Published by Summit Books

Forming a great barrier that stretches for more than 1000 kilometres from the Eastern Cape province in the south through to Mpumalanga in the north and marking the western border for large chunks of KwaZulu-Natal, the Drakensberg is South Africa’s highest and most iconic range of mountains. From its base, one’s eyes are drawn irresistibly up its valleys to the massive, imposing cliffs and the jagged peaks which earn it its Zulu name, uKhahlamba, which translates to “barrier of spears.”

There are few people alive who know the Drakensberg as well or have photographed it as extensively as Malcolm L. Pearse. Raised in its foothills, from an early age, they have played a dominant role in his life. Like most children brought up in such an environment, he responded instinctively to the beauty of the dramatic scenery he found himself enmeshed in. The mountains imprinted themselves on him, became a place of the heart, a sanctuary he would be drawn back to again and again, as if pulled by some invisible force. His passion for its rugged terrain and breathtaking scenery was encouraged by his father, the well-known Reg Pearse, who authored three books on the subject, including the classic Barrier of Spears

Having spent a lifetime exploring and photographing them, Pearse brings the full force of his love and understanding to bear in this handsomely produced hardcover book. Writing in a chatty and informal style, he has produced a series of vivid chapters and vignettes which capture his relationship with the mountains, as well as revealing their unique character. Whether writing of nights spent sleeping under the stars (and the Drakensberg is a perfect place to view the night sky in all its glory) or of joining friends on long hikes he has the ability to draw readers into the experience through his descriptions of them.

As an experienced climber, Pearse is well aware of the mountain’s changeable moods and the danger they can pose to climbers. In summer, it is notorious for its ferocious thunderstorms. The weather can be hot and sultry in the morning and then suddenly change, in the afternoon, as dark thunderclouds roll over the mountains and the air becomes alive with electrical activity. In winter, it is often swept by snowstorms which presents its own challenges to those caught in them.

For thousands of years, the Drakensberg’s valleys provided a home for the San/Bushmen, a hunter/gatherer community who lived in close harmony with nature. The evidence of their occupation can still be seen in the exquisite rock paintings they left behind. The book contains many fine examples of these.

The remainder of Pearse’s tome is devoted to his exploration of other famous African landmarks. He covers a range of landscapes from the desert sands of the Sahara to the snows of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s near-mythical, stand-alone, highest mountain. In the process, he captures a comprehensive microcosm of the continent he so obviously loves. There is also a chapter on waterfalls and another one on volcanoes (including their two most active – Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira)

While Pearse admits the Drakensberg will always hold prime place in his heart, each one of these scenic wonders presents its own chaotic and edgy version of nature and appeals to his wanderlust and love of wild places.

Written, in a sense, as a tribute to his father, All the Hills are Home is a success in organisation, as well as observation. Heavy in the hand, lavishly illustrated with his beautiful photographs and rife with gleaned insights, it captures the rugged grandeur of these untamed wildernesses. His enthusiasm and knowledge (and the accompanying photographs) makes you want to grab your backpack and head out into the wilds yourself.

published by Struik Nature

With the world in such a gloomy state, the need to seek out solace in some happier, more bucolic space has never seemed more urgent. To do so, you don’t, in fact, need to go further, geographically, than a few steps out of your front (or back) door and into your garden. There, you can create what you are looking for.

If yours is an uninspiring, neglected mess, this comprehensive and telling, large-format book will give you all the information and practical help you need to turn it into an indigenous paradise, where you can escape – if only temporarily – from the woes of the world. Stuffed full of beautiful images of gardens and individual plants, its introduction lays the groundwork, covering climate, various garden styles, spatial planning and garden maintenance, and offers suggestions for attracting wildlife to the garden.

In South Africa, we are particularly lucky, too, to have one of the highest densities of plant species in the world, so there is plenty of scope to find the options that will suit your garden and needs best, whether it be formal or informal, big or small. The book introduces gardeners to over 2000 species of both familiar and unfamiliar species, pairing full colour photographs with brief descriptions that cover size, shape, flowering times and best growing conditions. The book also includes a handy Plant Selector, which helps gardeners choose the most appropriate plants for specific areas or functions in their garden or home.

All three authors are well-known experts in their fields with many publications and years of experience tucked behind them. As one would expect from such pros, the book is accessibly written and light in tone, but packed with information and authoritative advice, all mouthwatering presented. More than just a standard manual, South African Indigenous Garden Plants is a source of inspiration and should reignite that basic desire to return to a more natural, harmonious way of life. Although there have been many excellent gardening books produced in the past, it looks destined to become the standard and most authoritative work on the subject for years to come.