Tasks for August
It’s an ill wind
A light breeze in the garden is a gentle ally, but a strong wind can break branches and snap flower stems. Use these coping mechanisms for the windy season:
• Stake standard roses and shrubs, and newly planted shrubs that have not yet established strong roots. Check old stakes and ties and replace if necessary.
• Protect patios with a vine-planted trellis.
• If your garden has to cope with lots of wind on an ongoing basis, compact plants such as Cape daisies (Osteospermum spp.) are the answer; they look spectacular grown en masse. With their wide variety of colours, unique petal shapes and unusual patterns, they’ll add interest to any garden.
• Plant a boundary windbreak of hardy trees such as Brachylaena discolor, Buddleja saligna, Dodonaea viscosa var. angustifolia, Searsia lancea and S. leptodictya, Olea europaea subsp. africana or Halleria lucida and shrubs such as Buddleja salviifolia, Tarchonanthus camphoratus or Rhamnus prinoides to help deflect and lessen the force of the wind.
• Grow less hardy shrubs in front of this outer windbreak where they are more sheltered.