Melanie Walker's Grounded: Recent Episodes
Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard
Valentine's Day 2025 will see people from all over South Africa showing their Hearts and Soles as they join in on Flip-Flop Day to raise money for CHOC.
Childhood cancer is a diagnosis no family should have to go through alone. But with the help of CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa, they're getting much needed help to get them through this immense challenge.
CHOC CEO Hedley Lewis chats to Melanie Walker, a long-time supporter of CHOC, about how everyone and their partners can get involved.
All South Africans need do is buy a R10 sticker (either online at www.choc.org.za, from Tekkie Town or a CHOC Regional Office), and wear that and their flip flops on the 14th February.
It's time to turn every step we take into a stride of hope and solidarity. CHOC Flip Flop Day · Mel's Treasures on Facebook
Just what is Uncultivated Food in the bigger scheme of things?
Author Nikki Brighton takes the reader on a journey about this growing way of viewing those plants that are growing in the 'wrong' place (i.e. weeds) and shows us how to forage, and what you can garner from not just your garden, but from wild spaces in your area, to add to your pantry.
Wild About Weeds is an easy guide to the most common edible weeds and uncultivated foods to be found all over South Africa, and will surely stimulate your curiosity by giving you ideas on how to make the most of the delicious abundance on your doorstep.
Find out more by visiting www.plantabundance.co.za Mel's Treasures on Facebook
Going away for the holidays? Or staying home for the season?
Whichever it is, make sure your garden is in tip-top shape, whether you’re expecting guests or needing it to look after itself for a while.
Cary Goodwin and Melanie discuss the latest greatest ideas from lifeisagarden.co.za, including how to become a Water Warrior! Mel's Treasures on Facebook
Every seed has a story.
What began as a seed of an idea turned into a passion for growing from seed for Organic Gardening Goddess Linda Galvad.
In this edition of Grounded, Linda and Melanie Walker (co-conspirators on The Home Channel's Gardening 101) get to grips with what makes a seed heirloom, heritage and organic, why you shouldn't bring seeds with you from other countries, what you should be growing in your backyard this month as we head into the cold of winter in SA, and how to improve your health and well-being by being, well... a seedsmith! Mel's Treasures on Facebook
Sometimes cookery books aren't just about cooking, they're about a whole lot more; the ingredients and where they come from, the ancestors who hold the lore surrounding them, preserving wild foods (in nature, not just in jam jars), and the heritage of indigenous ingredients. It's about the stories that come with the 'lekkerness', the 'mnandi-ness' of the people and their culinary culture.
Gregory Henderson is more than just a chef, he's been a global winner of the LUX Awards Most Sustainable Dining Experience and is an ardent promoter not only of living off the land but ensuring that our unique South African tales about food aren't lost in the mists of time.
Gregory's books showcase these proudly South African values and they're on the menu for discussion in this tasty episode. Mel's Treasures on Facebook
.. and an (E)scape from the pressures of Life
Once again proving that Succulents Don't Suck, Cary Goodwin of Life is a Garden chats to Melanie about the wondrous variety of aloes and echeveria that are available these days, along with how to deal with the descent into the winter months in the garden. Oh, and about fire-scaping! Mel's Treasures on Facebook
Whether you're new to the joys of gardening or not, there's always something new to be learned. It's time to find out more about the not-difficult art of growing bulbs on Grounded with the man who has made it his life, Charles Barnhoorn of Hadeco Bulbs.
He demystifies what some see as the magic art of getting these hidden treasures to bloom while giving solid information on how to get the best out of them. Mel's Treasures on Facebook
We'd Like Our Roses to See You!
Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson - Life is a Garden; Headgirl Colourful Group & Peebles Plants) joins Melanie today take a look at what's hot on the gardening scene in South Africa at the moment, and making the pages of the Life is a Garden website.
Want to know more about carnivorous plants, wetlands, growing your own, or what you should be doing in your gardening space, then this month's podcast is for you. Join the Growing trend - we look forward to sharing with you.
Find out what You should be doing this Season!
Gardening is about water - most of it in the form of perspiration!
Whether you have too much, or too little, water is the main topic when it comes to getting gardens to grow properly. Cary Goodwin, and the wonderful helpers at Life is a Garden, are there to help you on your way to becoming a useful gardener, with all their hints and tips on how to get it right.
Whether you love airplants, succulents, colour or veggies, you'll get the best advice on how to make your garden grow, and keep you on point with the latest trends in South African backyards.
“Sometimes I think that the point of birdwatching is not the actual seeing of the birds, but the cultivation of patience. Of course, each time we set out, there's a certain amount of expectation we'll see something, maybe even a species we've never seen before, and that it will fill us with light. But even if we don't see anything remarkable - and sometimes that happens - we come home filled with light anyway.”
― Lynn Thomson, Birding with Yeats: A Mother's Memoir
And that's what it's about!
Whether you be brand new to the birdwatching game, or a long-time, avid spotter, as one writer has it - “Birds will give you a window, if you allow them. They will show you secrets from another world– fresh vision that, though it is avian, can accompany you home and alter your life. They will do this for you even if you don't know their names– though such knowing is a thoughtful gesture. ”
We find out more about Adam Riley's new book, commissioned by Helm Wildlife Guides, on Birds of South Africa, the portable concise must-have that will give you an entry into 'twitching', or a quick reference if you're travelling light. And more about how birds are so essential to not only the world at large but to the space surrounding you.
June tips from Life in a Garden
Our Guest: Cary Goodwin (PR - Life is a Garden; Head Girl at Colourful Group)
Winter has come - but that's no reason not to get out and get warm with some gardening chores. Keeping yourself and your plants well covered is key, and even if you're an indoor gardener, Cary Goodwin gives you all of Life is a Garden's tips on getting your luscious green lovelies looking even more fabulash! And want to get creative for Fathers' Day? Look no further - visit https://lifeisagarden.co.za Life is a Garden Website
Of Earth Hour and the Coming of Autumn
The Earth is slightly turning off its axis as we begin the descent from the long heady golden days of summer into the changing of colour and season. So what should you be doing in your garden to prepare it for the winter months? Cary Goodwin gives us the tips you'll need for our version of the 4 P's - planning, preparation, patience and plenty of it!
