This week's walk actually started last Sunday with an inspection of the Max Harris Park in the village, which a group of concerned Grabouwers tidied up after voting on Wednesday. The initiative came from Harold Smook of Elgin Food Exchange https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elgin-Food-Exchange/206725652834412. The Park already looks much more cared-for, after upwards of 40 people got stuck in, pruning, removing Port Jackson Acacia longifolia and cutting the grass.
Many interesting shrubs and other plants were found to be growing there, showing that whoever laid the park out many years ago, planted a good variety of both indigenous and exotic species. One shrub which has us guessing is this, any suggestions?
Now exposed from undergrowth are these Babiana, but which?
There are several examples of this Protea, could it be P. magnifica?
Now looking smart opposite the entrance is this Great Trek Monument. The picture gives an impression of how tidy the park now looks; it was completely overgrown! Hesma and Isabel are comparing historical notes!
Today was windy and sunny after a wet spell. This Metalasia is looking magnificent!
Detail of the flower:
Another, nearby was past its prime:
Last week in the forest we came across Star Grass, Ficinia radiata. This one grows taller and the flower is less showy. In the past we have assumed it was (yet another!) Restio, but now with eyes better tuned, this is similar, could it be Ficinia bergiana? Or F. indica?
Detail of the flower:
One by one the Protea cynaroides are opening!
We were very pleased to see the number of Agapanthus walshii coming up where the South-easter has spread the seeds from a single plant we have watched flowering over the years. Here is a small one:
The A. walshii's have relatively few flowers on each stalk, not all of them produce viable seeds, and we have seen and photographed caterpillars in the fruits:
Here is the single flowering plant in this area:
Compare that with the spent flower of an A. africanus here in the garden:
We were hesitant to check on 'our' plants where tree felling is proceding. We found the ring of stones where we marked this year's Cyrtanthus ventricosa, under a felled tree. The others, almost in the cycle path are still there, just a few leaves:
'Our' Leucospermum oleifolium isn't looking happy at all!
And we had to uncover a large pile of pine cuttings lying on where we knew we'd find one of the Liparia splendens, with Agapanthus (not sure which kind) growing with it:
No doubt it will survive, and thrive in the full sun, and maybe the Aggie will flower! A piece of the Liparia had broken off:
We checked up on the whitish-green Erica to see how the flowers are developing:
Detail of the flower, still to open?
We're now more tuned in to the Fungi, since Pippa did a one-day course with Gary Goldman, and noticed these Common Puffballs, Vascellum pratense, on the way home:
And these Field Mushrooms in the orchard of the Experimental Farm next door:
Until next time! :-) A
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