Talk Report – Feb, Mar & Apr 2019

“FROGS” Andrew Turner, 16 February 2019 Are you a frogger?  After Andrew Turner’s most interesting and informative talk we will be using our ears rather than binoculars as we walk around Betty’s Bay’s wetlands. Particularly in the evenings, tune your ears to the sounds of an African night. Frogging can be a science or a recreation as we make exciting discoveries of these little creatures. Frogs are classed as Vertebrate amphibians with two phases to their lives: the tadpole, and the four legged adult (amphi = two, bians = life). Toads are frogs, frogs are not…
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Rainfall temperatures for Nov ’18 – Feb ’19

NOVEMBER   2018 2017 Rainfall mm 62.5 180.7 Temperature °C Max 28 23 Min 9 11   DECEMBER   2018 2017 Rainfall mm 24.5 12.1 Temperature °C Max 32 33 Min 13 13   JANUARY   2019 2018 Rainfall mm 55.5 122 Temperature °C Max 30 30 Min 10 13   FEBRUARY   2019 2018 Rainfall mm 22.5 48.5 Temperature °C Max 32 29 Min 14 14  
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Walk Report – Dec ’18 – Feb ’19

December 2018 An advantage of birding over botanising is that, if you choose the right spot, the birds come to you. So it was that our December walk found us getting comfortable in the spacious bird hide in the Rooisand Nature Reserve. Binoculars? Check. Bird guide book? Check. Flask of tea or coffee and a snack? Check. Good company? Check. Then we waited. The decision to go birding rather than botanising was motivated by the desire to do something a little different – and make the walking a little easier. A trip to the Rooisand…
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Talk Report – Nov & Dec 2018

Botanical art around the world: Looking for the perfect curve Vicki Thomas, 17 November 2018 Living as we do in the heartland of the nation’s floral kingdom, the prospect of hearing a talk by renowned and local botanical artist, Vicki Thomas, attracted a large audience on Saturday 17 November 2018 to the Nivenia Hall, Harold Porter Gardens. Fusing her artistic expertise with her love for teaching, Vicki traced for us the early origins and functions of botanical illustration and how it metamorphosed into the recognised and sought-after art form of today. Botanical art has its origins…
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Walk Report – Oct 2018

Yes, our Botsoc Kogelberg monthly walk was indeed scheduled for the third Saturday of October – the 20th to be precise. And yes, a small group of faithful walkers did arrive at the Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens at 09:00 on that day. Things were going swimmingly – except for the wind, blowing great guns. A short conference ensued and consensus reached almost immediately. ‘Rain we can manage’, noting that our walks haven’t been rained out for years, but this wind is not worth it. So we promised each other that we would get together…
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Talk Report – Sept 2018

Plants and light Chris Whitehouse Living and gardening in the fynbos, we are very aware of the impact of the specific soil conditions of our gardens and the need to provide protection from the wind, but we may not give much thought to the amount of light that various plants require. That is unless your home is close to the mountain, where you are in shade for a large part of the day, particularly during the winter months when the sun is low on the horizon.  Sunlight and its effect on plants was the topic of the interesting talk given on Saturday 15 September by Chris Whitehouse, who runs the Philipskop Mountain Reserve, near Stanford.  Chris began by reminding us why the leafy natural world around us is predominantly in harmonious shades of…
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Walk Report – Sept 2018

Walk Report for 15 September 2018   It had been months in the making – a combined walk, bringing together members of the Kirstenbosch Branch and the Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society, and it didn’t disappoint.  When you have upward of twenty-two eager fynbos junkies making their way through the Brodie Link part of the Hangklip Nature Reserve two things immediately become apparent, you move more slowly and you see more flowers. Aided by such botanical legends as Ivor Jardine and Corinne Merry, we could be sure of a fascinating morning. A bewildering variety of Aspalathus, Cyclopia, Diastella, Serruria, Erica, Leucospermum (including the exquisite sprawling L. prostratum in full flower), Lachnea, fragrant Agathosma, Gladiolus, Mairia, Erepsia, Wachendorfia paniculata, the endemic Hangklip form of Saltera…
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