Landscape Design and Garden - Spring 2013 by Landscape Design and Garden Magazine

join us for a walk on the (not so) wild side! Take in the natural joys of the Vineyard’s historic, eco-award winning riverside gardens overlooking Table Mountain’s eastern slopes. With abundant indigenous fauna and flora, this delightful, informative guided walk – with delicious tea and pastries afterwards – take just 90 minutes and is suitable for all (but do wear sensible strolling shoes). Our well-known horticulturists and environmentalists Chris Van Zyl or Dewet Bezuidenhout, will meet you at 09h30 Booking Essential: eat@vineyard.co.za or 021 657 4500

VHSLandscapeadSep2013 .indd 1

INDULI WHOLESALE NURSERY Specialists in quality specimen trees & shrubs Raymond 072 239 3840 Tel/Fax 021 782 2612 (Redhill / Scarborough) Ashley 082 411 1355 Tel/Fax 021 852 6187 (Grabouw)

ed vineyard guid garden walks 2013 calendar r 4 septembe r 11 septembe r 18 septembe r 25 septembe 2 october 9 october

16 october 30 october r 13 novembe r 27 novembe 4 december 11 december

8/8/2013 9:17:50 AM

INSPIRATION Photograph iStock

. Baby, you can drive my car Now hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a creative landscaping solution to a bad city planning decision! Lombard Street in San Francisco was so steep that most vehicles couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cope with it. So as far back as 1922, the city instituted eight switchbacks and an 8km/h speed restriction to slow down traffic and turn the slope into a beautiful urban site. What a pleasure for the eye.

Celebrating

nurturing three years of g

We’re more than a nursery, we’re a destination garden centre. That’s because we offer everything from great food at our Garden Cafe, to a kiddie’s Tree House playground, a specialist landscaping team and a lifestyle centre that offers everything from patio furniture to solar supplies. There’s even a blacksmith on site moulding metal into beautiful, functional shapes. It’s an experience for the whole family, so come and join us in celebrating Spring, with incredible specials throughout September and prizes to be won on the weekends.

• Garden Centre • Garden Café • Tree House Playground • Forge • SolarStar • Landscaping

Proudly supplying Earthworx Garden World with lawn mowers, lawn trimmers, shredders, garden vacs, chainsaws, handtools and other accessories. CUSTOMER CARE: 0860-LAWNSTAR I 0860 529 678 I www.lawnstar.co.za

proud suppliers to Earthworx

Your one stop solar shop

Energy efﬁcient products, saving you money and the environment

www.poleyard.co.za Southern Suburbs: Retreat: Northern Suburbs: West Coast:

Visit our stunning showroom: c/o Disa River & Main Road, Hout Bay, Earthworx Garden World. Tel: 0861 100 001 E: info@solarstar.co.za

(021) 789 2083 (021) 701 8118 (021) 510 4477 (022) 719 1828

We manufacture various sizes of the unique “Barrydale Slate” wall panels, used to cover unsightly walls, vibrocrete, indoor walls fast. Our m2 prices are very competitive. We also have a range of unique monkey rock water features, small, medium, large and uniquely designed for your garden. Excellent as garden features and for swimming pools and rock pools

Call Jacqui on 083 596 1407

Cele brate ou r Spring Birthday!

Exciting prizes, for the awakeni

R DISA

Su ccess Suppliers of organic compost, potting soil, lawn dressing and mulch.

growing together

R IVER

T : 021 790 3033 E : info@earthworx.org Hout Bay, Main Road

CONSTANTIA NECK

HOUT BAY RD

Our products can be found at Earthworx Garden World

Tel: 021 794 1154 • Cell: 083 778 8997 • hylton@amcoproducts.co.za

Makers of exclusive designer pots, water features and products. Our products can be found at Earthworx Garden World Tel: 021 794 1154 • Cell: 083 778 8997

www.amcoproducts.co.za

Spring is here!

time to protect your

gardening tips MAKHRO

against

MAKHRO MAKH AKH O HOME AND GARDEN

Reg. Nr. L8562 - Act 36 of 1947 (Harmful); Active Ingredient: Imidacloprid (chloronicotinyl) 350g/Lt ; Use product only as indicated by enclosed pamphlet.

