Introduction
When observing life in its innate and man-unaltered expression, we can find a lot of diversity, we see cyclical and dynamic changes and adaptations, we can see a vast network of everything and everyone with such different roles displayed. Everyone in this network holds a piece of the chain that connects, none any more or less significant than the other. And between the members of this network we can observe cooperation and companionship. Much as the human and animal kingdom thrive on companionship, so does the plant kingdom.
The human seems to have gone astray a little and is determined to challenge this with his drive to grow for production, control, manage, specialise, technicalise, conceptualise, systemise and is constantly looking for some sort of superior place in this fine network of connections called life.
When we take away diversity and modify life by giving room for only some species to grow while inhibiting, destroying and fighting the vast amount of other members in this network then we are not just asking for trouble, we are creating it. The expressions of the latter are plentiful and I think well visible to everyone.
Without diversity there can’t be cooperation and companionship but rather competition and rulership.
If we would like to reinvite diversity we could do this relatively easily by observing intact networks of life. Which brings me again to looking at an unaltered forest network that I touched upon in the last article. We will see a grass/ground cover layer, a shrub layer, a vining layer, a small tree and a large tree (canopy) layer. It doesn’t stop there and the invisible networks are vast underground with a huge interconnected web of roots, fungi, bacteria, worms and bugs. Add in the networks of birds and those animals inhabiting the forest and one quickly gets an idea of the sheer size of it. All these members exchange constantly with each other.
We could take this to our gardens, however small or big and allow multiple layers and a diversity of plants to coexist – something the permaculture gardener would name companion planting. I’d like to begin with companion planting in informal and indigenous garden settings for our dry climate.
Humans need to see and experience for themselves before they’ll take their own observations over the advice of industries, books and gurus. A little experiment could be to take two of the same young plants (any plant or tree really) and to plant them. One in the bare ground/prepped soil, irrigation and weed control. The other one gets planted the same way but you add a wildflower, a grass, a small shrub and/or ground cover succulent in its close proximity to form a kind of guild/family/network made of 3 to 5 plants. Add a layer of mulch. When on north facing gardens, plant the small shrub or succulent in front of the plant so that it gets protected from the harshest sun in the middle of the day. Plant that plant yourself, get in touch with the soil and the plants and hand water. Now wait and observe.
There are barely any plants that don’t go well together when choosing members of the different layers. There are some exceptions and these are often present because of human interference and farming practices.
A few indigenous and drought tolerant trees that can thrive in our climate:
- Coastal silver oak – Brachylaena
- Milkwood
- Keurboom
- Olinia Ventosa
- Breede River Yellowwood
- False Olive
- Kei Apple
- Fever tree and other vachellias and acacias
Indigenous, drought tolerant shrubs and bushes:
- the large aloe family
- Camphor Bush
- the colourful Proteaceae family
- Barleria
- Leonotis Leonorus
- Polygala
- Osteospermum family
- larger Vyghies
Grasses:
- the restio family
- all Dietes varieties
- Wild garlic – Tulbaghia
- Agapanthus
Wildflowers:
- Gazanias
- Bulbine
- African Daisy – large Dimorphotheca
Ground covers:
- small Vyghie varieties
- Plactranthus family
- Crassulas and other succulents
Vining/sprawling plants:
- Bauhinia
- Plumbago
- Tecomaris capensis
We can choose and partner from these groups and form guilds/families where all these members compliment each other. We often think that more plants need more water, more attention, interference and effort, more nutrients but see that for yourself in the little experiment if that’s the case.
Written by Judith Augoustides