Information about Cape Flora Nursery and its Owners

 

Our Nursery is situated just outside Port Elizabeth on the East Coast in the lovely Theescombe area of South Africa. The climate is mild with rain throughout the year. We experience more rain in winter and spring than in the summer months and this is ideal for pelargoniums and many succulents.

The Nursery was established 15 years ago as a full time venture when I left an engineering career to start propagating plants full time. At the time we were growing both plants exotic to South Africa as well as indigenous trees, shrubs and ground covers.

After we experienced three consecutive droughts, the demand for plants fell off drastically as people did not buy plants on account of water restrictions. It was then decided to grow much hardier indigenous plants which we have been doing ever since. It was also at this time that I was bitten by the 'Pelargonium Bug', a tenacious little monster, and this led to the propagation of pelargoniums and allied plants. We also decided to concentrate more on the wholesale than the retail trade, and to supply rare, botanical plants.

The Nursery has a large pelargonium collection both in the wild flower garden and as nursery stock. These plants form a good source of seed as well as cuttings for vegetative reproduction. One of my main interests is the growing of the rarer geophytic or tuberous pelargoniums which abound in our area as well as in the Western Cape. The collection of these fascinating plants just keeps growing.

Very interesting work is being done on the hybridizing of pelargoniums with an eye to the production of new commercially-viable hybrids. One of the best results so far is our hybrid "Cape Flora" which has fimbriated petals and shows good potential.

Our stock of succulents and cycads is also increasing rapidly and we experience an ever-increasing demand for these unusual plants as well as bulbs and divias. We are privileged to be able to offer outstanding Japanese hybrid clivia plants and seed.

During the past 20 years I have been doing much field work with monthly excursions into the veld to study the plants. This seems to have paid off with the exciting discovery of a new cyrtanthus species which is being described at present and is currently being propagated from seed in the Nursery.

Our policy of pleasing our customers has really paid off. You can always expect to receive a few extra bulbs with your order. I attach a letter from one of our recent customers.

We sincerely look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

WELLAND AND MARGARET COWLEY

28.01.1998