The De Wet Nursery Group
Our Roots
Our Roots
About Andy De Wet
Andy de Wet is a South African botanist, plant breeder and nurseryman widely recognised for his contributions to ornamental horticulture, particularly through his pioneering work with Aloe and Agapanthus. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has helped develop and introduce numerous garden plants now grown and admired around the world.
Born in Johannesburg, Andy spent much of his youth close to nature. He attended boarding school and later matriculated from Rob Ferreira High School in White River, Mpumalanga. Even as a schoolboy he gravitated strongly toward the natural world, and one of his unusual hobbies at the time was catching and keeping snakes. This early fascination with plants and wildlife would later shape his professional life.
After school he returned to Johannesburg to pursue higher education, studying botany at Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), now part of the University of Johannesburg. He ultimately obtained a Master’s degree in Botany, establishing a strong scientific foundation for his later work in plant breeding and horticulture.
Our Roots
A Lifelong Journey in Plant Innovation
While still a student, Andy’s father encouraged his growing interest in plants, and it was during this period that he developed a particular fascination with aloes. In 1973, he began experimenting with aloe hybridisation, starting a breeding journey that has now extended for more than 50 years. What began as a passionate hobby gradually evolved into a lifelong vocation.
To gain practical horticultural experience, Andy first worked at Brinkman’s Nursery, where he learned the commercial aspects of plant production and the nursery trade. He later founded De Wet Water Features, combining landscaping and water garden design with his growing interest in plants.
Andy subsequently established several horticultural ventures, including CND Nursery, The Aloe Farm in Hartbeespoort, and later De Wet Plant Breeding. The Aloe Farm has become a well-known destination garden centre and plant nursery, showcasing a wide range of succulents, agapanthus and other ornamental plants, as well as serving as the base for ongoing breeding work.
Together with his younger partner Quinton Bean, Andy intensified a major breeding programme focusing on improved garden plants, particularly Agapanthus. Their work helped transform the perception of this genus worldwide, introducing stronger colours, improved forms and even reblooming varieties such as Agapanthus ‘BLACKJACK’ and Agapanthus ‘BLUSH PINK’.
Today many plants bred by Andy de Wet are grown internationally and have received numerous prestigious horticultural awards. Among the highest honours was receiving the RHS “Plant of the Year” award at the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show in the United Kingdom, one of the most respected recognitions in global horticulture. Through decades of dedication to plant breeding and horticulture, Andy de Wet has made a lasting contribution to gardens both in South Africa and around the world
Down to earth
De Wet Aloes
Aloes have largely been overlooked, yet they have enormous potential as garden plants. Their ability to withstand dry conditions, appealing foliage and amazing diverse floral displays makes them exceptionally suitable in the modern horticultural scene that is always looking for something new. The original species are adapted to specific field conditions and are often not suitable as garden plants. The work De Wet has put into the improvement of the genus has resulted in the emergence of complex but amazing hybrids.
Aloe Hedgehog was the pioneer of releases in South Africa and the most successful aloe so far. It has become a household name among local nurserymen and keen gardeners. The follow-ups, such as Aloe, SAFARI SUNRISE, PERI-PERI, CHARLES, LEMONADE, TIGER EYE, etc., are also fast becoming popular, with many more, very exciting new plants in the pipeline.
These new Aloes produced by De Wet Plant Breeders are selected from many calculated combinations for appealing appearance and suitability to general gardening conditions.They are drought resistant but are also well suited to irrigated landscape situations. The flowers of all aloes remain tender, but De Wet’s plants have been chosen for their cold tolerance and many of De Wet’s new varieties flower outside of the cold seasons.
The De Wet aloe hybrids all have the wildlife benefits of conventional aloes, sustaining bees, butterflies and attracting nectar-feeding birds to your garden. All the Aloe hybrids and selections have been through strict trial and selection procedures for several years before their release or imminent release to prove their superior qualities. Having seen these varieties you can be safely assured that these are premium products. These Aloe hybrids and selections are more spectacular and flower much more profusely than species, and they have more vigor and are generally much easier to grow