We give you the lowdown on what Earth Hour really means, and how you can switch yourself on while switching power off. Go green - and get planning where you can plant your green veggies out. Life is a Garden Website
Cary Goodwin (Life is a Garden | Spokesperson and Colourful Group | Head Girl)
If you want to know how to grow clivias from seed, what the best indoor plants are to have that you and your kids can't kill, how to make paint from flowers, what plants are looking great at this time of the year, and how to deal with too much - or too little - water, then look no further. Cary Goodwin and Melanie Walker let you know what's up on the Life is a Garden website this month - the place to find out from the experts just how to grow your way to gardening glory! Life is a Garden Website
In a departure from our usual conversations on Grounded, Melanie Walker finds out from David Barritt, Executive Director of two international charities for animals, about what is going on in Africa when it comes to our protected species - and those that are more commonplace.
Whether it be pangolins, rhinos, cats and dogs or donkeys, YOU can make a difference. If you love animals, this needs to be listened to. Animal Survival · Network for Animals · Connect with David
The Green Industry has been one that has seen a fair amount of growth over the last couple of years - even during Covid and lockdowns. Probably because of them.
Paul Vonk (Commercial Manager Mayfords Seeds/President -SANA) and Melanie explore the green horizons, talking bulbs, seeds, what the green industry is doing for you, and why you should get growing! Connect with Paul · SANA - SA Nursery Association Website
Well - Bats may seem like that to rats, but we think so too!
Guest: Jonathan Haw (Director, EcoSolutions)
“In their previous lives, poets were bats, and thinkers were owls.” ― Michael Bassey Johnson, Song of a Nature Lover
And that's what this episode of Grounded is all about - the kings and princes of the night skies, Bats and Owls.
Jonathan Haw, director of Ecosolutions, lets us in on the mythology surrounding our nocturnal hunters, how to move them if you don't want bats in your belfry, and how to encourage them to come and keep your property clear of rats and Mozzies! EcoSolutions Website · Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn
Is the best season of the year Spring?
Guest: Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson Life is a Garden, Head Garden Girl at Colourful Group)
From how to create the garden of your dreams, select the best plants, attract birds to your backyard and to set up a tiny watergarden - all the info you need you can get from Cary Goodwin and Melanie Walker of Life is a Garden!
When's your favourite season??
How to be a useful member of the Human Race.
Donna-Mari Noble (Communications Manager, MPact)
National Recycling Day happened on the 17th September this year in South Africa - did you do your bit to help lessen your load on the planet?
Donna-Mari Noble of MPact recycling gives us the latest on how South Africa is faring when it comes to recycling - and it’s not all bad news!
We also delve into what happens to things that could be recycled aren’t, where your waste goes, and how you can get you - and importantly, your child - involved in making a difference and being a ‘cleaner’ human becoming. Mpact Website
Bring down your impact on our earth
Winnie McHenry (Originator/Owner Upcycle)
Like most of the rest of the World, South Africa is battling with pollution and lack of landfill space.
But slowly, some people are managing to change this around, while Upskilling people who have been battling to find work.
UpCycle Winnie McHenry let's us in on how's she's helping corporates to be more environmentally aware, about how you can help others to become more independent so they can go on to Upskill others, and what you can do to become a more 'user-friendly' human becoming. Upcycle Website
Must be in this cold!
Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson for Life is a Garden, head Supergirl at Peebles and Colourful Group)
Winter. Sends shivers down the spine. In more ways than one.
But spring ain’t that far away, so Cary Goodwin reckons it’s time to start getting your garden sorted with a blast of colour from all the wonderful members of the ‘daisy’ family.
And how to get the best hedges going to try and keep them (and your neighbours) contained.
There’s also a great idea for honouring the women in your life, as we reckon we hold the earth in our hands! Life is a Garden Website
Do Something ProActive - With Earth Probiotic
If you're worried about the state of our planet, then find out about 52 Easy Things to Do to make your impact on the earth negligible.
Gavin Heron of Earth Probiotic talks us through bokashi, recycling, packaging, compostables vs biodegradables, and how companies are getting on board. Connect with Gavin on LinkedIn · Earth Probiotic Website
Linda Galvad - Sought After Seedlings
Planting thoughts on how to help your brain and body
Our body consists of two 'brains' - the one we think with, and the one we feel with. The Gut.
To get the best out of what you eat, and how you feed your brain(s), Linda Galvad of Sought After Seedlings tells us of her journey from psychology to growing 'brain food' naturally. Follow Sought After Seedlings on Facebook
Life is a Garden's winter top tips with Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson Life is a Garden, Head Garden Girl at Colourful Group)
Winter is on its way, so what should you be looking out for? The Great Reset continues - are you part of it?
Talking bulbs, indoor plants, how to get your garden ready for the quiet time and all things in between.
Michael Rickhoff (Master Landscape Designer)
We set trends here in the south - not following the rest of the world!
While the rest of the world follow trends in gardening, taking their cue from the northern hemisphere summer garden ideas, there are a number of Proudly South Africans who are taking the leap into bringing OUR cultures to the forefront of garden design.
Michael Rickhoff takes us through what he believes the top trends are for this year in our country. Indigenous plants and African influences are the talk of the town - learn how to implement them in your own backyard
Get yourself ready for Your Life in a Garden
Cary Goodwin (spokesperson Life is a Garden)
This month is a time of planning. Planning for your autumn and winter garden. Cary Goodwin gives us all the gen we need for ensuring you have all your bulbs (not) in a row and things to keep the kids busy too.
The Trials and Tribulations of getting the Best Plants to you!
Kathy Varney (Marketing & Product Manager at Ball Straathof)
For years, Ball Straathof have been striving to bring colour, beauty and tasty morsels to all gardens and landscapes.
The BS Trials give all those in the gardening industry - and the public too - the opportunity to see what new plants are coming up in South Africa. One of the most eagerly awaited events on the gardening calendar. Has lockdown changed this? Or the gardening industry as a whole?
Kathy Varney gives us the good news and the inside scoop on what new releases we can expect to see in a garden centre near you! Connect with Kathy on LinkedIn · Ball Straathof Website
Start your Gardening Year off Greenly
Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson Life is a Garden, Head Garden Girl at Colourful Group)
The beginning of a New Year generally heralds new resolutions. If you haven't made one yet, let it be this - I am going to get Grounded!