Registration Holder: MAKHRO-AGRO (PTY) LTD Reg. Nr. 1994/001973/07

fantastic discounts and all the colour anyone could imagine ing of Su mmer! For the month of September only.

FRESHTHOUGHTS

CONTENTS REGULARS

he picture of the Mitchells’ Plain District Hospital (right) with the South African flag proudly flying high above the mosaic at the entrance demonstrates to me how far the design industry has come, especially in the interface between landscape and architecture. (See pg 22 for full story) If you look through our pages, it’s easy to see why Cape Town was nominated as World Design Capital 2014, because public spaces are being designed so well, meeting the needs of people and addressing transformation as well as Green issues. Of course, there’s always more to do, especially in addressing the imbalances created by the past. And that’s something the bid committee for WDC 2014 spent a lot of time, settling on “Live Design, Transform Life” as the overarching concept. We chatted to Priscilla Urquhart, public relations manager for Cape Town Design, the implementation company, to fill us in on what’s happening. (See pg 9) On a celebratory note, we were chuffed to hear that one of Cape Town’s most respected landscape architects, Johan van Papendorp, was made an EDITOR Cara Smith cara@ldgm.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Glynis O'Hara glynis@ldgm.co.za DESIGN AND LAYOUT Ryan Donald ryan@rollingcreative.co.za PHOTOGRAPHY Claire Bunkell clairea@tiscali.co.za WEBSITE www.ldgm.co.za LIKE US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/pages/LandscapeDesign-and-Garden-Magazine

The entrance to the new Mitchell's Plain District Hospital, featuring workshopped mosaics.

“Icon of Landscape Architecture” by the Institute of Landscape Architecture in Johannesburg recently. (See pg 30) • Congratulations to the winners of our winter issue Reliance compost prize. Daniel van Rensburg of Observatory, Carol Llewellyn of Pinelands and Juliette Murfin each win 10 bags of compost.

1 Inspiration 4 Editor’s note 9-13 In Brief 24 Plant Palette: Everything you need to know about restios 27 Vegetate: How to grow berries 30 Profile: The man who shaped Cape Town 32 Objects: Bird houses

Cover image: Playful use of circular decking at Ina Paarman's garden. See pages 18 and 28. Picture by Claire Bunkell.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

14 Artful ways with walls: How to get playful and creative 22 Place of healing: Mitchell's Plain Hospital breaks new ground

MATERIALS 28 All you need to know about decking

GARDEN

18 A natural classic: We take you through Ina Paarman's garden 20 Garden of abundance: The Cellars Hohenort garden in spring finery

ADVERTISING BOOKINGS Jackie Mitchell jackie@ldgm.co.za Office – 021 762 5414 079 978 9969 Tamzon Woodley tamzon@ldgm.co.za 083 635 9919

CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION 10 000 quarterly throughout the Western Cape. We take care to ensure that the articles are fair and accurate and cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage that may arise if readers act on advice given. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission.

water features for indoor and out

+27 (0)83 227 5950 clivegil@mweb.co.za www.waterinmotion.co.za

We are committed to the upliftment of professional turfgrass management in the Western Cape. To become a member of the Western Province Turfgrass Association please contact us on: 082 869 4992 admin@wpta.co.za | www.wpta.co.za

www.hwb.co.za + 27 21 4210430 e-mail: info@hwb.co.za 082 658 6007 SupportS Oranjezicht City Farm in: inspiring neighbourhoods building communities nurturing resources and enhancing our urban landscape

OZCF HWB Communications_4.indd 1

www.ozcf.co.za

2013/08/07 3:04 PM

48 years of technical expertise, since 1965 • Borehole Drilling • Maintenance and Repairs

