image  

The Queensland Gardening Pages

Information & resources about plants & gardens for Brisbane & Qld
  Introduction
  Gardening
  Information
  Newsletters
  Events Diary
  Business Directory
  Garden Gift Ideas
  About
  Site Search
  Submit Link
  Advertise
  Contact
  Disclaimer,
  Terms & Conditions,
  Privacy, Disclosure
  Calyx Horticultural
  Services Home

African Style Gardens

This is a new page for those wishing to introduce an African theme to their backyard landscapes, perhaps as a water conserving alternative to the popular Balinese style garden.

So many popular garden plants come from the African continent (and nearby islands), there are many to choose from. You might have some in your garden already. However, the focus here is on an aesthetic style. Therefore plants from other regions, including some Australian natives, could be substituted.

More ideas for plants to include in an African-style garden coming in future updates.

One of the things you'll want to consider if developing an African-style garden is a round or oval gazebo with neat African-style thatching. There are many businesses now supplying this style of thatching in reed, grass, or synthetic materials, or the entire structures.
Related topics:
Succulents
Strelitzia
Proteas

Suppliers of African-style garden products to Qld
Advertisements
EXOTIC THATCH

www.exoticthatch.com.au

 gazebo Exotic Thatch supplies a variety of quality African Cape Reed thatch products Australia-wide.

Thatched umbrellas are an easy way to add tropical flair and provide a much cooler shade than typical canvas umbrellas.

Thatched gazebos not only look good but provide shelter for your outdoor entertaining area or spa. Available in DIY kit form. Installation can also be arranged for customers in Brisbane and Sydney metropolitan areas.

Thatch tiles can be purchased separately for your own building projects.

Visit the Exotic Thatch WEBSITE, for pictures, information, and to locate your nearest sales representative.

If you sell outdoor art, gazebos, or other accessories appropriate to an African themed garden (available to Queensland homeowners) you may like to consider low cost advertising here.


More Links

The following links are for background information - some species may be unavailable in Australia
PlantZAfrica.com plants native to southern Africa and related topics.
Biodiversity Explorer Information on many African plants - search for your genus of interest. Part of Museums Online South Africa
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden South Africa
Landscape Design A blog about landscape design "in a South African context"
my aloe garden blog from South Africa
My Cape Garden Blog
Australian versus African acacias in: Tropical Topics Newsletter, No. 71 Dec 2001. Environmental Protection Agency, Qld Govt (PDF)
Creating a Fynbos Garden in Auckland New Zealand Ecosystems Management
Flora of Zimbabwe
BGCI Africa Botanic gardens Conservation International
Australian Museum Collections - Asia, Africa, Americas Australian Museum Online. Images of selected objects including West Africa
Tanzania and Zanzibar
Namibian Biodiversity Database
Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP) Studying and conserving one of the worlds "biodiversity hotspots" in Namibia and South Africa, an arid area rich in succulent flora
Tree Society of Zimbabwe extensive newsletter archive for those interested in the African flora
Our South African Connections Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, California
A Guide to Planting an African-American/African Focused Yard in Miami-Dade County University of Florida (PDF)
Australian versus African acacias in: Tropical Topics Newsletter, No. 71 Dec 2001. Environmental Protection Agency, Qld Govt (PDF)
Traditional African Vegetables Proceedings of a International Plant Genetic Resources Institute workshop. Bioversity International
A Guide to Planting an African-American/African Focused Yard in Miami-Dade County University of Florida (PDF). Includes some useful notes on Mussaenda
Food, Fun & Farm Life in East Africa ! Blog based near Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

The Baobab Tree

Certainly NOT for suburban gardens, but you might like to learn more about this tree before you start planning your African garden design to get a feel for the visual form and the underlying biology of an iconic African plant and the landscape from which it comes.

Should you be in a position to be able to grow such a tree, note that there's an Australian species (Adansonia gregorii) which would be preferable for Australian gardeners if it can be obtained. Australians tend to call these "Boabs" rather than Baobab. A common name for the boab is "bottle tree" but it should not be confused with the "bottle trees" of the genus Brachychiton.

Links about Adansonia
Adansonia Gallery at Malvaceae Info
PlantZAfrica.com look up Adansonia digitata the the Plants of SA menu
Meet the Plants (select Adansonia from the menu) Pacific flora database of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, USA
Adansonia digitata Trees of Miami, Florida, USA
Trees of Miami note picture of an Adansonia digitata growing in a city park
Australia:
Boab Adansonia gregorii at George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
Boab Trees Kimberley Development Commission
Boab trees in: Tropical Topics Newsletter, No. 71 Dec 2001. Environmental Protection Agency, Qld Govt (PDF)
The Prospect of Commercialising Boab Roots as a Vegetable Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (PDF)
Advertisements
promotion

Simple Savings

OzSpy Spy Shop


Site Map       Advertise on this site       Looking for a Supplier?       Contact

© 2001 - 2012 Calyx Horticultural Services ABN 38 518 961 623