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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Hack Group Tea Times

Hack Group meetings just wouldn’t be the same without the traditional tea and sandwiches served after a hard morning’s work! And they wouldn’t be possible without the committed volunteer work of the tea ladies. But it all begins with the open-hearted donations from two well known local businesses. Here we recognise their generosity. Penguin Place The Betty’s Bay Hack Group wishes to thank Maureen Muller for the twelve years of support in donating loaves of bread for the sandwiches every month and to wish her a happy retirement. The Group also wishes to welcome the…
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Gardeners’ Circle 19 November 2018

Visit to the Harold Porter Gardens Nursery  Another wonderful gathering with hosts Karin Wall and Ebraime Hull and 39 gardeners! A firm relationship between the HP Gardens and our group has now been established.  Karin and Ebraime shared the complexities and the pleasures that go into maintaining the Gardens.  Ebriame would like us to assist in communicating the good work of the Garden nursery and the Gardens in general. We in turn would like to understand the complexities of what occurs behind the scenes before the Garden’s plants are in the ground and before the…
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The Wednesday Hack

December 2018 During December, work continued on the slopes of the Klein Hangklip Mountains between Pringle Bay and Rooi Els. Australian Myrtle and Acacia Longifolia were taken out at Die Stroompie and New Zealand Christmas trees on Albertyn Street, Betty’s Bay. An extra day was worked to clear a property of Austalian Myrtle and Rooikrans in Diaspora Avenue, Betty’s Bay. During the month of December, 78 man-hack days were thrown at the enemy. Hackers were: Tom Dreyer, Frik Potgieter, Jan Joubert, Bernard and Natalie van Wulven, Jeannie Harning, Ulli Niemann, Tim Attwell, Carol Wilson, Claude…
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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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Future Walks

Saturday, 16 March 2019 Explore the Upper Plateau above Fairy Glen Enquiries: Tim Attwell 082 3432 501 We ascend the path beside the rock climbers’ paradise of Kasteelkop and traverse the shale band with its different types of fynbos and magnificent views of the Kogelberg and Perdeberg Mountains. After a refreshment break at a good view site we will descend via the steep and stony Klipspringer Path. Good, sturdy walking shoes or boots, a hat, sunblock and refreshments are mandatory. This trail will appeal to reasonably fit people of all ages and take about three…
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Upcoming Talks

Diarise these dates 16 March 2019 17h30 for 18h00 Topic:Groundwater Development of the Table Mountain Group Aquifers as part of the City of Cape Town’s New Water Programme Presenter: Dylan Blake, Associate and Principal Geologist at Umvoto Africa Venue: Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens Dylan Blake is an Associate and Principal Geologist at Umvoto Africa, where he has worked since early 2007. He completed his BSc undergraduate and Honours degree studies in Geology and Environmental Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and will one day complete his long suffering MSc on the Table Mountain Group aquifers.…
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Upcoming Gardeners’ Circle visit

Our next event is on Monday 18 March when we visit the Harold Porter Gardens to see the new emerging plants and trees after the January fires and take a wander around if we so wish. If Karin Wall is available that will be an extra bonus. On 18 February some 50 of us visited four burnt-out gardens from the January 11th devastating fires in Betty’s Bay: Susan’s garden in Mountain Street, Rea’s in Protea Road, Elaine’s in Seaview Road and back to Galia’s along Clarence Drive in Sunnyseas for tea and discussions. Thank you to Karin Wall of Harold Porter Gardens, to Rea, Elaine and Galia for their insights into what…
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Hacking as fire damage control

“Invasive trees such as pines and gums burn ten times hotter than fynbos, and fires occurring in areas invaded by listed alien plants are difficult to bring under control”, says Louise Stafford, project leader of the Green Jobs Unit which manages the Cape Town City’s invasive species control teams. In both the 2000 and 2015 Cape fires, homes alongside nature reserves surrounded by invasive species such as gums, wattle and eucalyptus were more likely to experience infrastructure damage, as opposed to properties that were cleared of invasive species.  “The repetition of damage to houses and…
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