Diverting Water Sunday Flower Walk

On the path past the Railway cottages there are little splashes of yellow from Romuleas, R. flava?

Romulea flava?

...and pink/mauve ones, R. cruciata? They have loooong thin leaves!

Romulea cruciata?

Also next to the path we can count on seeing Sour Fig Carpobrotus edulis, which are also slowly growing back in the burned area, if you look hard.

Sour Fig Carpobrotus edulis

We have been watching the main access road wash away year after year, all because a culvert is blocked, which should allow the water to follow its natural course. Instead, it is diverted by the road and goes straight down the hill, taking everything with it. I have been trying to dig it out both ends these last couple of weeks, but today I took some drain rods from the workshop.

Clearing out the culvert

I had made a temporary furrow across the road while I worked, but this shows the last of the water flowing along it, the rest is going through the culvert. When we came back that way to retrieve the rods, it looked a lot better!

Culvert flowing clear! 

The water is now flooding out over the block beyond as it would have before the road was built, instead of down the hill, like this:

This is the damage the water from the blocked culvert has been doing to the road

From there to the sorry sight of where the 4x4 route went straight up the sandy hillside in the burnt area the first Sunday. Oh dear! Despite our best efforts to divert the water. I have suggested that the 4x4 participants come up here with sand bags and fill them with washed-away sand and pack them in the ruts, as part of their contribution to the Environment. I'm waiting... come on Isuzu and Westvaal Stellenbosch!

The only hope here is sand-bags!

Perhaps I should mention at this stage that Brian du Toit passed away this last Monday, just two weeks after showing me the right way to make a water diversion on this track. This issue is dedicated to him.

Late Brian du Toit showing me the Right Way to divert water!

Following his example, I serviced those we'd made, where they had silted up.

Following his example!

We're still intrigued to find out what this fleshy-leaved plant is in that area. For the moment we're referring to it as the Frenchman's moustache!

Unknown plant with fleshy leaves

Another intriguing plant which we have observed growing like this, might well be a Wachendorfia affected by the fire. There are now more upright leaves growing from the roots.

Is this (and all the others) simply a Wachendorfia paniculata affected by the fire?

We're concerned at the condition of this Agapanthus walshii. Others are looking healthy not far away.

Agapanthus walshii not looking healthy

This magnificent Leucadendron just missed being burned.

Leucadendron which escaped the fire

We call this Elephant Rock!

'Elephant Rock'

Last week I didn't get a good shot of the serrated leaves of this re-growing shrub. The wilted new growth still has us guessing:

Serrated leaves and wilted new growth on unknown shrub

We found this caterpillar on a Lanaria lanata. Not sure if it's responsible for the wilting of that leaf, or if it's wishing it had chosen a green one?

Caterpillar on Lanaria lanata

The Pelargoniums are really coming back with a vengeance, looking very healthy!

Healthy looking Pelargoniums!

This Brunia also escaped the fire:

A Brunia which escaped the fire, in full bloom

:-) A