Treeshop - Indigenous Tree Nursery

I met Piet and Sandra at their nursery north of Pretoria one Friday morning. Piet was six metres up a tall ladder busy welding a steel structure (new shade structures) while Sandra was walking through the farm keeping track of orders and attending to client requests. Piet and Sandra are both nature enthusiasts who love birdwatching, hiking and travelling South Africa. It is through their passion for the bush that Piet’s hobby of growing trees started. Both look fit and energetic and once they start talking about their business their passion and enthusiasm is contagious.

Piet explained how he presented a course at the University to engineering graduates preparing them for working in the corporate environment. One of the modules taught that when you start working you should have a retirement plan in place for when you reach the end of your working career. The theory explains that you should “start a hobby that you enjoy that can become a stream of income when you retire” and so Piet decided to put the theory that he taught into practice.

Sandra took me through the well organised Nursery - a treasure trove of Indigenous Trees

Piet took a percentage of his retirement savings and invested it towards the tree growing business which originally only started as a hobby. Sandra explains that his first seedlings were grown on the covered patio of their home in Vanderbijlpark. It is from here that they developed the business for a period of 12 years while Piet was still employed. During this period they purchased the farm where the nursery is now established. When Piet retired they moved to Pretoria where he was able to focus all his energy to further develop the farm, automate some of the tree cultivation processes and expand Treeshop’s species offer. Piet uses his engineering background to design new technology that benefits the business – from growing seedlings in trays made with 3D printing technology to building new greenhouses.

The new shade structures under construction

Sandra has a vast knowledge about all the trees and plants that they grow

The nursery is continuously expanding and through Piet and Sandra’s passion and dedication it is also innovating as they aim to become the best supplier of indigenous trees in Southern Africa. It boasts a wide range of indigenous trees of varying sizes and they are specifically attempting to grow trees that are not easily available in cultivation because they are either difficult to grow or find.

Pittosporum viridiflorum (Cheesewood)

Rothmannia globosa (September Bells)

The nursery also includes a bonsai range and it is amazing to see miniature versions of indigenous trees. They have also positioned themselves as forerunners in the market for growing potted trees. These are ideal if you have limited space or if you want to enjoy indigenous trees in situations that would otherwise be impossible to plant such as patios, balconies or small gardens.

Potted Trees are ideal for difficult to grow situations

Most of the trees that they grow are adapted to the climatic conditions of the Highveld, although some are from warmer parts of the country (eg. Albizia, Commiphora, Sterculia). However, the farm receives temperatures of -4 so they are exposed to colder conditions. Always check frost sensitivity of a tree before deciding to plant it.

If you need help choosing indigenous plants or trees for your garden have a look at the ebook I have written at ebook.sproutlandscapes.co.za. The e-book will guide you to decide what steps to take for your own garden in a simple and encouraging way. There are several plant palettes to help you make correct plant choices including shrubs for screening, trees for screening, and planting in sunny or shady conditions.

Combretum hereroense (Russet Bushwillow)

Most of the trees that Treeshop grow can be seen on their website but they also grow more unusual species so if you are looking for something specific it would be best to contact them directly to enquire.

Treeshop Nursery sells quality indigenous trees directly to the public and people can purchase through their website www.indigenoustrees.online or by emailing Sandra.

A variety of tree sizes are available - these Ilex mitis (Cape Holly) trees are in 200l. bags

3Bushketeers Wholesale Nursery

3Bushketeers wholesale nursery is located near Brits, north of Hartbeespoort Dam, and grows a wide range of indigenous trees, shrubs and groundcovers as well as fruit trees. 3Bushketeers was established in 2006 by three partners, hence the play on words in the name.

Andries Botha, one of partners, is a passionate horticulturalist and took me on a tour of the nursery and the farm. He is extremely knowledgeable, not only about plants but also about the history of the area and if prompted will share stories about past warriors and wars from the surrounding region.

He explained that originally the nursery was established to provide unique indigenous trees “weird and wonderful, not just the same everyday stuff”, trees that were not easily available at the time. They also wanted to provide indigenous alternatives to the exotic plants that people were commonly using.

