don't wear perfume in a garden, for fear of being pollinated by bees.

in spring things start to germinate and grow. for the past few month my garden has become neglected and overgrown, tall alien weeds choking any chance for a young sapling to begin its breaking into sunlit space above ground. living on a sand dune makes gardening and landscaping a little tricky - nothing really grows very lusciously in sandy soil. however, as a green-fingered fool, i found a few creative gardening tricks to make amends for four seasons of neglect.

• use seaweed to nourish the soil. i live near a beach, so this is an ideal compost option.
• other inexpensive compost ideas may be organic matter such as egg shells, crushed seashells, woodcuts, coffee pulp and shredded paper. this is also a good way to recycle.  
• plant perennials, plants which love sandy soil and only need to be planted once a year to be able to survive for several growing seasons. examples of these are wild indigo, purple heart, sage, lily, and cone flower.
• start growing pot plants and herbs indoors, such as parsley, to avoid having to spend money to buy the grown plant.
• add interest and accent to your garden with landscape rocks.
• an old clawfoot bathtub filled with soil can give your garden a rustic, whimsical look. the same can be done with a wheelbarrow.
• cinder blocks stacked in a pyramid can harbour flourishing herbs and flowers. they are inexpensive and easy to come by. you can do the same with old tyres, painted with bright colours.
• grow plants from cuttings, such as hydrangea, lavender, geranium, honeysuckle and azalea.
• make a mosaic with old broken china and use these as finishes to a wall or tabletop, or as paving. find broken china at the china dealer in kalk bay.
• hang coloured bottles from trees in different shapes and sizes to reflect sunlight and produce sounds when chimed together in the wind.
• attract critters. make a bird  bath with an old cake tin, pie pan or clay pot saucer.
• make a garden bench. overturn two planting barrels and bolt a sturdy plank for a seat, to create a simple, comfortable seat so you can sit and admire your work.
• most of these materials can be found at a recycling depot or building site. just ask around.