Getting drier

So they lied about the rain. Desertification is setting in. In the last week, despite watering from the wellpoint, I have lost a bed of dianthus, most of the spinach, some struggling coprosma seedlings, a much-loved confetti bush, a restio, two lavenders and a few patches of lawn. And now I am very concerned about the two leucadendrons that have flourished so over the last few years, growing taller than me in two seasons - the leaves are turning brown from the bottom of the stems and it looks like they have succumbed to the heat and wind, despite those in the wild not seeming to mind those conditions. I have a theory on that - the soil on the mountains is weathered sandstone and almost white in colour, which would maybe keep the roots cooler than in a garden where we are obsessed with adding compost and topsoil to enrich it and thus making the ground darker and more likely to retain the heat. As I say, just my theory.
If they die, then the only alternative as our summers get hotter and our winters drier is to go for the aloe family. This is already very popular in Kommetjie and the verges are magnificent when the aloes are in bloom. With so many varieties, there is a long season of colour ranging from palest yellow to fiery reds and oranges, and of course the added bonus is the birdlife that comes with it. They also make great barriers along fences to deter idle intruders, including porcupines. When not in bloom, the spiny leaves provide interest through shapes and markings that are pleasing to the eye. Best of all, they can be grown from a leaf or simply breaking off a branch of certain varieties and can be shared with all your friends and neighbours at no cost - water-wise and money-wise plants indeed!