Indigenous impatiens

A beautiful volunteer specimen of Impatiens hochstetteri. It was growing between some shaded stones at The Greenhouse at Montebello, in the cool green suburb of Newlands, which receives an alleged 6 feet of rain a year - beneath Table Mountains towering Fern Buttress. Clearly, it is happy with wet feet. In the garden at No. 9 it volunteers in shady, damp spots. I love its small graceful flowers and the way it fills difficult, shallow-soiled places.

This little impatiens is indigenous to the eastern parts of South Africa, all summer rainfall areas (unlike the Western Cape) and is also found north of South Africa, though I don't know the extent of its range. The Greenhouse sells it, and I hope more nurseries follow suit, as it is not easy to find.

And yes, you can buy the rabbit, too.