Step into a Mediterranean hillside without leaving the Western Cape—that’s the magic of Rosemary. This woody, evergreen shrub has upright, branching stems clothed in pairs of leathery, linear leaves. Dark green on top and covered in fine, white, woolly hairs beneath, the foliage takes on a soft, silvery-green glow. Brush against it, and you’ll release a powerful, refreshing, pine-like fragrance that has been cherished for centuries. From winter through spring (and often sporadically throughout the year), small, two-lipped, tubular flowers appear in pale blue, lavender, pink, or white, drawing bees and other pollinators in droves.

Step onto a pathway planted with this living carpet, and you’ll feel like you’re walking through a field of tiny white trumpets. White Carpet, also known as African Morning Glory, Creeping Falkia, or Oortjies (“little ears”), is a fast-growing, mat-forming perennial that forms a flat, tight mat of small, rounded to broadly ovate leaves—slightly succulent, shiny, and a cheerful green to yellowish-green, each leaf resembling a tiny ear. From late September to December, it produces an abundance of solitary, trumpet-shaped flowers in pure white, sometimes blushed with soft pink, creating a stunning, carpet-like display.

Close your eyes and crush a handful of its foliage—that bright, lemony scent is one of this tree’s most delightful surprises. The Monterey Cypress, also known as Macrocarpa, is a fast-growing evergreen that has become a familiar sight across lowland areas of the Western Cape. Its dense masses of small, scale-like leaves form a uniform, lustrous dark green, packed into upright, bushy branchlets. Young trees grow in a neat pyramidal shape, while mature specimens develop a broad, spreading crown. Small, brown seed cones persist on the branches for years, adding subtle texture.

Those fleshy, tongue-shaped leaves are unlike anything else in the succulent world. The Tongue Plant, also known as Tongblaarvygie, is a low-growing, clump-forming succulent with a nearly stemless, spreading rosette of soft, smooth, grey-green to bright green leaves arranged in two opposite vertical rows. Those distinctive leaves may flush with attractive bronze to purple tones when the plant goes dormant in summer. In winter and spring, large, dazzling, daisy-like flowers appear in brilliant, sunny yellow, reaching up to 7 cm in diameter and often carrying a delicate, sweet fragrance.

Imagine a shrub that offers glossy greenery, fragrant flowers, and tasty fruit all in one package. That’s the Natal Plum. Also known as Grootnoem-noem or Amatungulu, this dense, fast-growing evergreen shrub features a rounded crown of leathery, oval leaves in a rich, lustrous dark green. From spring through summer, it produces an abundance of stunning, star-shaped, pure white flowers up to 5 cm across, releasing a sweet, jasmine-like fragrance that intensifies at night. Then come the fruits: plump, oval, bright crimson to deep red berries that ripen mainly in summer and autumn, often appearing while the plant is still in bloom.

If you’re after something a little different, Foxtail Fern is a delightful choice. Also known as Cat’s Tail Asparagus or Katstert, this compact evergreen perennial has graceful, upright-to-slightly-arching stems densely clothed in soft, bright green, needle-like leaves. Those stems form cylindrical, foxtail-like plumes that emerge from a central point, creating a neat, bushy clump with wonderful architectural interest. In summer, small, fragrant, white star-shaped flowers appear among the foliage, followed by showy, bright red berries that persist into winter and attract birds.

For a plant that perfumes the garden with every brush of the hand, Lemon Grass is an absolute treasure. Also known as Citroengras or Koorsgras in Afrikaans, this fast-growing, clump-forming evergreen perennial forms a dense, fountain-like clump of slender, arching, strap-like leaves in soft, pale green to bluish-green. When crushed or brushed, the entire plant releases an intense, refreshing, lemon-like fragrance that perfumes the air and deters insects. In ideal conditions, it may produce large, branched flower spikes, but in cultivation, flowering is rare.

Those glossy, emerald-green rosettes perched atop branching stems look like something from another world. Tree Aeonium, also known as Tree Houseleek or Irish Rose, is a striking branching succulent shrub with smooth, upright stems reaching up to 2 metres tall, each crowned with a perfect, flattened rosette of fleshy, spoon-shaped leaves. Those leaves are a vibrant, glossy green, often taking on subtle coppery or purple tones in strong sunlight. In late winter through spring, mature rosettes send up tall panicles of small, star-shaped, bright yellow flowers, attracting pollinators.