If you’re looking for no-fuss plants that will survive without you for a while, aloes are the perfect choice. Life is a Garden sat down with The Aloe Farm to find out which aloes perform the best and what maintenance practices you need to know. Remember to visit your local GCA Garden Centre for all your succulent needs and great advice to help you, help your plants self-parent this holiday.

December’s topic: Self-parenting plants
Theme: Easy aloes for beds and containers  
Industry expert: Andy De Wet 
Garden centre: Aloe Farm based in Hartbeespoort, Gauteng: www.thealoefarm.co.za

1. We would love to hear about your personal plant journey. How did it all start and what about aloes inspired you to make them your main focus at the Aloe Farm?  

I always loved nature and especially animals as a child, but my horticultural inspiration certainly came from my dad who was an avid gardener his whole life. He bought some aloes when I was a botany student in 1972, and I fell in love with them. I began reading aloe books and collecting species. I soon realised that natural hybrids occur in the wild and was curious about what I could create if I hybridised selected parents from different locations. 

I then began making my first (not too exciting) initial combinations in 1973 and over time I saw the commercial possibilities, which is when the real fun started with clear breeding objectives. These goals developed as I gained experience in retail, wholesale and landscaping. 

I believe that if you want a successful business you have to be unique and The Aloe Farm was an obvious opportunity to me as it could become an interesting indigenous destination nursery, built on a unique strength.

2. Your website is truly an aloe grower’s dream! With so many to choose from, what advice could you offer our beginner gardeners? 

South Africans really do know how to bloom - literally in this case, as we take over the international stage with the world’s first evergreen, cold hardy, purple re-blooming Agapanthus.  Bred locally by Andy De Wet and Quinton Bean of De Wet Plant Breeders, the Poppin' Purple® var ‘MP003’ Agapanthus recently won BEST NEW PERENNIAL at the world's leading trade fair for horticulture, IPM ESSEN 2020!

What's an Agapanthus?

Agapanthus is a popular South African plant, undoubtedly one of our indigenous botanical gems with its clusters of blue or white... and now POPPIN’ PURPLE flowers.  Agapanthus fill so many gardens and are so much part of our South African landscape that we take for granted just how spectacular they really are.

South African Blossoms

The beauty of our country's unique and striking flora, teamed with the creativity, passion and scientific attention to detail of Andy and Quinton, widely regarded as the best ornamental plant breeders in South Africa, ensured that South Africa blossomed on the global stage with this accolade, beating a total of 60 submissions from the biggest and best plant breeding nurseries world-wide.

Our local legends, Andy and Quinton from CND Nursery, The Aloe Farm and De Wet Plant Breeders, are well-known for their new hybrid plants including other award-winning Agapanthus such as Fireworks and Twister.  Fireworks has recently been awarded a place in four major international competitions, including 3rd place for New Plant of the Year at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Best in Show at the HTA National Plant Show U.K. 2019.

A Royal addition to our Planet

Purple flowers represent dignity, pride and success, and that's exactly what the Poppin’ Purple agapanthus has brought to our country.

The flowers of Poppin' Purple are a striking shade of purple and plentiful in quantity, making this a stunning yet sustainable feature in any garden, terrace or balcony.