We have an exciting opportunity with the Botanical Society’s upcoming Plant Fair on 7-8 October to know, grow, protect and enjoy our fabulous flora in South Africa. This year’s theme, Build Back Biodiversity, is a strong call to action for us to enhance and increase the biodiversity in our gardens and living spaces.
What’s the big deal about biodiversity?
Biodiversity is every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans – the variety of life on earth in all its forms and all its interactions. And biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being. We depend on it for food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, as well as for recreation and cultural inspiration.
“Use a variety of plants to support any wildlife through its entire lifecycle, ensuring you have food,
refreshment, and shelter for the young, adult and mature stages to survive and thrive” says Cherise Viljoen, Master Horticulturist. Look to the foliage first – are the leaves tasty to butterfly and moth larvae, are there prickly thorns to protect a creature’s nest? Do you have a large shrub with branch perches for birds to first survey your space safely before entering, as they so like to do?
Kirstenbosch Plant Fair Builds Back Biodiversity
How wonderful that by simply planting a few new species in your garden you have an opportunity to build back biodiversity and nurture wildlife in your very own space. And what better way to do this than by supporting the BotSoc Kirstenbosch’s Plant Fair fundraiser on 7 and 8 October.
This year the Plant Fair will be held in the Old Mutual Hall at Kirstenbosch, situated in the Visitors’ Centre at Gate 1 and not at the Stone Cottages as in previous years.
Entry to the plant sale is R20 with free entry for children. Parking is available in the Kirstenbosch parking area.
Proceeds support BotSoc plant conservation and restoration projects.
Please bring along a wheelbarrow or trolley, or something suitable to carry your plants in.
For more information, go to the website or the Facebook page for updates.