Perhaps the most brilliant feature of pelargoniums is their aromatic scent. Sweet rose, citrus and peppermint are just some of the fragrances you’re likely to get a whiff of while walking through the fynbos with any of these bright, evergreen shrubs are around. Commonly known as
‘We’re almost out of wood’, was the utterance from around the fire, followed by an anxious hush. Temperatures on the mountainside had plummeted when the sun set, and the embers were our only real source of heat. As we sought to hatch a plan as
If Serruria doesn’t sound familiar to you, then the infinitely more romantic ‘blushing bride’ might. The Serruria genus (part of the Proteaceae family) boasts 55 species,1 of which the exquisite Serruria florida or blushing bride, is one. Doting gentlemen and blushing brides The name ‘blushing bride’ is
Happy holidays! Think about your favourite thing to do over the festive season; then think about how you might be able to make it a little ‘greener’ this year. The planet needs some time-out too. Here are a few ideas to get us all started…
A couple of months back, on a rainy-day hike in the Elgin area, I was lucky to put my foot down next to an exquisite flower called the Brown Afrikaner (Gladiolus maculatus). The buttercup-yellow and maroon-speckled treasure had popped up right in the middle of
In this month’s #TMFInTheField we introduce you to The Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI). The SCLI is all about enlarging the Southern Cape conservation footprint, by creating weed-free corridors and landscapes. Through the establishment of working relationships between landowners and land managers, who have an interest
South Africa’s Western Cape province is home to the smallest yet richest plant kingdom in the world. The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) sustains well over 9000 plant species, with almost 70% of these endemic to the Cape. But the diversity, density and endemism of this
Like fireworks in the fynbos, once a year when spring arrives, thousands of vygies erupt in an explosive carnival of colour. Bees, butterflies and insects are drawn to the ‘bright lights’, as clusters of pink, purple, yellow, orange, red and white blossoms pop up across
The concept of nature as a shared resource is seldom heartily embraced like it is in Elgin’s Groenlandberg Conservancy. Built around a patchwork of various, private tracts of land, this growing movement is the result of a collective of forward-thinking landowners with shared values in
TMF are pleased to announce the funding of eight new small grant facilities located throughout the Cape Floristic Region. These small grant facilities will support the inclusion of new entrants to the conservation sector through funding, mentoring and managing of small grant beneficiaries from their