What could be sweeter than nectar, and this female Amethyst Sunbird seeking sweetness from the flowers of a Krantz Aloe? Continue reading “Sweet sunbird, sweet aloe”
Also known as the Forest Bell Bush and as River Bells, the Mackaya bella is a popular shrubby plant, not only because of its beautiful flowers, but also because it grows well in shade or semi-shade. It is easy to propagate from cuttings and it also self-seeds, so if you have one, look out for baby seedlings to transplant. It is endemic to southern Africa and its wood has been used to make fire by friction (Pooley, 1997). Continue reading “In the zone: Mackaya bella and its pollinators”
The meaning of the word “seedy” has come to be associated with being unkempt or shabby, rather than being fruitful or abundant, which was the original meaning of the word, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. We speak disparagingly of having “gone to seed”, and admiringly of being “in the flower of youth”. Perhaps this comes from the school of thinking that life is linear, rather than the tradition of thinking in terms cycles of life. Continue reading “Celebrating seediness”