We still find that people are often unaware of the exciting indigenous options available to use and the benefits of planting indigenous plants. As you are probably aware, designing indigenous gardens is close to my heart, so if you are looking to upgrade your garden why not consider buying Sprout’s E-book which is a Guidebook for Homeowner’s to design their own indigenous gardens.

Andries in the Display Garden

Projects the Nursery is Involved In

3Bushketeers is involved in reforestation projects in KwaZulu Natal. The rehabilitation and reforestation relies on the education and involvement of local communities. Andries advocates that our environment is a natural resource that holds a lot of potential and value and if managed correctly can create economic opportunities, employment, food, tourism and other benefits. His involvement includes training and seed harvesting so that local indigenous plants can be conserved and used for the benefit of the community.

Several Growing Tunnels are used for growing nursery stock

Some Indigenous/Exotic alternatives:

Teclea gerrardii (Zulu Cherry-Orange) instead of Syzigium paniculatum (Brush Cherry)

Bolusanthus speciosus (Tree Wisteria) instead of Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda)

Cordia caffra (Septeeboom) instead of Betula alba (Silver Birch)

Cordyla africana (Wild Mango) instead of Caesalpinnia faurea (Leopard Tree) (check frost sensitivity before planting)

Thespesia acutiloba (Wild Tulip Tree) Instead of Hibiscus

Display Garden

3Bushketeers grow a wide range of indigenous trees and shrubs. On an open section of lawn next to the greenhouses they have planted several of these so that people can see established examples of mature specimens.

Some of the trees they grow and sell:

Afzelia quanzensis (Pod Mahogany) – Deciduous tree, frost sensitive. A tree with good shape can be obtained in about 7 years, with an attractive thick stem and spreading crown. Butterfly host tree.

Ataleya alata (Lebombo Kranz Ash) - small to medium-sized deciduous tree, with a sparsely branched crown

Acacia burkei (Black Monkey Thorn) - hardy, deciduous medium-sized tree with fissured bark and rounded crown. Beautiful shade tree, but can be slow growing. Attracts birds and insects.

Sideroxylon inerme (Milkplum) - small to medium evergreen tree more commonly found in coastal gardens, makes an excellent firebreak (SANBI)

Erythrina humeana (Dwarf Coral Tree) – shrub or small tree up to 3m high with long spikes of scarlet flowers.

Acokanthera oppositifolia (Bushman’s Poison) – woody shrub with dark green leaves growing up to 5m high. All parts of the plant are highly poisonous.

I love the image above that captures the simplicity and beauty of farm life.

So if you have any indigenous tree queries or if you are a landscaper looking to buy from a wholesale nursery Andries will be more than happy to help.

For further Information Contact:

Andries Botes 082 498 3321

info@3bushketeers.co.za

Other Nurseries I’ve visited:

Bristlecone Nursery

Gariep Succulent Nursery

Willow Feather Farm Nursery

Willow Feather Farm, Nursery with Farmyard

Willow Feather Farm is a nursery located in Irene Pretoria, near the Rietvlei Nature Reserve. It specialises in the growing and supply of frost hardy indigenous trees to the wholesale market. Their main lines of indigenous trees that they grow include: Wild Olive (Olea africana), River Bush Willow (Combretum erythrophyllum), Sweet Thorn (Acacia karoo), Karee (Rhus / Searsia Lancea), White Karee (Rhus / Searsia Pendulina) and White Stinkwood (Celtis africana). These are available in 20, 50, 100, 250 and 500 liter bags. Trees and plants can also be bought from their retail nursery and garden centre.

The first time I visited this nursery (actually every time I visit this nursery!) is not to look at their plants but rather to visit their farmyard and tea garden with my kids. This garden and farmyard is a haven for children because there are not only animals to see and feed but also several jungle gyms throughout the shady garden to play on. The farm animals are a highlight and are kept in neat timber enclosures. A wide variety of animals can be seen including sheep, pigs, goats, cows, chicken, geese, peacocks, guinea pigs, rabbits  and even alpacas. For a small amount you can buy the feed which comes in small brown packets and which are labelled so that you can give each animal the correct food.

