Westriding, Hillcrest

We purchased the property in 1998, which means we have now been here 25 years. Originally, there were a lot of bushes, shrubs, and flower beds and hardly anywhere for the kids to play. So much so, that the swimming pool was barely visible from the veranda, less than 10 m away. Overtime, we cleared many of the flower beds and shrubs making for a lawned area where the kids could play cricket and kick a ball around – and break quite a few windows!!! 

When the birding bug bit 15 years ago, there has since been a conscious effort to plant bird and bug friendly plants. The plan since then has been to plant indigenous, particularly along the four fence lines creating a continuous corridor allowing protection for the birds to move freely, and with some protection. More recently, a large section of thick exotic vegetation was cleared. This corner of the garden is now dedicated to aloes and succulents, and is already proving to be a wonderful attraction for the sunbirds. 

Since the time I have kept a garden bird list, starting some 15 years ago we have had a wonderful variety of birds visiting the garden and flying overhead. The list now stands at 123 species, some of which have been real eye-openers. These include Buff-spotted Flufftail, Narina Trogon, Bush Blackcap, Southern White-faced Owl, Grey Cuckooshrike, Green Twinspot, Red-backed Mannikin, Grey Sunbird, Black Cuckoo, and African Emerald Cuckoo. The latter thanks to a friends advice to plant a Pigeonwood tree some 10 years ago.