From starting from scratch and getting your soil right, to bringing this year's colours into your space, Cary Goodwin gives us all of Life is a Garden's hints and tips to get you on the right gardening track to ensure success in your backyard - or courtyard!
Never scrimp on the basics, never be afraid to ask questions, and continue the joy you may have found during lockdown, by staying home and pimping your porch.
Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
And 100 of them you should get to know!
Megan Emmett Parker (author and senior producer in the environmental world)
With a Masters in environmental management, a conservation degree and a decade working as a senior producer on 50/50 on tv, Megan Parker has a solid grounding on all topics environmental.
Her book, Game Ranger in your Backpack, has been selling out and reprinted yearly since release ten years ago. And her book on trees, originally titled If Trees Could Talk, now published by Struik under the title 100 Bushveld Trees, is the go-to guide for those wanting to know more about our wonderful country, her biomes and the ‘beings’ that inhabit it.
Game Ranger in Your Pocket on Amazon https://amzn.to/3m73ezP 100 Bushveld Trees https://amzn.to/2LmQl8b Megan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-parker-39027510/ Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Christmas in a Garden with Life is a Garden
Cary Goodwin (Life is a Garden | Spokesperson and Colourful Group | Head Girl)
The summer holidays are a time to kick back and relax - and after the dreadful year many have had - thank you 2020! - with many people (still) staying home, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the fruits of your backyard labour.
Cary Goodwin tells us what indigenous trees are great stand-ins as a Christmas tree, let’s us in on the secret world of bugs, gives hints and tips on what to be doing in the garden, and beware - here be Dragons!
Life is a Garden Website https://lifeisagarden.co.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Regreening Africa the Greenpop way
Misha Teasdale (Co-founder and Director at Greenpop
Planet deforestation and carbon emissions have become watchwords in the global environment and economy. Our new ‘climate-reality’.
With this in mind, in 2010 Misha Teasdale set about creating a community that reconnects humans with nature through tree planting and other environmental and social mass action
Greenpop is an award-winning registered non-profit organisation headquartered in Cape Town, which works towards restoring ecosystems and empowers environmental stewards through reforestation, urban greening, sustainable development, and environmental art projects across Sub-Saharan Africa.
If you’d like to add to the Green Explosion, then Listen Here!
Visit Greenpop's website https://greenpop.org/ Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Get out into your Garden
Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson Life is a Garden, Head girl at Colourful Splendour Group and Peebles Plants)
Life is a Garden (the PR part of the South African Nurseryman’s Association) grants the public all the gardening know how necessary to create your own little piece of Eden in your backyard, through their website and ongoing events - live and virtual - as well as supplying useful information to all publications in South Africa.
This month, Cary Goodwin let’s us know what’s on the agenda and what we should be doing through the month of November. On the menu - beetroot, Inca lilies, roses, indoor plants and much much more!
Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Friendly by Nature. The Greenest Way to Grow
Donvae Hooker and Cathy Church (EcoBuz)
Environmentally aware gardeners are always looking for the best way to look after their plants while looking after their soil and surroundings. Donvae Hooker and Cathy Church explain how through some great scientific developments, safe, effective, chemical-free pest control solutions are now available to South African homes and gardens thanks to EcoBuz, a company that is dedicated to completing the vision and ‘dream’ of offering safe and sustainable gardening solutions into the hands of all South Africans.
Visit their website https://ecobuz.co.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Garden Day SA - Growing Memories
Gundula Deutschlander (Master Gardener, Garden Day Ambassador)
Garden Day SA on Sunday 11th October, is the perfect day to invite friends and family to celebrate your garden and green spaces with you.
Master Gardener Gundula Deutschlander, one of the Garden Day ambassadors, gives us the lowdown on why gardening is good for you, and what is happening around this Glorious Green event.
Conscious that we are still social distancing and that some people can’t even in fact go outside, this year the organisers are hosting the first ever Virtual Garden Day Gathering. The line-up includes a host of events, such as garden-inspired gourmet with Karen Dudley, a flower crown-off with comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout and a QandA session with garden guru Tanya Visser amongst others. This will all take place via Zoom and Facebook Live. In the lead up to Garden Day, they will also be hosting a number of virtual events flower crown making workshops and how to prepare for your Garden Day celebration.
Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Be a Green Winner Wena
Michaela Rowley (VegePod SA)
Now that spring is sprung, the rains have come and we’re all itching to get our fingers into the soil, what better way to celebrate being Green than with the opportunity to win a healthy hamper of Green Goodies!
This Spring promotion is happening from the 7 - 16 October 2020, and includes some great stuff from not only Vegepod, but from Jane’s Delicious Garden, 6 Degrees East and others.
Vegepod’s Michaela Rowley tells us how you can enter, and more about how to grow your own if you’re strapped for space.
Visit our website https://vegepod.co.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Scaling Up The Wonderful Cycle of Life
Justin Hess (Ichthys Aquaponics | MD)
It used to be hydroponics was just a nod, nod, wink, wink, word for pot growing.
Now it is accepted by consumers as a preferred method of growing high-quality food.
Taking it one step further in Johannesburg, Ichthys Aquaponics have cast their line into the water and under the leadership of keen fisherman and g grower Justin Hess, set up a fish/farm which not only supplies great fresh produce, but also help those on a quest for sustainable food security to set up their own system at home.
And why are we loving it? Well, because we can grow food right where it’s going to be eaten.
They have also joined forces with Eastgate Mall in creating a rooftop farm, utilising waste space for growing - the first to be set up on top of a shopping mall. The Aquaponics Farm District aims to create a hub to educate local communities on alternative farming methods, showcasing how aquaponics is the future of sustainable farming.
Hear why more and more people are turning to this method of Urban Farming...
Aquaponics website https://aquaponics.africa/ Eastgate Mall https://eastgatemall.co.za/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-hess-609a342/ Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Time for Some Summer Fun!
Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson Life is a Garden and headgirl at Colourful Group)
Lockdown gave us time to prepare for spring in the garden - and now it’s upon us, it’s time to get geared up for Summer. It’s a busy month out there. What with It being Arbor Month!
