Indigenous Gardening in the Overstrand
Why it is so important
We live in the Cape Floral Kingdom, with 68% of our 8 600 indigenous plants occuring nowhere else on earth. Lowland Fynbos has more grass and annual plant species than mountain fynbos but only a third of it remains, and of this a quarter is infested with alien plants. Already 41 lowland fynbos species have become extinct and another 173 species will follow suit very soon unless we (us residents and home owners) wake up. Less than 2% of the original lowland fynbos is conserved in provincial nature reserves and national parks. The rest is on private land. The existence of lowland fynbos is therfore largely dependent on landowners.
Most alien plants consume vast quantities of water, thus depleting our precious supplies.
Fynbos plants have a much lower biomass and consume less water and require little or no watering once established in the garden.
Indigenous gardens provides a secure habitat and food supply for indigenous birds, mammals, reptiles and insects and also help ensure that indigenous pollinators (ants, beetles, birds, butterflies, etc.) are not disturbed by the introduction of exotic pollens or foreign pollinator species.
Lawns should be minimized in a Biosphere Reserve and should be planted with drought-hardy, indigenous buffalo grass. Kikuyu is an invasive alien and should be eradicated where possible .
..Back to Indigenous Gardening