SmartStone Western Cape, 1 Coaten Street, Wellington, 7655 T: 021 873 5482 F: 086 6116427 E: capetown@smartstone.co.za

its a lifestyle choice

www.poleyard.co.za Southern Suburbs:

(021) 789 2083

Retreat:

(021) 701 8118

Northern Suburbs:

(021) 510 4477

West Coast:

(022) 719 1828

TREVOR HENNINGS 083 675 3403 www.drillco.co.za info@drillco.co.za

• Storage Systems • Irrigation Systems & Pumps

Photograph by Ken Gerhardt

It’s Spring and look who’s Blooming. Monday - Friday: 08:00am - 04:45pm Saturday & Sunday [public holidays]: 09:00am - 04:45pm

Brommersvlei Road, Constantia • 021 794 5144/75 fern@ferndalenurseries.co.za ALL AREAS Tel: 021 949 5555 www.timbacore.co.za

MANUFACTURE • INSTALL • RETAIL STORE • DIRECT TO PUBLIC

WATER PLANTS

082 655 1776 richard@synsport.co.za www.synsport.co.za

: INDIGENOUS : POTS

NOORDHOEK GARDEN EMPORIUM, MAIN ROAD, NOORDHOEK TEL: 021 789 2100

the mature tree expert

trees

SOUTH AFRICA

Here today. In your garden tomorrow. We have over 25 years of experience in planting mature trees. In fact, you could call us purveyors of instant forests. With us, there’s no waiting for decades. Visit our tree nursery and choose from over 65 000 large trees. We’ll deliver. We’ll plant. You’ll transform your garden almost overnight.

CAPE PENINSULA BRANCH: 021 842 0003 • info@trees-sa.co.za Papyrus Estate, Winery Road (off R44), Somerset West GARDEN ROUTE BRANCH: 082 786 3071 • gardenroute@trees-sa.co.za Barrington T-junction, Karatara turn-off, East of Sedgeﬁeld VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.trees-sa.co.za to view trees for sale and more

082 908 0031

www.rossmcgilllandscapes.com

WINNER: Supplier of the Year

Arboriculture consulting | Over 65 000 trees to choose from | And don’t fell; we rescue

www.roomtogrow.co.za

We help you to grow

Acknowledged experts in horticulture Recognised for service excellence to the landscaping industry

Rosebank: 21 Liesbeek Parkway, Cape Town, 021 685 4120 West Coast Village: Sandown Road, Sunningdale, Cape Town, 021 554 8450 www.starkeayresgc.co.za

Member of the PLENNERGY GROUP

IN BRIEF

What’s happening for the World Design Capital?

ost of us know Cape Town has won the biennial World Design Capital title for 2014. But not many of us know what that means and what will actually happen. What it means is that the city has a year in which to focus on design issues and how these can improve people’s lives. Guiding principles include that projects should be sustainable, bridge historic divides and design better cities for all the people. The bid didn’t claim Cape Town is already a well known “design capital”. Instead it stated that it was “a bid to acknowledge that we are using design thinking as a tool for transformation”. The overarching bid concept was “Live Design. Transform Life” and was aimed at addressing the legacies of the apartheid past. The way it works is that designers submit projects to a committee of curators, which creates a shortlist of projects to feature during the year. The final programme of events and projects will be published in November – but

The clock tower at the V&A Waterfront in WDC colours, part of the promotion of the event.

there’s a lot we can tell you in the meantime. There will be six signature events. These are: • September 18 2013 – The hosting of a Design Week Forum at the London Design Festival. It will include speaker forums, introduce the WDC Cape Town 2014 to the international design world and media, and include a cocktail function at South Africa House. It's the first time

an African city has secured the title. • December 31 2013 – A New Year’s Eve of Design in Cape Town. Attached to the mayor’s celebration of New Year in the streets of Cape Town, it will launch the event for Capetonians and have events playing out around city landmarks. • February 28 2014 – A Design Gala event with the International Council of Societies of Industrial

THE CONSTANT GARDENER We bring you advice from the experts in this column in every issue

Planting for bees Nurseryman Morné Faulhammer features on Sunday mornings on Cape Talk radio, is a board member of the South African Green Industries Council and a Western Cape judge for the South African Landscapers Institute (Sali) annual awards (see pg13). Here he writes about the threats to bees.