Our most recent visit to the farmyard was in January 2021 and although the restaurant was closed we could buy drinks from the cafe inside. Entrance is regulated and the small entrance fee of R50 on weekdays and R70 on weekends (no cash payments) ensures the garden is well maintained and children are safely contained within it.

On their website they describe visiting the garden like this “We would like to recreate the experiences and moments that we had on our farm as children. Many children of today do not have the opportunity to run and play in a large established garden, interact with a variety of farm animals, or have a picnic on the grass. We provide a venue where children can experience all of this in the safety and serenity of our farm. Bring your own picnic baskets, drinks and snacks and relax while the kids play.” (https://willowfeather.co.za/)

BristleCone Wholesale Nursery

Sheep grazing in the meadows create picturesque views of Farm-life

It is always a treat to escape the hustle of Johannesburg and spend time in nature so it was with great delight that, along with a few fellow landscape architects, I visited Leon Scholtz on his farm in the Skeerpoort, Hartbeeshoek area. While walking through the magnificent garden and growing tunnels of BristleCone Leon chatted to us about the nursery’s history and where the landscaping industry is moving towards.

After obtaining a degree in Horticulture Leon Scholtz bought a piece of land in 1974 and together with his wife Elize they started the nursery called BristleCone. The name BristleCone refers to a species of Pine that is the oldest living plant on the planet and is also highly resilient to harsh weather and poor soils. Bristlecone pines grow at high altitudes in arid regions of the Western United States. Bristlecones, along with all related species in the class Pinopsida, are cone-bearing seed plants (commonly known as conifers) and the name is derived from the prickles on the female cones. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristlecone_pine)

The Garden

At the inception BristleCone was only growing and selling Conifers as there was a high demand for those plants. They branched out into succulents and expanded their range to include Aloes, however, in 1976 these were hit by severe frost and all of them died. Temperatures on the farm can drop to -4 degrees Celsius so all plants that are grown need to be frost hardy. Frost is not the only challenge that farm life holds. Every South African will know some of the challenges that face farmers on a daily basis include: hail storms, veld fires, crime threats, and labour relations.

BristleCone grows a large variety of ornamental grasses - this display garden shows the combinations of colour and texture and mature height of species

In the 1980s Leon started growing Grasses but nearly got rid of them all before the market caught on to the value of Grasses in landscaping and stock started moving. This was certainly ahead of the curve as landscaping with grasses is still very popular. They also grow fruit trees, also a very important trend in landscaping, although they have reduced their range to smaller bag sizes.

Currently 50% of the plants that BristleCone is growing are Indigenous. They also grow a wide variety of colour plants such as Osteospermum, Geraniums, Plumbago and 25 vareties of Agapanthus (looking so stunning at the moment I must add). They have a wide range of interesting ornamental grasses, certain specialist species and unique form plants-many from Mexico. Leon’s son Dewald is currently in charge of Production and has won SANA Young Grower of the Year Award.

Leon walking us through his nursery

Leon has traveled extensively and his plant knowledge is incredible. The passion he displays for the plants and his business is tangible and can be seen through his active Instagram account @bristle_cone_nursery

Snippet taken from BristleCone’s Website “We source our plants and plant selections from all over the world. Our aim is to grow plants suitable for our environment. Trails for new or improved selections are grown on the farm and selected for production if suitable.

We specialize in plants in general with the emphasis on trendy plants for landscapers, indigenous plants for rehabilitation and indigenous projects and connoisseur plants for collectors and the Niche Market.

The main aim with new plant selections is to find plants that are more disease resistant, more water wise and more compact and tidy to reduce clipping or cutting back too often. We recommend mulching of all plants after planting to reduce loss of water and weed growth.”

BristleCone Nursery is known for its family values, warm hospitality and most importantly, its outstanding plant quality and continues to be a front-runner in the growing and landscaping industry.