Trees are very much on our minds, and Cary a Goodwin of Life is a Garden tells us what we should be looking at planting, regardless of the space you have available.
With Heritage Day in the offing, we also have a look at heritage plants in our country. And take yo on a seedling safari.
And don’t forget - Garden Day on 11 October. You have time to grow some lovely green presents for friends and family and plan your flower coronet...
Visit Life is a Garden website https://lifeisagarden.co.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Summer Treasure Hunt! — Blooming Marvellous Bulbs Charles Barnhoorn (Hadeco Bulbs | CEO)
Rudyard Kipling May have said - Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful,' and sitting in the shade - but sometimes gardens are made by things hiding in the shade.
Over the years, people eagerly await the heralds of spring, the beautiful array of winter bulbs that show their lovely heads the moment the ground temperature has warmed.
For those who miss the spring boat, there’s no reason not to have a beautiful Summer garden, considering the wealth of floral treasures now available.
Charles Barnhoorn, leading expert and grower, gives us and update on what’s new and exciting in their range, how to make sure you get the best from your edibles, and how to create a blooming marvellous space, whatever size it is.
Visit https://hadeco.co.za Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Simply Delicious! — Catching up with the Delicious Jane Griffiths Jane Griffiths (Author | Jane’s Delicious Garden and many others!)
Delicious Jane is a writer, television producer, traveller and artist, who began her journey to becoming a ‘veggie garden guru’ due to her being inspired chef who very seldom cooks the same recipe twice - and was frustrated about not finding the special ingredients she wanted. However, we find out that this ardent trip-taker’s favourite journey is from her organic vegetable garden to her kitchen.
With a ‘new’ herb book just released, and another in the offing, Jane gives us the benefit of her knowledge, having found out mostly the hard way what works and what doesn’t. From the basics of ‘no-dig’ gardening, to what you should be planting out now, and the realisation by so many people that growing your own is something we should all be doing, Jane’s got the know-how and the inspiration for you...
Visit Jane's Delicious Garden online http://www.janesdeliciousgarden.com/ Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
O-Live The life you Dream — How to become a master urban farmer Malcolm Gooding (The Voice | Gooding's Grove Olive Farm | Owner)
Over the last decade or so, the demand from the public to know exactly where their food is coming from and how sustainable it is has had a fairly large impact many stores And what they stock.
And the demand to grow our own edibles has grown too. Garden centres and growers have heeded the call and a wide range of fruits and veg are now to be found on the shop floor.
Sometimes, however, there’s a desire to take it even further, to get away from the perceived rat-race and to become a ‘gentleman farmer’.
Well known and often recognised for his inciting voice, now-ace olive farmer Malcolm Gooding gives us the do’s and dont’s when it comes to growing your own, while catching us up on what else he’s up to in his life.
Connect with Malcolm on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolm-gooding-245a2659/ Get your own awesome olives from http://www.goodingsgroves.co.za/ Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Dare we say it? Spring’s around the corner — Getting prepared for warmer weather! Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson Life is a Garden, Headgirl at Colourful Group and Peebles Plants)
Yes, we can feel it in the air - but spring is still hiding its Colourful head - for now.
It’s the time to get yourself and your garden prepared for warmer weather - NOT to do things like top dressing your lawn.
As impatient creatures, humans are always racing the clock to get things done. But Nature has her own pace when it comes to plants. Continue the slower pace that Lockdown should have taught us and plan properly for the change in seasons.
Cary Goodwin gives us all the know-how we need to ensure that you get the best out of your backyard space. And all the tips you need to do it at the right time - and the reasons why.
We also look at what indigenous fruits to plant to give you, and wildlife, a smorgasbord of new tastes.
Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Waste not, Want not — Waste minimisation. And what really happens to waste? Colleen du Toit (Abstract Waste | Founder and CEO)
Many of us don’t give much thought to what happens to all the stuff we discard. Fortunately, with landfills filling up almost to full capacity, those environmentally conscious amongst us are working on ways to lessen our impact when it comes to tossing rubbish. By having bokashis, worm bins and composters at home, and recycling and upcycling.
Ever thought, though, how businesses go about dealing with their waste? Colleen du Toit of Abstract Waste lets us know what they’re doing to help companies get rid of food waste safely and efficiently.
Connect with Colleen on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-du-toit-21bb1416/ Contact Colleen for assistance with your business' waste minimisation requirements mailto:colleen@abstractwaste.co.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Saving Our Environment — Reducing Business’s Impact on Nature Eckart Zollner (EDS Systems | Head of Business Development)
Climate change is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges to threaten the existence of mankind and an issue that the SA Government is attempting to tackle head on.
This is not just a governmental issue however - businesses need to come to the party too. The 5th June saw World Environment Day placing emphasis on restoration of nature, and how we can all lessen our carbon footprints - something we saw changing worldwide with the lockdowns in place during the global Covid pandemic.
Eckart Zollner discusses the effects of greenhouse gases on nature and the environment and the importance of embracing saving our natural world.
Visit EDS website https://www.eds.za.com/ Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Why 70%? And other hand sanitiser questions — Keep your hands clean! Gently and safely Bruce Turner (The Bespoke Amenities Co. | MD)
Today Melanie talks to Bruce Turner, Managing Director of The Bespoke Amenities Company about hand sanitiser, as well as those little things (like shampoo and body wash) you like to take home from hotels.
Contact Bruce directly bt@tbac.co.za
Connect with Bruce on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-turner-58336116/ Visit The Bespoke Amenities Company (TBAC) website https://tbac.co.za/ Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Life is a Garden — Make your Garden a Reflection of your Life Cary Goodwin (Spokesperson for Life is a Garden, Peebles Plants and Colourful Group)
Winter is a time when many people hang out indoors, leaving their garden to fend for itself. However, winter is a great time for taking stock of what’s going on in your own backyard. Cary and Melanie chat about ways to make your space work for you, How to get your groove back by putting your back into the work, and about what to be planting in the winter months around South Africa.
Look out for more great ideas and gardening tips on Life is a Garden's website https://lifeisagarden.co.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Lockdown doesn’t mean Shut Down — And Stay at Home doesn’t mean Say Inside Michael Rickhoff (Master Designer)
Staying onside, not staying inside, has been the way of thinking for those who enjoying growing and have been kept at home by the Lockdown.
