The Household Garden Blog

How to attract butterflies to a South African garden, even a small one

How to bring South African butterflies into a garden of any size by planting the host plants their caterpillars eat as well as nectar plants, with sun, shelter and water, and how a balcony full of ...

Plants that keep pests away, and how far they really go

An evidence-based look at which pest repelling plants actually earn their place in a South African garden, and which ones are mostly folklore.

Pests on potted plants: how to spot them and what actually works

How to identify the seven pests that turn up on potted plants in South Africa, and the gentle fixes that work before you reach for a spray.

Planting for bees in South Africa: a pot garden the bees will actually visit

How to plant a few pots that bees genuinely use, with indigenous choices for every season and the water detail most gardeners get wrong.