Inspiring tree

Paulownia tomentosa  Seeds Paulownia tomentosa is known by many vernacular names including Royal Paulownia and Empress Tree. Regardless of what you want to call it, there is no doubt about its impressive ornamental features. This beautiful tree puts on an awe inspiring show in spring. Its soft chamois velvet buds open into large violet to blue, trumpet-like blossoms which fill the air with a sweet fragrance. The flowers carried on long up curved shoots, look like large foxgloves. The huge leaves are an architectural delight: the soft, downy, large leaves appear after the flowers have opened. Native to eastern Asia, this exotic looking, deciduous tree is surprisingly hardy and can tolerate harsh winters, to minus 8°C (-14°F). Hardy throughout the British Isles, the buds of the Foxglove-like flowers are formed in the autumn and can be damaged by late frosts. They must be sheltered from hard frosts to ensure the violet blooms appear in spring. It is a fast growing tree, usually grown as a specimen or shade tree growing rapidly to 1.8m in its first year. In 3 to 5 years, this tree achieves what many other tree species take generations to achieve. An excellent use of this plant is the production of "stooled" specimens giving perhaps the most magnificent of all foliage dot plants. All growth is cut down to ground level each March and the resultant suckers reduced to a single shoot. The result is a strong, erect growth rising to 2m and bearing huge and handsome leaves, producing a most striking effect. In very cold zones they are often grown and cut to near ground level in autumn and grown as a large-leafed shrub the following season. Very easy to germinate, seedlings grow rapidly, flowering in as little as 2 to 3 years under good growing conditions. On offer is a pack of 25 Seeds

Aloe grandidentata commonly known as Dwarf Soap Aloe is a low-growing species that is often mistaken for Aloe maculata but can be distinguished by its smaller size which is about one third of that of the Soap Aloe. A low-growing profile and suckering habit make it useful as a ground cover and since it is drought tolerant it becomes the perfect candidate for landscaping around areas with demanding tree roots. This succulent aloe plant is cold hardy and not sensitive to frost. Aloes are very popular and some of the most rewarding plants to cultivate. They make excellent accent plants owing to their often strange and inspiring architectures, as well as the bright flowers that offset the grey-green leaves. They are also very suitable as container plants and small aloes can be used very effectively as border plants at the edge of a bed. Although aloes are most often included in rockeries, their application in horticulture is not limited to this feature and they can be used in almost any setting and in conjunction with most common garden plants. More about the Aloe genus below. Aloes are very popular and some of the most rewarding plants to cultivate. They make excellent accent plants owing to their often strange and inspiring architectures, as well as the bright flowers that offset the grey-green leaves. They are also very suitable as container plants and small aloes can be used very effectively as border plants at the edge of a bed. Although aloes are most often included in rockeries, their application in horticulture is not limited to this feature and they can be used in almost any setting and in conjunction with most common garden plants. Their natural adaptation to harsh and often arid climates makes aloes outstanding subjects for the water-wise garden. Aloes can tolerate long periods of drought, but it is not true that watering should be withheld to obtain optimal growth. Stressed plants are more susceptible to insects and pests. Plants flourish, flower better and are more resistant when given adequate water during the growing season. However, be very cautious not to overwater aloes because they may rot if they stay wet for too long. Adequate drainage is essential. Plant smaller aloes in raised beds and only water them when the top 5cm of soil has dried. Even though there are some species that are challenging to grow, most of the aloes are easy and can readily be grown just about any place in the country. Aloes generally need soils with good drainage and do best in warm climates. When planted in rich soil that are frequently mulched they will do well for many years without interference making them very low-maintenance plants once established. Aloe is a genus in the Asphodeloideae family containing about 600 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera. The genus is mostly native to Africa with about 125 being indigenous to South Africa. About 405 species can be found in Africa while about 45 species are found in the Arabian Peninsula. Socotra has 4 natural species and the Mascarene and other Western Indian Ocean Islands share about 7 species. Madagascar, for its size, has a pretty extensive collection of about 145 species. Aloes are sometimes confused with Agaves. Contrarily to Agaves, Aloe leaves contain a gel like sap. Another difference is that Aloes don't die after blooming as most Agaves do. For an extensive list of documented Aloe species please see this Wikipedia page.

Apple Landscape Jhb has been active in the market place as a brand name for the past ten years. It is run under the leadership of Hjalmar de Waal, who has been active in landscaping for the past fifteen years. After Hjalmar qualified himself as a Landscape Designer and Botanist, he furthered his knowledge in London, France and Spain. On returning back to South Africa, he was headhunted for the position of Managing Director by Samran Developments running their Landscaping division. After eighteen months of fulfilling this position successfully, he resigned to start up Apple Landscape Jhb. Apple Landscape Jhb’s scope of activities includes: design and construction of stately gardens in the commercial and domestic market. Furthermore, we install automated irrigation systems, construct designer swimming pools, supply and building of retaining walls from natural stone to loose packed Gabion-style wall designs. We also specialize in lighting installations, highlighting tree trunks and stone walls and various LED energy saving fittings for water features which are all part of the process that create a dramatic depth to your garden space. Not to forget our signature designer steel work from balustrades to steps, gates, trellis, steel pots and specialized steel weave-work for screening or garden art. We also provide garden maintenance for those of you who need a qualified and committed team assisting you all year round. Whether its ponds, pools, lawns, paving, handmade steel pots, stonework, indigenous or any variety of classical to contemporary designs, we can offer the services of an experienced and qualified team, who will provide thoughtful interpretations to any context you should choose, so to create the overall effect of a garden that is simply captivating and inspiring.