Michael Rickhoff gives us Green ideas for your space, whether you have a lovely garden or just a sunny windowsill. And looks at the trends that are arising from this strange ‘new’ world we find ourselves living in.
Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
Switching on your garden — Preparing for a burst of spring colour with Bulbs - turn it on! Charles Barnhoorn (Hadeco Bulbs | MD) and Michael Rickhoff (Master Designer)
Gardening during lockdown has been something of a trial for those who love to plant. But with the opening of Garden Centres for trade, this is the time to not only look at what food plants to get your hands on, but also to prepare your garden - and life - for brighter times ahead.
May is the time to plant bulbs as ground temperatures have decreased sufficiently. Charles Barnhoorn gives us all the tips and tricks to get the best from these true treasures, he it in the garden or indoors.
Visit Hudaco's website for more information https://hadeco .co.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to #BeHeard, contact the podcast specialists at SolidGold.co.za
In this challenging time of the Covid-19 (SARS-CoronaVirus-2) outbreak, with people being encouraged to self-isolate as much as possible, we must remember that essential services need to be kept running. Many services are under major pressure, one of which is the South African National Blood Service.
With people working from home, schools and universities closed, and fewer visitors to Shopping centres where they do blood drives, blood donations have dropped to a point where national blood banks have only enough for three days.
This means there won't be enough blood for those who really need it - for those involved in accidents, for those undergoing operations or those having transfusions.
Dr Pheello Lethola, Lead Consultant for Blood Donor services, is on hand to tell us why it's safe to continue giving blood, and the steps the SANBS are taking to ensure your safety, while ensuring we can save lives.
SANBS 0800 119 031
COVID-19 HOTLINE at the NCID 0800 029 999
Visit the SANBS website https://sanbs.org.za Music : https://JohnBartmann.com Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
All about Ecobricks, saving the planet and educating children about the importance of reducing plastic pollution, recycling and taking responsibility for making the planet cleaner.
Meet Sean Williams and help him change the world https://swcontracts.co.za/meet-sean-williams/ Learn more about Anthea and Eco Balance Lifestyle https://ecobalancelifestyle.com/ Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Going into autumn, life becomes interesting in your backyard. Cary Goodwin let's us in on all the must do and must haves for the upcoming month. From veggie gardening to what's on the hard gardening calendar, you'll hear about it here!
Connect with Melanie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melstreasures.co.za/
When you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Winners - not binners.
That was the first thought when finding out what Winnie 'Upcycle' McHenry was up to.
Landfills are filling up to capacity. There's plastic pollution in our oceans. The 70s and 80s notion of 'consume, consume, consume' is not only outdated, but should be outlawed!
Fortunately there are some people who are doing something drastic (and not just by cutting the plastic).
Winnie holds close to the thought - Don't throw away. It can be used in some other way. And she's training people - up-skilling them - to think the same and how to do the same. And create their own businesses.
She shares with us how we, and corporates, can be less wasteful and more environmentally conscious, and creative with the waste we create.
Visit Winnie's website and be part of the change http://www.upcycle.co.za/ If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
From soil to supper, Gardening had its ups and downs. With people getting back to their roots and coming down to earth, the want to know more about how to grow your own or to enhance your livings space - and your life - has become a must have.
As numbers of people entering into horticulture and landscaping worldwide have dwindled, the demand for people who are able to create beautiful working works of art outside, or those who are able to provide food security, has grown exponentially.
Lifestyle College in Johannesburg is the only non-university learning facility that offers qualifications in Hirt and garden design. Michael Rickhoff runs us through what it's all about, what to expect and how a career in the Green industry - no matter your age - is a growth industry!
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
The countdown to the Johannesburg International Flower Show has started - and the excitement from the attendees is palpable. But it's not just about Show Gardens. The massive floral pavilion is hosting the cream of SA's floral stylist talent, with fabulous displays and floral chandeliers taking pride of place. Our three guests, Kim, Mira and Karen are completely passionate about plants - although... they don't grow them - they turn them into works of art. Want to know more? Then Listen Here!
Book now at https://johannesburgflowershow.com/ https://johannesburgflowershow.com/
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Sunday 20 October is Garden Day this year. Cary Goodwin and I give you all the hints and tips you'll need - courtesy of Life is a Garden - to create that glorious garden of your own. Whether it be a backyard patio or balcony, or your own little plot of heaven, there's no reason not to add loads of green to your life. And listen out for upcoming garden events, including the Gardens of Saint Christopher open day in Hyde Park Johannesburg on Garden Day.
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Green issues and the environment are coming more and more under the spotlight worldwide as Donna-Mari Noble of MPact tells us, the time has come for all people to get proactive when it concerns us tidying up after ourselves.
In this episode, we get all the hints and tips on how to be less of a litterbug and how to make an impact - of the good variety - on the world around us.
http://mpact.co.za/ click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
October is the month of the King (or should that be Queen) of the plant world to make themselves known in SA.
Roses are the plant that conjure up visions of love, not just through their good looks, but the memories their scent evoke...
Long thought by many to be particularly pernickity, difficult to grow and in need of far too much attention, Roses have proven their worth in water scarce gardens around the country. As one of the top Rose breeders in the country, Anja Taschner demystifies the lore of these beauties, and tells us more about the latest Named Rose to come from their stable in honour of Thuli Madonsela.
https://www.ludwigsroses.co.za/ click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
During Arbor Month, following up interviews a year ago, Julian Ortlepp updates us on the Shothole Borer crisis, what remedies may be available and what we can do about it. We also take a look at what tree's we can and should be planting, and discuss the pros and cons of bushwhacking!
Visit the Tree Works website click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Life Is a garden is the go-to guide for gardeners across the country. Cary Goodwin takes us through what this time of year brings for us in terms of great plants, ugly noonoos and keeping kids busy.
Visit Life is a Garden's website click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Annuals are the perfect solution for instant colour - especially when coming out of a dry, dull winter. Peter Goodwin takes us through new and improved varieties to give your garden that lift it needs.
Visit the Peeble Plants website click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Spring is an exciting time of year in the garden with all the colour popping out all over. Michael Rickhoff explains why pink isn't just a colour and what we should be thinking about when it comes to creating a fabulous outdoor space.
