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| 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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