Photos supplied

t is a well recorded fact that bees are responsible for pollinating over 60% of all flowering plants in South Africa. The honeybee is also the main pollinator of many agricultural food crops throughout the world. The United Nations Environmental Programme states that of the 100 crop species that provide 90% of the world’s food , over 70 are pollinated by bees. I have been fortunate to be exposed to bees and honey farming from a young age and have observed the decline in wild bee populations first

hand. Many wild bee colonies have been lost over the years, in part to honeybee diseases, the indiscriminate use of pesticides and the loss of beefriendly foraging plants through habitat destruction. With so many gardens in Cape Town bordering natural areas, the gardening fraternity have a responsibility to provide bees with a food source throughout the year. This can be done by promoting plants that have two main characteristics. First, they must have large amounts of pollen and second,

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

they must have the ability to open their flowers over a period of time to give the bees extended foraging opportunities. A good example of this is our indigenous aloe family. The flowers provide ideal foraging during the winter months as well as an extended flowering period. Efforts should be made to encourage “nectar corridors” through suburbs to help the bees. The more gardeners provide a bee friendly space, the greater the security of our fynbos heritage, as well as the country’s

Design (Icsid), the body that owns the WDC title and awards it to a new city every two years. Icsid will also hand out its World Design Impact prize at the event. February also sees Design Indaba taking place. • November 29 2014 – Design Policy Conference, including the Africa Innovation Summit. • November 29 2014 – Design House Exhibition, featuring the international design community. The idea is to focus on urban issues. • November 30 2014 – Convocation Ceremony – the handing over of the title to the next city. There have been two rounds of submissions, which ended on July 31. These projects will not go into execution by 2014, but will be given the credibility of recognition and through the publicity, opportunities for collaborations and partnerships, in order to get them going. Plus, there is a discretionary fund of R1million for deserving projects. • Visit www.worlddesigncapital.com and www.capetown2014.co.za

Looming crisis... Honey bees throughout the world are in serious decline. One result is that the European Union recently banned the use of neonicotinoids in pesticides.

food supplies. Bees prefer a diversity of bee-friendly flowers, with large patches of each kind of flower. Bees also are attracted to flowers with blue, yellow, violet and bluish-green colours. Similarly, choose plants that have scented flowers. I recommend alyssum, lavenders, aloes, ericas, felicia, geranium, sage and thyme. • For more on Morne, see www. facebook.com/MornesSuperPlants/ info, or call 021 715 4666 • For more on the crisis around bees, see www.independent.co.uk and lookup 'victory for bees' and 'neonicotinoids'.

REMEMBER: NOBODY UNDERSTANDS

Tel/Fax: 021 8800 125 • www.wurmbosch.co.za wurmbosch@mweb.co.za

•

a rg

p nic

food and so lant il c

di ti

er on

Vermigro is a living, organic fertiliser and soil rehabilitator with many applications in all ﬁelds of agriculture, viticulture, horticulture and the home garden. It consists of worm castings (Vermicast), sand, organic matter, micro-nutrients, growth hormones and millions of beneﬁcial micro-organisms making it an integral part of the soil food web.

