Alice Coetzee

LIVIA miniata are the showiest of South Africa’s indigenous spring flowers and they have a unique quality – the element of surprise.

When not in flower, the plants are almost invisible, their dark green strappy leaves blending in with other plants in shady gardens. Then, almost without warning, there is an explosion of colour that lasts until October and gardeners once again fall in love with clivias.

This is the best time to buy and plant clivias because they are in flower. This means you can choose the colours, which range from orange and peach to light yellow, delicately shaded bi-colours, bronze, and red, with yellow or green throats.

The greatest variety can be found at the yearly clivia club shows, where members exhibit their best specimens, offer plants for sale and give advice on how to grow them.

The Joburg Clivia Club is holding its show next weekend, September 10 and 11, at Garden World in Beyers Naudé Drive, Muldersdrift.

CThey are not water guzzlers and should not be overwatered. Water the plants once a week in summer – in the absence of rain – and once a month in winter.

They grow in most kinds of garden soil, and the plants can remain in the same position for many years without needing to be transplanted. Clivias should not be planted too deep, as this can cause the plant to rot.

Hollow out a shallow area. Add compost and leaf mould as well as bonemeal or super-phosphate to feed the roots.

Loosen the roots of the clivia and spread them out horizontally.

Fill in the area, making sure that the stem is at the same level as it was previously, in the pot or in the ground.

Water after planting to settle in the plant.