s go-to space.
Continue reading “Ch-ch-ch-changes”
If you were asked to design a festively flowering tree for the southern hemisphere Christmas summer holidays you would be hard pressed to come up with something better than the pompon tree (Dais cotinifolia).
Continue reading “Festive holiday pompons”
Some of these photos taken in our garden last year strike me as being little bit quirky. So here they are, without titles or captions, to provide a little undemanding diversion.
Continue reading “Random quirkiness in the garden“