EARTH... LIKE A WORM

SIMPLE SOLID SECURE

Bakoven concrete slabs offers the best solution

• Vermi Composts • Vermi Potting Soil • Vermi Seedling Mix • Worms • Everything Organic

021 905 9415/6 • www.cemstone.co.za

IN BRIEF

Kirstenbosch botanical art exhibition

i r s t e n b o s c h’s Botanical Art Biennale is one of the high points of the centenary year both for the park and for the Botanical Society of South Africa. The art exhibition show-cases top South African and international botanical artists from August 30 to September 15. It will focus on medicinal and traditional use plants of southern Africa, including plants used for food, shelter, decoration, adornment, devotional rituals, health and rites of passage. International artists Kath Left: A Markhamia obtusifolia by Gillian Condy, resident botanical artist at Baker and Leigh-Ann Kirstenbosch. Right: A Brunsvigia grandiflora by UK artist Kath Baker. Gale (UK), Suzana Souza de Villiers, who recently won a to his retirement and the author of (Brazil) and Suellen Perold (USA) gold medal and best on show at the many books, and Nicki Westcott, the are represented. Well known artists annual Royal Horticultural Society’s curator of the Biennale. such as Eric Judd, Solly Gutman, Botanical Art show in London, will A second slide show on traditional Carol Reddick and Gillian Condy be there too. and medicinal use plants is being are joined by first time exhibitor Ann A slide show evoking the history prepared by botanists Tony Dold and Kerr, while visitors will delight in the of botanical art in South Africa Michele Cocks from Grahamstown. fine renditions from Jenny Hyde- has been put together by Mary van Plus, the Keiskamma Art Project Johnson, Jeanette Loedolff, Wilna Blommenstein of the Irma Stern will be featuring an original work Eloff and Lisa Strachen. museum, John Rourke, who was head done in conjunction with a group of The work of Cape-based Margaret of the Compton Herbarium prior San artists based in Botswana.

Wynberg Park makeover

ynberg Park – situated between the Trovato link and the M3 – has been earmarked for a major overhaul. Earthworks Landscape Architects has been appointed to the project and the vision builds on existing positive attributes, says owner Adam van Nieuwenhuizen. He’s used the concept of “landscape rooms” to preserve different parts of the park and prevent it from becoming “one uniform landscape”. “In recent years,” says Adam, “ad hoc tree planting undermined the original planting concepts.” The idea now is to selectively remove trees in the open grassed picnic area and to restore Table Mountain fynbos. “The sunny north-facing slope on the south side of the park lends itself to rehabilitation as a fynbos garden.” The stream is one of the park’s greatest assets, says Adam, and they are working on making it and new water features more accessible. The proposal includes a sculpture garden with soft forest pathways and park benches. A wide, circular pedestrian route is also planned, with smaller secondary connections.

5 minutes with... Bridget Kitley Herb nursery owner Bridget Kitley wants to spread the word about the glory of herbs, through their culinary, medicinal and pest repellent uses. She gives workshops on these topics and offers courses to train gardeners. Tell us what you do? I have been growing, sowing and propagating a large selection of herbs and other landscaping plants for 28 years. In that time I have trained dozens of local people who are all doing very well. I give workshops at my home in Papagaaiberg, Stellenbosch, on a monthly basis on using and growing herbs. I landscape. I am asked to talk about herbs on a regular basis, and have done a lot of

radio and a TV series that’s featured twice on SABC3. Do you also teach the underprivileged? Yes. I have done a lot of teaching and workshops with Food and Trees for South Africa, teaching adults and children to grow their own herb and vegetable gardens and make useful lotions and potions. I also train clients’ gardeners in total maintenance of the gardens for

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

which they are responsible. What inspired you to get into gardening and herbs? It was my mother’s passion for her herb and vegetable garden in England when I was a child. The fragrance of mint boiling with the peas and potatoes has never left me! Do you have a favourite plant? All of them! They each have their own individual history of healing, flavouring and insect repelling, which never ceases to amaze me and I never stop learning! What’s been the highest point so far – and the lowest? An eviction from premises rented by my previous company, Heiveld Herbs, and myself in 2005 was the lowest ebb. I did not have the funds to fight it. It was devastating. I am now trading under my own name,

