| Early morning winter lawns
are often covered in a white, frosty layer. Spikes of brilliant red and
yellow or pink aloes brighten dull winter days; their colours subtly mellow
and warm the chill. The nicest thing about aloes is that they attract shiny,
sparkling sunbirds who sip nectar from their tubular, waxy flowers. Most
aloes and some succulents produce their brightly coloured flowers in winter
when virtually nothing else is in bloom. |
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Aloe pretoriensis, A. arborescens,
A. cryptopoda and A. excelsa are just a few examples of
the aloes to be seen. The kraal aloe (A. arborescens) lines the main
entrance to the Garden. |
| On very cold winter nights
in June and July the temperature may drop to -5șC. Winter mornings are chilly,
but the days soon warm up to an average temperature of about 18șC. The Garden
does not get snow, but may often have frost. Most of the trees in the Garden
lose their leaves in winter, leaving the interesting shapes of the bare
branches etched against the sky. |
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Towards the end of winter in
late August, Erythrina lysistemon (coral tree) and Dombeya rotundifolia
(bushveld bride) may start to flower as a first hint of spring! The striking,
deep red flowers of the coral tree and the sweetly scented, creamy white
blossoms of the bushveld bride stand proud above the leafless vegetation.
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