Bright green leaves, a splash of neon colours and a layer of mist, with a bucket or two of rain. This was the scene that greeted visitors of the Rare Plant Fair at Tokara Wine and Olive Farm this weekend. The fair showcased a stunning collection of plants and people. MatieMedia explored the event.
“The nice thing about the plant fair is it gives the public an opportunity to interact with the grower, and to get knowledge straight from the grower,” says Pietman Diener, the convenor of the fair.
“We have about 39 exhibitors this year,” he adds.
Among these exhibitors is Rob Hazel. He has been attending the fair since it started and grows bromeliads as well as a variety of other plants.
Rob Hazel poses with one of his bromeliads. Photo: Elri Voigt
While a bromeliad sounds foreign, one member of the species is common in most households.
“You actually know bromeliads because you eat one, the pineapple,” Hazel says.
Further along the path is a fascinating exhibit, the miniature moss garden of Gert van Tonder.
Gert van Tonder explains the wonders of the moss plant to attendees of the fair. Photo: Elri Voigt
Van Tonder demonstrated the hardiness of moss plants by spraying water on a moss plant that had been dry for six months. The plant went from a brittle texture and dark green colour to a spongy texture with a lighter green shade in a matter of seconds.
“They are very hardy,” explains Van Tonder. According to him, all the species of moss that made up the miniature displays are indigenous and are an important part of the ecosystem.
“Moss is a very important part of the fynbos ecology,” he says.
A miniature moss garden, created by Gert van Tonder, that looks like a mountain range when viewed up close was one of the treats that the Rare Plant Fair had to offer. Photo: Elri Voigt
Peter Hewitt, another exhibitor, specialises in growing carnivorous plants.
“We use tunnels and greenhouses to accelerate their growth, but the plants all come out of a laboratory, we clone them,” he explains.
Peter Hewitt posing with one of his carnivorous plants at the Rare Plant Fair. Photo: Elri Voigt
“We clone them, so they will all be uniform, so each variety that I’ve got is exactly the same, and each unit looks exactly the same.”
The plants come from various locations all over the world. “Indonesia, South-East Asia, Malaysia and there a few species from America. We also have a few indigenous species here,” says Hewitt.
Several species of carnivorous plants, with origins from all over the world. Photo: Elri Voigt
Succulents, hanging moss and clever contraptions that allowed the plants to hang from hooks instead of being confined to a pot, were among the other attractions. Breathtakingly beautiful roses and orchids were also featured.
A display of hanging plants at the Rare Plant Fair. Photo: Elri Voigt
Among all this foliage, a modern gardening tool emerged in the form of a gardening app. This app is called Candide, and according to Clint Cloete, “It is like Instagram, for gardeners.”
Cloete is one of the people responsible for maintaining the database and answering various queries from users.
“The idea is really to get all gardeners in contact with other gardeners,” says Tessa Laas, community manager at Candide. “It’s bringing gardeners together from all over South Africa.”
Tessa Laas and Clint Cloete in partnership with Candide, want to change the way that people garden with the Candide gardening app. Photo: Elri Voigt
Tokara had a rare gem of its own to share, in the form of its private garden, which the public was allowed to stroll through. However, the sheer size of the garden required more than just a short stroll and resembled more of an adventurous hike.
The garden exhibits a variety of statues, including a giant artwork of Dionysus the Ancient Greek god of wine, sculpted by Angus Taylor. This impressive sculpture was lounging on a lawn in the vast garden and could be seen from quite a distance.
The Tokara private gardens is home to several sculptures, including Dionysus, the god of wine, created by Angus Taylor. Photo: Elri Voigt
The attendees of the fair were also supporting a good cause, as the proceeds are going to Camphill Hermanus. The facility is “a safe place” according to Duncan Clews the farm manager at Camphill Hermanus.
“We give homes and protective workshops for adults with intellectual disabilities,” he adds. Clews also expresses his gratitude to the fair and Tokara.
“We are very grateful to them for their generosity,” he says.