Lifestyle College for Landscape Design and Horticulture courses click here Connect with Jacky Van Wyk on LinkedIn click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Ardent horticulturist turned plant hunter extreme, Judd Kirkel Welwitch is often to be found trundling the back roads of South Africa's botanical hotspots looking for rare plants.
He's setting out on an epic journey to describe and name a plant he discovered which hasn't been seen by the botanical world to date. Join us on his journey to find out more!
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Kathy Varney, marketing and product manager of Ball Straathoffone of SAs biggest companies when it comes to the creation and distribution of new and exciting flower and plant varieties, gives us the lowdown on the state of Impatiens, how trialling plants works, and a heads up on new plants to look out for.
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Communication is key to development, both personal and societal. As ways of communicating have become more technologically inclined, there are still those who are unconnected and missing Out on this valuable tool for learning.
Paul Müller of Connect Earth has a vision for Africa, in bringing the world to them, while using communication tech as a vehicle for teaching and sharing of ideas. Free wifi for unconnected communities? Let's see what the future brings.
ConnectEarth.com click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Regardless of the time of year, there's always something to be busy with in the garden. And mid- to late-winter really isn't the time to be hibernating! Getting the garden ready for spring is what Life is a Garden has on its menu, and Cary Goodwin gives us all the hints and tips we'll need to ensure a glorious show in the upcoming months. As well as some ways to keep little hands busy during the school holidays.
Want to know what to plant in your garden now? click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Making what you enjoy most your life's work while being caring about the environment is a dream many of us have. Diane du Plessis of 6 Degrees East has done just that! A beekeeper and entrepreneur, Di identified a lack in specific gardening areas, and had come up with all kinds of invaluable ideas to make a gardeners job a lot easier. From plunters and seed dispensers to shweshwe bee wax wraps for the kitchen, she's come up with innovative and user friendly accessories you'll wonder how you did without.
Do you want to get your hands on some of these amazing products? click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Gardening aficionados eagerly await garden shows to not only enjoy the best that designers have to offer, but also to glean inspiration for their own gardening spaces. The spring festival at Garden World is a wonderful opportunity for this, especially as they give up and coming student designers the opportunity to work under a mentor to learn to hone their craft. We'll know TV gardener JJ gives us a sneak preview of what to expect at this year's outing.
Garden World Nursery click here
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You may think that your garden is mostly dormant in winter, so you can settle down into a somnolent slumber. But this time of year is great for getting outdoors and sorting things out for the upcoming spring season, and enjoying all the wonderful winter sunshine, as Cary Goodwin of Life is a Garden tells us.
For some great ideas of what's hot click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
One of the exciting times for ardent gardeners is when carefully hidden bulbs start popping out all over. In This episode of Grounded, Charles Barnhoorn gives us all the info we need to ensure a bumper display come spring.
Hadeco click here Buy "The Bulb Book" from Exclusive Books now click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
The Slow Food movement is gaining traction all over the world. To find out more about what it is and how you can get involved, Melissa de Billot, co-ordinator of Slow Food Ark of Taste SA, (who is on a mission to save SA's rainbow maize) gives us all the gen.
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Known as a totally organic gardener, Designer Debbie Smit (Lecturer at Lifestyle College and owner of Foxgloves Landscape Design) gives us her take on how to be an ethical and healthy gardener, by not using any poisons or chemicals in your backyard. We also get into how and why people should be getting out into the natural world to better their own health, and get up close and personal to sort out problems that may be happening in the garden before they become catastrophes.
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Making as small an impact on the environment is something we should all be aware of. And children are getting in on the action, not taking their lead from the wasteful generation ahead of them. Roots and Shoots, an organisation created by Chimpanzee saviour - and now global eco warrior,Jane Goodall, has been implementing projects aimed at getting children involved in recycling, upcycling and all things environmental, not just in SA, but across the world. National coordinator for the South African arm of the organisation, Rita Groenewald, gives us the Good News from their perspective, and ideas on how we can all get involved.
Do you want to help Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots in South Africa? click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Bright Blue Swimming Pools are a dated symbol of pride. Along with swathes of lawn - those 'green deserts' that so many people spend so much time and money and water on - chlorinated or saline pools are on their way out. Rather than filling in a pool which you just seem to be filling with money and chemicals, rather consider being eco-chic and converting it into a wetland wonderland. One-time architect, Anthony Philbrick, explains what goes into creating one, and why we should be kinder to the environment, and ourselves.
Enjoy the luxury of swimming in nature click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
In this episode Adolph van Der Westhuizen (Sales and Marketing Manager Reinforced Hosing and Watex) talks to host Melanie Walker about the benefits of vertical gardening. How small spaces are given and can give life to a dull area life by creating living walls. With the Watex Expandable Green Wall Kit you can enhance that area that is crying out for a bit of TLC and life. The kit is easy to install, it has its own drip irrigation system with the option to attach to a hose pipe, its neat and clean looking as well as robust in its durability. The wonderful thing about the Watex Expandable Green Wall Kit is that should you be in a rental all you have to do is unclip it from its bracket supplied or if you want to move your wall kit to another spot it is as simple as 1 2 3. The kits are ideal for grow and eat plants. Vertical gardens are fantastic towards helping towards climate change and also if you don’t want your pets peeing on your herbs and leafy greens.
Watex for quality hoses and vertical gardening click here Want to know more about Ecobalance Lifestyle Magazine? click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Getting ready for winter doesn't have to be a mission. The kind folk at Life is a Garden, the PR arm of the biggest Green Industry group, make it easy for even the novice gardener to get all the information you could need for making gardening no pain in the... anything! Whether you're looking for the latest plants to get your hands on, to find out what you should be doing in your backyard, or looking for projects to keep 'little hands' busy, this is the best resource.
Where you need to go for further info after listening to what Cary and Mel have to say about Strawberries, Aloes and Mother's Day. click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
According to the SA State of Waste Report, in 2017 South Africans generated 42 million tons of general waste. Only 4.9 million tons of that were recycled. We have one of the worst recycling rates in the world. It's no longer up to the government or municipalities to deal with the waste WE'RE creating - it's up to us to get with the recycling programme. But do you know the difference between reusing, recycling and upcycling? Not? Then listen here! You can be the difference you want to see in the world...
