Advertising feature Gurus who help your garden grow

GARDENS give a sense of calm and tranquillity and keen gardeners need to know who can assist them in their horticultural pursuits.

The Eastern Cape is a challenge to any gardener, specifically at the coast where the salt water, and often dry conditions, mean only weather-hardened indigenous species of plants thrive and other plants often fail.

Gayle Bennette of Cherrywood Nursery believes, “live local, love local”, and that the more we support our own communities the better our communities will be for us all.

Bennette has succeeded in making Cherrywood Nursery a one-stop garden shopping experience for all her customers.

Along with her loyal staff, Bennette offers a wide variety of interesting plants in store to match any season or customer requirements.

“We have many plants and gardening items that can’t be found in other nurseries and, for that reason, Cherrywood Nursery is the plant-lovers’ choice,” Bennette said.

Cherrywood offers a tranquil environment where you can browse and enjoy the plants in a peaceful setting, with its many birds for company.

Eaden Young from the Garden of Eaden Nursery is a passionate gardener who believes that gardening is a spiritual exercise of love.

“For as long as I can remember, I have had a passion for gardens,” Young said.

Garden of Eaden is a nursery that will inspire customers to try new planting arrangements, set up new features and generally build a place of rest and relaxation, away from the everyday cares of the world.

“Gardens and gardening are something of a passion for many.

“Even if gardens are becoming smaller than they used to be, people still seem to want to create a little bit of paradise for themselves. We have somehow become divorced from the natural world and seem on a headlong-course to destroy the planet one way or another,” Young said.

Spring is in the air and it’s time to spruceup your garden and get your hands dirty Red Leaf Nursery’s Adele Steck said.

“December is around the corner, with visitors arriving to spend the holidays, so don’t delay getting your home and garden ready so you can enjoy a welldeserved break too,” Steck said.

“Did you know that we offer the following services? Garden maintenance, mow-andgo, irrigation installations, landscaping, instant lawn, once-off cleanups, garden refuse removals and on-site garden advice?

“We also manufacture our own pots at the nursery, which truly makes it a one-stop gardening experience.

“For your convenience, we will also plant-up pots or hanging baskets of your choice with your chosen plants – so no need to get your hands dirty – all you have to do is pay! We also offer a delivery service at competitive rates – you ring and we bring,” she said.

Malcolm Southey is the owner of the prestigious Sunnyside Garden Centre in Grahamstown, a mecca for gardeners, which has been in operation for more than 40 years.

“I took over ownership of the Sunnyside Garden Centre coming up for nine years ago now,” Southey said.

“We carry a wide range of seedlings and fully-grown indigenous and exotic plants, shrubs and trees, together with potting soil, compost and everything to create or maintain your garden.”

The large, wellappointed Sunnyside Garden Centre is also a boon to gardeners in that it is a one-stopshop for garden accessories including tools (shovels, spades, rakes, hoes and so forth), garden appliances, as well as hoses and fitments, pots and much more.

The Sunnyside Garden Centre services a wide area, as far afield as Bedford, Adelaide and Fort Beaufort.

The centre also organises gardening courses for its customers to assist them in building their ideal garden.

Situated on the R72 at the Bushmans turn-off, is Witbos Indigenous Nursery, which is easily accessible and forms part of the attractive gardens of the Gateway Tourist Centre.

The centre boasts an arboretum containing more than 200 tree species, which are clearly marked with English, Afrikaans and Latin names, an aloe garden and a pond surrounded by indigenous ground covers.

The nursery was started by Rhalda Heunis eight years ago and specialises in indigenous trees, large and small shrubs, perennials and ground covers from the area.

Gardeners are sure to find all the plants they are looking for at Witbos Indigenous Nursery.