Bridget Kitley’s Herb Nursery and Potager Landscaping and the nursery is based at Nooitgedacht Wine Estate, near Stellenbosch. A high point is that the consciousness about natural healing is NOW! People are going back to their roots and growing their own food and healing themselves. What legacy would you like to leave? To make more people, from all walks of life, aware of the magic of herbs and healing. And to spread the word on growing your own food and herb gardens, which can be achieved in any place, no matter how big or small, as long as there are 3 to 4 hours of morning sunshine every day. • You can contact Bridget at bridgetkitley@gmail.com or 079 499 2209 11

Brettlee Walker with Jarrad Stevenson Garden cleans ups and makeovers New bed planting & upgrades Garden design, landscaping & project management Irrigation Outdoor solutions and problem solving Landscape construction Waterfeatures, paving and outdoor lighting

Gardening…The Point of Life Cell: 083 632 7549 • brettlee@teamaustin.co.za www.brettleewalker.com Making Gardens since 1992

GREAT DECKS:

Under-utilised areas around a home can be made beautiful and inviting through constructing creative boardwalks that integrate decking and clever planting design. Masterdecks has years of experience in linking the indoors and outdoors in ways that extend the use of your home. Call us today for a free, competitive quote – you will ﬁnd we measure up in every way.

MUSHROOM COMPOST LAWN DRESSING MULCH

Tel: 021 762 9390 | Fax: 021 762 9396 info@masterdecks.co.za | www.decks.co.za

Weed free products available

STANLER FARMS STANLER FARMS (CAPE) (PTY) LTD. CENTURION P.O. BOX 200 TEL: 082 657 3715 or DURBANVILLE, 7551 082 657 3716 TEL: (021) 976-4900 (021) 975-1724 FAX: (021) 975-6202

For a competitive quote visit us at www.stanlerfarms.co.za

IN BRIEF

Clearing aliens at Silvermine

team of staff from the Vineyard Hotel, guests, school groups and hiking club members are busy clearing out all the alien vegetation in an adopted section of the Silvermine Valley. Once a month between March and November, the team works on the site in an effort to restore the area to 100% indigenous plant species. “When we adopted the plot in October 2006,” explains Chris van Zyl, the hotel’s group sustainability manager and horticulturist, “70% of it was heavily infested by alien vegetation. We have cleared most

of that and now most of our time is spent weeding out alien seedlings.” If aliens such as rooikrans (Acacia cyclops) and Port Jackson (Acacia saligna) burn, the fires burn far hotter than those of fynbos and can result in soil structure being affected, says Chris. “Such fires could even destroy fynbos species which rely on fire for their rejuvenation and seed spread.” Monthly invitations are sent out, the team meets for three hours of work, and the hotel provides a picnic lunch.

• For more, contact chris@vineyard.co.za or visit www.vineyard.co.za

Landscaping at the Cape Town International Airport won Servest a gold Sali award.

Sali award winners 2013

total of 120 projects were entered into the South African Landscapers Institute’s awards, with 101 projects making it through to the national judging round. The regional breakdown was as follows: Gauteng with 49%, KZN with 27% and the Cape with 24% of the projects. National Judge Fourie Pieterse congratulated Sali members on the quality of work produced amidst many challenges. He added: “To me, it is evident that you are not here to survive; you're here to thrive, prosper, flourish and grow. You're here to make

a difference, add value and make our world a better place.”