5inc offers project management and consulting services designed to provide customized solutions for clients’ environmental considerations. click here
If you're ready to produce your own podcast, contact the podcast experts at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
No longer the preserve of the green and greyish brown, the winter garden will warm even the most stony cockles of the heart. If you're wondering how to bring colour and warmth back into your life during the drab colder months, look no further than the 4 Ps. Poppies, pansies, primulas and petunias will be your best bets... Well, through in a few other Ps, like Sweet Peas and a VIP - violas - and you've got a smorgasbord of deliciousness. Peter gives us all the tips you need to ensure floriferousness and longevity from all these very giving and forgiving beauties.
Are you ready to produce your own podcast? SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Bombshelter Beast are hot favourites bringing some madcap energy to SA music. The group, originally formed by South African jazz legend Marcus Wyatt in 2015, has grown to include a real mengelmoes of musicians playing everything from jazzy-classical with an operatic aria twist, to kwaito rock mix and Zulu rap. This is an immersive experience, not just going to listen to another band! Marcus let's us know what it's all about and what they're up to next. Don't miss it.
Bombshelter Beast in a Oom with their first music vid, Fire click here
Music Used : Bombshelter Beast : Basement Anthem, Fire, and Man Or Mouse
Find out more about making your own podcast at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
We're used to hearing about how well our Kirstenbosch and Durban exhibits have done at events like the Chelsea Flower Show. Now it's time to bring them home - and make the Joburg Flower Show an event to make other countries green with envy. For five glorious days, Waterfall City will be hosting some of the top garden designers and plant and floral experts from not just all around SA, but from the garden stars overseas. Mike Sham, organised of the event, lets us know here on Grounded just how it's all going to work, and what we can expect in late October. Www.joburgflowershow.co.za
Johannesburg International Flower Show click here
Find out more about making your own podcast at SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Slightly cooler mornings and evenings may be heralding the beginning of autumn around the country, but the sun is still hot and sitting high in the sky, with no great hurry to set at the end of the day, so we should make the most of this beautiful weather by nurturing our gardens. If you can't wait to get your hands dirty, Cary Goodwin of Life is a Garden has a great guide to what you should be planting and doing in your outdoor rooms. Stars of the month are Tulbaghia (wild garlic). Pride of India and Hibiscus. There's hints on how to get and keep your pets healthy with herbs, and tips on how to keep little hands busy during the school holidays. www.lifeisagarden.co.za
Find out more about Mel's guest at PeeblesPlants.co.za/
To share in Mel's Adventures, visit MelsTreasures.co.za To find out more about making your own podcast, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za
The Polyphagus Shothole Borer (PSHB) (Euwallacea fornicatus - and isn't that just a fitting name for the little fornicator) - or the Vietnamese borer as many know it - has been causing the death of many trees, not just in Johannesburg, but around the rest of the country. And it’s finally getting serious ‘airtime’ in the press and social media, even though Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo have put forward a press release which was published recently in the Rosebank Killarney Gazette to say that ‘it’s too early to classify the outbreak of PSHB as a disaster’ due to a lack of data, and that they reckon we’re at the ‘tail-end of the outbreak’... and guided by research findings they hope to confirm that this outbreak is on its way out. Well, unfortunately that’s not so. The ‘outbreak’ was given wide coverage a year or more ago, and unfortunately, no cure for it has been found, and even more disturbingly, CoJ has yet to identify a place or put in place plans to get rid of infected wood. We are looking at what could potentially be one of SA’s largest ecological tragedies. The private sector has done so much in creating public awareness. Arborists are also getting on board to help find a solution. And it’s time for us to do our part too. One of SA's top arborists and tree surgeons, Julian Ortlepp gives us the background, and advice on how we can help to minimise this potential disaster.
Find out more about Mel's guest at TreeWorks.co.za
To share in Mel's Adventures, visit MelsTreasures.co.za To find out more about making your own podcast, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za
Show gardens are probably the best way for people to get great ideas on how to bling up their outdoor spaces. And a touch of je ne sais quois is on offer in this year's 7 French inspired spaces. Celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Renaissance, students under the tutelage of master designer Mike Rickhoff have encapsulated various aspects of French joie de vivre. From the rolling lavender fields, to pavement cafes around a town square and contemporary rooftop living, there's inspiration aplenty. The gardens are on show until the end of May, so plenty of time to visit them. And if you aren't able to, we discuss ways to bring that special esprit into your backyard
To share in Mel's adventures, visit MelsTreasures.co.za
If you ever wondered if magic happens, all you need to do is look to seeds. That's what Sean Freeman of Living Seeds found out and is spreading the word on his internet based resource. The story behind Livingseeds goes back over 30 years. As a young boy Sean remembers collecting seeds, if he came across a tree that was shedding seed pods or wild flower in seed, he’d collect the seeds and store them in a small wooden box. This wooden box (which he still has) amassed a surprisingly large collection of assorted and unknown seeds over many years. None were catalogued or named and he could only identify a handful of the really distinctive ones, the rest were indiscriminate and held his dream of germinating them.... one day. He kept them just for the idea that they could literally grow into trees or plants that could one day be used in his garden. It was the romance of ‘growing a garden from scratch’ that kept him collecting. That and the idea that there exists the potential of life and the ability of giving sustenance in every single seed. Fast forward, and the fascination became a life. Livingseeds started off in 2009 with only 34 varieties on their website (although there were only 17 in stock). They now list over 400 varieties and grow well over 600 varieties on their own property every year. If you're fascinated by the possiblities of growing your own, using open pollinated varieties, don't miss this episode of Grounded...
To share in Mel's adventures, visit MelsTreasures.co.za
Known across South Africa as one of the most popular proponents of organic vegetable gardening, Linda Galvad of Sought After Seedlings gets to grips with why the Gut is often in the grips of crippling pain. Can eating healthy make you healthier? Are we just what we eat? Growing your own often leads to being owning your own being.
To share in Mel's adventures, visit MelsTreasures.co.za
Creating green and gorgeous places is what Grounded is all about - and why leave the largest space of your home as a green desert, when you could, for less than the amount involved in remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, enjoy an outdoor dining/cooking/relaxation area the whole family can enjoy year round. Whatever the space you have!
