Arums - Cloak of Silver-white

W&N watercolours on Daler-Rowney 300gsm

Arums in my garden

Unfurl your cloak of silken white
Reveal your secret wand upraised at length
And not unlike a star you shine serene
To exalt the autumn-tide with silver cups*.
- Unknown

White or common Arum Lily (English); Wit varkoor (Afrikaans). The striking arum lily “flower” is actually many tiny flowers arranged in a complex spiral pattern on the central column (spadix). The tiny flowers are arranged in male and female zones on the spadix. The top 7cm are male flowers and the lower 1.8cm are female. If you look through a hand-lens, you may see the stringy pollen emerging from the male flowers which consist largely of anthers. The female flowers have an ovary with a short stalk above it, which is the style (where the pollen is received).

These plants are native to Southern Africa from South Africa north to Malawi. The botanical name is Zantedescia aethiopica and is also known as Calla lilies.

Enter the wilderness

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm
A farm road to a smallholding in Magaliesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

 

Alienation from nature and self is a uniquely modern malady. “Progressively, over the course of the centuries, Western humankind indulged in a mental separation from the totality of all physical phenomena, building up the wall of civilization against Being, elevating ourselves above all other living organisms.”
- (Francois & McGaa, 2007)

The modern world is slowly realizing that our disconnection from nature has become self-destructive. Take up some eco-therapy and go into the wilderness, take a nature walk, leave behind our man-made fences separating us from nature, allowing greater connection with ourselves.

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I watched the tide go out

W&N watercolour in Moleskine 200gsm watercolour sketch-book

As the sun sank lower and lower, I watched the tide go out... further and further.

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Bulbine frutescens (Balsemkopiva)

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm

Bulbine in a container on my patio (Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa)

Commonly called Bulbinella, which is incorrect as Bulbinella is a completely different species, Bulbine is effective in preventing skin infection, healing and soothing cuts, rashes, insect bites, burns, cold sores, pimples and other skin problems. Its clear and soothing gel forms an invisible ‘seal’ over the wound, protecting against bacteria and providing ongoing relief and healing throughout the day. When you work in the garden, cuts and scrapes are inevitable and picking some of this Bulbine in my garden and applying it straight away has saved my bacon many a time!

With its long, slender yellow spikes of flowers, it is a very attractive succulent indigenous to South Africa which needs little attention, and thrives in most soil types and in most weather conditions. The juice from the leaves is used in creams, and can also be applied to eczema, burns, rashes, fever blisters and stings etc. I often use it on cuts and scrapes I might pick up while working in the garden.

This native of South Africa occurs naturally in the Orange Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and parts of all the Cape Provinces.

Afrikaans: balsemkopieva, copaiba, geelkatstert, katstert

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The Lake of the Dismal Swamp

 W&N watercolour and coffee (Nescafé instant) on Bockingford 300gsm ██Ɔ

They made her a grave, too cold and damp
For a soul so warm and true;
And she’s gone to the Lake of the Dismal Swamp,
Where, all night long, by a fire-fly lamp,
She paddles her white canoe.
— By Thomas Moore

The Dismal Swamp has a fascinating history. If you’re not already aware of its intricacies, check it out here.

Extract: “Even though the average depth of the lake is only six feet, its unusually pure water is essential to the swamp’s survival. The amber-colored water is preserved by tannic acids from the bark of the juniper, gum and cypress trees, prohibiting growth of bacteria. Before the days of refrigeration, water from the Swamp was a highly prized commodity on sailing ships. It was put in kegs and would stay fresh a long time. People spoke of the magical qualities of the Swamp’s tea-coloured water and how, if it were regularly drunk, it prevented illness and promoted long life.”

I took a hiatus from blogging for a while, overwhelmed by everything going on in my life, but now things have settled down a bit so here's one of my paintings done in coffee with a bit of watercolour.