Coastal Gardening in South Africa

Book excerpt: Most conventional gardening books assume that everyone experiences the same conditions in their garden, no matter where they live, but this is seldom the reality. Coastal Gardening in South Africa sets out to offer advice to gardeners who live in coastal suburbs, towns and villages, where strong winds, salt-laden air and, often, high humidity, can play havoc with your planting scheme. Many plants that grow happily on the Highveld, for example, or in the leafy suburbs, shrivel and die when exposed to wind-borne salt or harsh light reflected off the sea. But this does not mean that coastal gardens have to be bleak and boring; quite the contrary, in fact. The key is to understand your immediate environment and choose plants that will flourish in those conditions. Coastal Gardening in South Africa is a guide to creating a thriving garden, whether you live on the arid ‘Weskus’, subtropical KZN or anywhere inbetween.