To share in Mel's adventures, visit MelsTreasures.co.za
In this episode of Grounded, green doesn't just pertain to gardening. Anthea Campbell, publisher of a new eco-friendly publication about to hit the shelves - and Internet - tells us what let her to exhorting all humans to become more gentle with the way they treat the earth.
To share in Mel's adventures, visit MelsTreasures.co.za
Every month we find more and more beautiful bedding plants hitting the shelves in our garden centres. If you're a fan of annual colour in the garden, or just need to spice things up in your backyard for the festive season, or hankering for your own handkerchief potager filled with herbs and seasonal veg, then Peter Goodwin has all the hints and tips you need to create a veritable paradisical feast this summer.
And one of the stalwarts of the veggie and colour patch, the humble (but oh so bright) marigold is on the menu. For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
One of the most asked questions people in the Green Industry face (other than how to look after a lemon tree!) is how do you get rid of pests in the garden without getting rid of everything else too?
Jonathan Haw of EcoSolutions Urban Ecology specialises in integrated pest management, focused on all areas of non-toxic, effective and sustainable pest control. From rats in your kitchen to bats in your belfry, they have measures that will ensure you don't poison your environment or all the good critters you'd like to invite in.
And keen to bring owls to your area? (You want to know hoo hoo who tells them where the boxes are?) Jonathan is full of great information and ideas on how to be eco-sensitive and a friend to all feathered (and furry) friends. For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Life is a Garden is the publicity arm of the South African Nurseryman's Association, and is responsible for giving the SA gardening public great ideas, and necessary information on how to get your backyard in shape in every season.
Cary Goodwin gives us great ideas on how to keep your kids entertained and busy in the garden during the summer festive holidays, and a quick rundown on how to get your garden looking entertainment worthy.
Especially for those who can handle the heat outside of the kitchen! For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden is not only one of our country's top SANBI sites, but also a hotbed of one-hit wonders!
Exactly 100 years after its first discovery, the Brachychorythis conica subspecies transvaalensis - which only has a handful of breeding sites left and has been placed on the Red List of critically endangered species - was officially named the Albertina Sisulu Orchid earlier this year.
First discovered in Pretoria in 1918, the same year the world discovered a woman who would rock the Apartheid struggle to its core,The Krugersdorp population is now under threat of obliteration if plans to develop a 3000 unit complex on the ridges above the Walter Sisulu Botanical gardens go ahead.
Andrew Hankey, assistant curator at the gardens, gives us a bit of history, a breakdown of how the Bot Gardens work and advice on how to help save this endangered species. For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
If you've ever thought that getting a Garden Designer in is expensive, consider the cost of bad design. Gardens work in four dimensions, and Garden Designers, Garden Architects and Landscapers are the people perfectly placed to understand this design concept. Mel and Mike discuss the pros (and cons) of finding someone you can work with, and why the first money you should spend before buying plants is on a good concept plan.For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
The well-known veggie garden girl has branched out into a range of fantastic skincare products, specifically created with the avid gardener in mind. Sore back from bending over your floral beauties? There's a muscle rub for that. Fingers and hands grubby and chafed from planting? There's a balm to soothe your frustrated fingers. Tired of getting bitten by the garden bugs - not the good variety? She's created a bug-off spray for that too! The perfect way to keep your body in the same great shape your mind is in after gardening, and the perfect gift for the special gardener in your life.For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Come on down and see (for) yourself | Melanie Walker with Heather Mac and Tim ParrFor more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Melanie Walker and Michael Rickhoff | Following on the disastrous decimation of Impatiens walleriana crops worldwide a couple of years ago, there's good news for the 'busy lizzie' fans - they're back and in good shape. We also discuss the differences between those and New Guinea Impatiens, and the SunPatiens. Anything you need to know on where to plant them, how to plant them and how to care for them is on the menu!For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Melanie Walker and Michael Rickhoff | Who doesn’t love to walk through a retail garden center and ogle all of the new plants that have made it to market each year? Ever ask how and why certain varieties make it to market and others don’t. The process of trialing is how. Plant trialing is not only an integral part of the green industry but it’s important for the consumer. Testing plants in varying parts of the country allows the breeders to make better decisions about what will look good and grow in the landscape and also allows the growers to decide what works best for their business and their cultural practices. We take a 'walk' through the process and highlight the upcoming plant trials at Ball Straathof. For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Melanie Walker & Michael Rickhoff | The main aim of Life is a Garden is to bring relevant, industry-endorsed information to interested gardeners across Southern Africa. November is a busy time in the garden, and we take a look at some of the plants and activities we should be taking in hand. The star of the veggie garden is beetroot, the trend is still to grow vertically, containers are coming back into vogue with smaller spaces being utilised, and brachyscome, yucca, plumbago and Inca lilies are the flowers creating loads of colour.For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Continuing with the theme, You are what You Eat, Linda Galvad explores the subject of heirloom seeds, what GMO foods mean for the person and the environment, and how to Grow Your Own to the best of your ability. Sought After Seedlings is South Africa's home of organic seeds and stockist of high quality authentic Italian Franchi Sementi seeds.For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Going green doesn’t start with doing green acts - it starts with a shift in consciousness. And the first shift is making sure that what you put into your garden, your home grown veggies and yourself is as natural as can be. Talborne Organics offers healthy, safe and sustainable organic options that will perform to professional standards on all projects, whether for the Big Agri farmer, or the home gardener.For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
On this episode, Melanie and Mike Rickhoff (senior lecturer at Lifestyle college) chat to Quintin van Kerken, CEO of Clear Option on Cannabis, about what implications the recent rulings on Marijuana in SA have for people.For more podcasts, visit SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Melanie talks to Misha Teasdale, CEO and founder of GreenPop about the projects they're creating in Africa. Join the Treevolution! Get planting... Show notes are available at SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Melanie and co-host Mike Rickhoff talk to Gavin Heron of Earth Probiotic about how bokashi works, why we should make our own compost and the state of topsoil on earth. Show notes are available at SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded
Melanie and co-host Mike Rickhoff talk to garden designer extraordinaire, Shirley Wallington, about her career and the upcoming Open Gardens Meander, brought to the city by the Johannesburg Garden Club. Show notes are available at SolidGoldStudios.co.za/grounded