10 packs of Pink Geranium daylilies

Five Ina Paarman hampers

HOW TO ENTER

The Pink Geranium Nursery near Stellenbosch is giving away 10 packs of day lily bulbs worth R150 each, with a total value of R1500. The daylily is often called "the perfect perennial," due to its dazzling colours, ability to tolerate drought and thrive in many zones. They are popular because of their showy flowers and hardiness and there are over 60 000 registered cultivars. For more, phone 021 884 4313 or visit www.thepinkgeranium.co.za

Five lucky readers each stand to win an Ina Paarman hamper worth R300. In the hamper will be products ranging from seasonings to bake mix, an icing kit, a cookbook and more. The products may vary, but the total value will be R300. Ina’s test kitchen develops products for her supermarket range and provides the website with innovative recipes, menus and videos. Large scale manufacturing is done in the Paarman Foods factory in Diep River, Cape Town. For more visit www.paarman.co.za

Volunteers in the Vineyard Hotel team hacking away at aliens in the Silvermine Valley as part of a monthly initiative.

Giveaways 30 bags of Reliance compost

Three lucky readers will each win 10 bags of Reliance certified organic soil & plant compost, including delivery. Reliance produces 100% certified organic compost. Their soil & plant conditioner 12mm sifted is ideal for general everyday gardening. Reliance annually diverts over 1 500 000 cubic metres of Green refuse from overflowing landfills around Cape Town. Reliance is a carbon neutral company. For more information call 0861 888 784 or visit www.reliance.co.za

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

The gold awards in the Cape are: Landscape and Turf Maintenance ULS – Green Point Park Landscape Fusion – Company’s Gardens ULS – CT Biodiversity Garden Landscape Construction with design by others Alan Dawson Gardens – House Steenekamp (designer Cara Smith) ULS – IRT Culemborg to Paarden Eiland (designer Planning Partners) ULS – Enigma Mansion (IFDB Landscape architects) Servest -- CT International airport (Joint venture with Viridian) Landscape construction with in-house design GvH Landscapes – House MacKenzie GvH Landscapes – House Allen GvH Landscapes – House Dippenaar Paarman Landscapes – House Louw • For more, visit www.sali.co.za

To stand a chance of winning in one of these three giveaway draws, send your answer to the questions below, with your name and telephone number, to info@ldgm.co.za by October 30th, 2013. The winner will be personally notified and posted on the website. All prizes will be delivered by the companies offering them. Reliance Question: How many cubic metres of Green refuse does Reliance divert from the city on an annual basis? Pink Geranium Question: How many cultivars of day lilies are there? Ina Paarman Question: Where is the Paarman Foods factory located?

DESIGN

Photos by Claire Bunkell

Artful ways with walls

Believe it or not, something as plain as a wall can introduce a playful or creative element, making an artful, innovative contribution to the landscape – and to living. Kate Morris reports.

hey create division or diversion, provide food or flow or great swathes of undulating green: walls of all shapes and sizes are key to the landscaping process. Decorated, plastered, tiled and planted, walls can create interest or provide the perfect place to rest the eye. Here we look at creative landscaping solutions using retaining and decorative walls – and the new darling of the gardening world, the living green wall. WALLS AS ART Walls are often decorated with paint effects, tiles and mosaics. They bear fountains or become welcome oases in harsh or hot courtyards. In the Foundry in Woodstock, at Tribe Coffee Roastery, an ugly wall in a courtyard frequented by clients has been turned into a talking point. The former eye-sore which had an ugly brick façade and huge drainage pipes jutting from it, now incorporates a perky array of interesting objets d’art. Instead of simply covering it with plaster and paint, Jake Easton, one of the founders of Tribe Coffee Roastery, tasked sculptor Egon Tania with the job of turning it into a work of art. The commission was a first for Egon. “I’m a sculptor working mostly in wood and bronze in a figurative manner. I’ve never laid a brick before but I’d done the paving in the first section of the building,” he says. “We thought it would be nice to have water trickling in the courtyard so I came up with a waterplant-brick-land-fall-fill,” he says. The result is an intriguing mix of recycled material or junk from the local community. Here an old black typewriter is suspended upside down, a lonely flip flop bends into the bricks and several pieces of crockery and pottery jut out at angles. The 14

ugly pipes now hold delicately cascading plants and there’s even a lamp at the top of the wall providing illumination. • Sculptor Egon Tania, 082 579 2644

