Backsberg supports Arbor Week with Tree Planting Initiative

Tree and Wine Pairing for Arbor Month

Tue, Sep 1, 2009

1-7 September is Arbor Week. Here at the farm we are treating the entire month of September as Arbor Month. We are working with Starke Ayres Garden Centre in Cape Town to create awareness and excitement around planting trees – specifically the tree of the year: Halleria lucida.

With the purchase of a case of wine from the Backsberg Tasting Room during September, you’ll will have the option of taking home either a Halleria lucida tree or a voucher for the Starke Ayres Garden Centre (while stocks last). In turn, Starke Ayres will be giving away a bottle of Backsberg Chenin Blanc 2009 with every tree purchased from the garden centre.

The project is really about increasing the number of trees planted during Arbor week and for the month of September. By including our customers in this tree-planting exercise, we aim to encourage the planting of trees while involving as many people as possible.

We have chosen the evergreen Halleria lucida tree because of its status as the tree of the year. Commonly known as the Tree Fuchsia or Notsung, this beautiful tree is popular for attracting a variety of birds. It shows off bright green foliage and blossoms with yellow and orange tubular flowers. It is relatively easy to grow, and is well-adapted to the Cape peninsula. Traditionally, there is a Zulu usage of the tree for medicinal purposes, as well as the warding off of witchcraft and lightning- pretty much everything you ever wanted in a tree! SB

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This post was written by:

Simon Back- who has written 56 posts on the Back Chat Blog. After finishing up studying economics at UCT in 2007, Simon has joined his family wine farm, Backsberg. When he is not trying to figure out what marketing wine means, he is authoring his blog, Back Chat.

Author's web site: Backsberg