South Africa is a sun-drenched country, and during times of water shortages we undoubtedly need to conserve water and practice responsible gardening practices. If you’re going away this festive season read my article on page 23 for handy hints on holiday watering and page 21 for a list of waterwise plants that do well in pots.

Patios and outdoor living spaces are centres of attraction this time of year and GardenShop is delighted with our exclusive Weber shops at GardenShop FloraFarm, Bryanston and Broadacres, we guarantee best prices for all Weber products. Enjoy braaing and cooking outdoors (page 28) with Weber products and summer braai herbs, like Dillm Basil, Thyme and Sage (see pages 7 and 12). A new range of exciting vegetable seeds – RAW – is available at GardenShop (see page 10) and these seeds are great stocking fillers for the festive season. Our Festive Memories Catalogue is full of wonderful decorations and gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

Happy Gardening!