(Right: Siyabonga Ndlangmandla)
Garden Day will be
held around the country for the 9th year, on October 20, 2024.
Here in KwaZulu-Natal, the organisation is represented by Siyabonga Ndlangmandla who is a Friend of Garden Day.
Gardens in every shape, form and size have the potential to bring us together, which is why the organisation calls on all plant people to put on a flower crown and join the movement by hosting a Garden Day party in their gardens or green spaces on Sunday October 20. Anything (and everything!) goes, from a lavish lunch on the lawn, to platters on the patio with your pot plants or tea for two under your favourite tree.
Garden Day is a celebration for garden enthusiasts and plant lovers. It's perfect for those who enjoy inviting others into their gardens and green spaces, as well as for anyone who loves entertaining and spending time with family and friends. Draw up your guestlist, invite your besties and channel your inner hostess for a celebration in the garden!
Gardening shakes us up and calms us down. It grows patience, encourages us to fully observe and each time one plants something, it feels like a pronouncement of faith in the future. Gardens connect us to the natural world and inspire us to care for the ground and the lives that grow from it. No-one knows this better than the green-fingered, Friends of Garden Day who collectively agree that our environment is critical to our wellbeing.
Siyabonga Ndlangamandla (35) is the co-founder and board member of the Makers’ Valley Partnership in Lorentzville, east of the Johannesburg CBD. He subscribes to the notion of “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” In his case, the medium of teaching has been gardening.
Hailing from the rural town of Pongola, in KwaZulu-Natal, he was raised by his grandparents who taught him about cattle and food farming from an early age. He studied Biological Sciences, followed by IT Programming and Developmental Studies.
“I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was younger, as government vets would come to our area a few times a year to help the local community. When I enrolled at varsity, I was exposed to other careers and I wanted to learn more about plants.,” says Siya, who used to own an internet café, as well.
Your garden gathering could be anything from a sumptuous lunch or garden tea party to a picnic - or simply relaxing, feet up, under your favourite garden tree. Most importantly, don’t forget to wear a flower crown!
From posters to customisable invitations and guidelines to make your own flower crown, there are plenty of materials to help you prepare for a celebration, create your own invitations and support posts using our customisable templates! It couldn’t be easier. Visit www.gardenday.co.za and hit the Toolkit tab.
Share your garden party pics on social with the organisation:
#GardenDaySA or send via WhatsApp to 0742881487.
Be part of the action. For exciting Garden Day events and promotions follow @GardenDaySA on social media.