Vrone Nurseries (Pty) Ltd

Michael George “Mike” Wise
14/02/1963 – 19/07/2025

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Michael George “Mike” Wise, who died peacefully on 19 July 2025, after a courageous battle with mouth cancer.

Mike was the beloved production manager at Vrone Nurseries, where he worked with passion, dedication, and quiet strength for nearly two decades. Plants weren’t just part of his job—they were his lifelong passion. Whether cultivating rare species or encouraging young staff, Mike brought calm wisdom and a patient hand to everything he touched.

Soft-spoken and deeply kind, Mike had a presence that made others feel at ease. His colleagues remember him as steady, generous, and endlessly supportive—a man who never raised his voice but whose words always carried weight. He remained on the job until just a week before his passing, showing the same resilience and humor that defined his life.

Even in his final days, through constant pain, Mike kept his spirits high. He cracked jokes, offered encouragement to coworkers, and stayed positive, showing incredible strength and grace.

Outside of work, Mike found peace in nature. Fly fishing was his retreat, the riverbanks his sanctuary. Few things brought him more joy than a quiet morning with a rod in hand, surrounded by trees and birdsong.

Above all, Mike adored Bella—the love of his life. Their bond was deep and unmistakable, a quiet love that spoke volumes in glances, laughter, and shared silences.

Mike was loved by all who knew him, and his absence leaves a deep void. The team at Vrone Nurseries will especially miss his calm leadership, quick wit, and the quiet way he made everyone feel seen and valued.

May the river run clear for you always, Mike. You will be missed.

Gaura

Gaura have the most gorgeous dainty pink and white butterfly-like flowers that are best grown in full sun! They’ll even tolerate poor soils, but do prefer if it’s well drained and compost rich. Gaura is excellent in containers and although it needs regular water to start, once established it is water wise and hardy!

Verbena

Verbenas are prolific bloomers that require as little pampering as possible and are hard as nails! Plant your verbenas in a well-composted bed and when they’ve reached a height of about 15cm, give them a once off dose of fertiliser. It should be a balanced slow releasing one.

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Contact us:
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Verbena

Most verbenas are perennial by nature, but most gardeners’ treat them as an annual, replanting each year. Flowers can be mauve, purple, white, pink, apricot or red, with some of the modern hybrids even being bi-coloured. The trailing types are excellent in hanging baskets and pots!

Tips for growing Pansies & Violas

For best results plant your seedlings 15cm apart as the climate begins to cool. Pansies do not enjoy warm soil so be sure to mulch well to offset any spikes in temperature you may encounter through autumn.

Both plants will do well in sunny conditions or partial shade, Violas enjoy the shade more than their cousins so when bedding, act accordingly.

Water well weekly being careful not to wet their leaves, but rather the soil around them.

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grows fast, and a rich fertiliser mixed into the soil when planting will stand the young plants in good stead to make sure they receive all the minerals required to thrive.

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Did you know that the plant is in fact surprisingly edible? The dried blooms can be made into teas and other beverages, while the young plant leaves are quite tasty and can be an interesting addition to a salad, and even the roots can be used to make relishes.

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Pansy’s

Loose, rich, slightly acidic soil best suits a pansy plant, and partial shade will see these sensitive plants thrive. Deadheading will encourage more flowers.