The East Fort Fynbos Garden
East fort Project

EAST FORT GATE PROJECT
The Alien threat.
Why will it be a Garden of "REMEMBRANCE" ?

Question:-  How do we make Mr & Mrs Average South African proud of our natural history and floral diversity?
This is a tough task that has not yet been cracked. The fact is that if 1% of the money and effort that went into the promotion of sport in our country, went into the promotion of our natural environment, we'd be home and dry. (Q). Why is it that the sportsmen can pull it off and the conservationists can't ?
(A). The sports industry has a marketing machine second to none and the conservationists don't  even touch first base by comparison. The Heritage Trust is convinced that the variety of attractions at East Fort will be a great drawcard and a wonderful opportunity to educate many about our wonderful fynbos biome and the importance of conserving our natural environment..

Brunia nodiflora

Amarylis Belladonna (March Lilly).

East Fort is not just the focus of some fascinating International History, it is also combined with a natural environment in one of the world's most magnificent settings.
Many South  Africans   take for granted that such beauty abounds world wide but nothing could be further from the truth. The Cape fynbos biome is totally unique and we have a chance to "market" it not only on our own doorstep but on the country's No 1 tourism artery. Visitors, students  and children  will be able to see pristine fynbos in a completely natural setting. They will be able to learn which species are suitable for home gardens and by planting suitable species at home, will soon realise that fynbos brings with it a beneficial bounty of birds and insects and that the joy of wildlife in home gardens is very rewarding.

Most of the pictures on these related web pages were taken alongside Chapmans Peak Drive, but rarely does one have the chance to stop and see such plants. The Fynbos Garden will allow the public to see species at their best, and eventually, interpretive signs will point out which species are suitable for domestic water-wise gardens. The picture opposite shows part of a private Hout Bay garden which is virtually maintenance free and rarely requires water!

Ultimately we would like to establish a nursery  at East Fort where we will be able to raise seedlings to replace alien species or indigenous plants destroyed by fire on Chapman's Peak. Hopefully we will eventually have a surplus which can be sold to the public allowing the re-introduction of wildlife into their own gardens.  

There are, however, species that cannot easily be grown or propagated in home gardens which makes it even more important that we preserve specimens in their natural environment. Many species need insects or birds to help propagate them which do not normally occur in urban areas. In many case fire is one of the necessary agents needed to start the cycle of regeneration, whilst this is acceptable on a cyclical basis of ten years or more in the wild, it presents a distinct problem  for the domestic gardener.

Fynbos generally enjoys poor soils which normally occur in the Peninsula and thus usually dislike expensive nitrogenous fertilisers. This usually means that they have difficulty in co-habiting with domesticated exotic plants which usually need lots of feeding and also lots of water.

There is no doubt that you will have difficulty in establishing fynbos next to lawns, beds of roses and the like, they are simply incompatible. You will find that the fynbos will need very little water once its established and that the nitrogen and water needs of the lawn and the roses will probably cause severe problems for the fynbos. My findings are that you have to keep them separated - perhaps fynbos one side of the house and exotics on the other. A frequent watering regime will not only have an important effect on the growing of your plants it will also encourage weeds as well as exotic pests. If you can bring wildlife back to your gardens, like this little skink opposite sitting on an aloe (Arborescence), they and other predators like ladybirds and mantids will take care of many of your pests.

Try to keep your insecticides and herbicides down to a minimum. Both often leave residual poisons which will kill beneficial as well as invasive plants and insects. South Africa has many tough indigenous plants many of which are succulents  such as aloes (above). One such succulent is a most useful ground cover called Carpobrotus edulis (sour fig) which rapidly covers areas that are normally graveyards for most exotics. It needs little or no water once established and rewards you with lovely yellow flowers.  It is very happy to establish itself on loose sand and thus is great if you want to retain embankments which are normally a nuisance unless they are terraced.