RETAINING WALLS Used to full effect in terraced, sloping gardens, retaining walls are an important aspect in landscaping in the peninsula, says landscape designer Carrie Latimer. In a recent project she used retaining walls to create three beautiful “infinity’” lawns in an awkwardly shaped, steep triangular garden in Plattekloof, Cape Town. “We used the walls to create three ‘infinity’ lawns on three levels which respond to the curves of the architecture and are separated by bands of indigenous shrubbery and linked by stairs,” she explains. While designing the garden, Carrie took into account the property’s spectacular view of Table Mountain and the city, especially at night. “The idea is that when you’re standing on the patio looking out, the terrace lawns ‘drop off ’ and your eye is drawn beyond, to the extraordinary view.” When working with retaining walls, Carrie uses stone appropriate to the setting. “We have great stone in Cape Town. I either use granite or sandstone, depending on which side of the mountain the property is situated.” Carrie points out she had to factor in the “challenging” behaviour of the owners’ dogs. “Pets use a garden very differently to humans,” she laughs. “You have to plan for immediate fencing to protect the shrubbery or bedding until the plants are established.” In this garden, installed by Heimo Schulzer Gardens, Carrie used plants to tumble over the edges of the walls. “It softens the lines of the walls when you’re standing at the bottom of the garden,

looking up. The perspective from the lower level is very different to that on the patio. With plants you can make walls disappear completely if you want them to.” The walls were plastered to suit the contemporary façade of the house. “Generally, we run a line of cobbles next to the wall so that when the lawns are mowed, the plasterwork will not be chipped or damaged,” she points out. “Walls are beautiful, but they can be high-maintanance.” • Landscape designer Carrie Latimer 079 871 5572

VERTICAL GARDENS The jungle-like, undulating verdant creations clinging to residential and commercial buildings of living wall creator extraordinaire Patrick Blanc have captured the imagination of both the public and the professional landscaping fraternity. So much so that the Parisian botanist’s work has created a new kind of gardening – the green carpeting of walls, not just a trickle or trellis of green, but a full wall of plants. One Cape Town garden designer who’s been studying Blanc’s artistry for years is Nicholas Whitehorn. “There are hundreds of ways of doing vertical gardens and for the past three years I’ve done comprehensive research into what it takes to make them work in South Africa, with our climate and requirements,” he says. Though big overseas, not only in Paris but in other European cities, South America and the Far East, there are a variety of living, green walls springing up in this country, especially in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Nicholas says there are two schools of thought on how to create a vertical garden: using soil in pockets or a full hydroponic system in felt cloth with plants growing in a biodynamic growing ▶▶ LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

. A wall as art... what was an eye-sore of a wall at Tribe Coffee Roastery's Woodstock premises was transformed into a quirky work of art by sculptor Egon Tania.

Photos supplied

DESIGN

Clockwise from left: Retaining walls were used to great effect by landscape designer Carrie Latimer in an awkwardly shaped Plattekloof garden to create three beautiful, curved "infinity" terrace lawns that match the architecture of the house; A landmark vertical garden in Cape Town is the “atlas” green wall created by Nicholas Whitehorn using succulents, designed as an innovative outdoor advertising space.

Photo supplied

◀◀ medium. As far as he is concerned, this system is the only way to go. “Here there is no soil – the felt is designed to support the establishment of capillary roots and plants take their nutrients from the water through drip lines in the felt.” One of Cape Town’s most intriguing vertical gardens is one Nicholas created three years ago – namely the “atlas” green wall conceived as an ingenious outdoor advertising space by Tractor Outdoor advertising company director Simon Wall. It took two years for the idea to come to fruition, and as United Arab Emirates airlines was the first client, the 72m² wall in Kloof Street in the City Bowl took on the form of a world atlas. Flat aluminium was used to cut out the shape of the continents and as the wall gets full sun, two succulent varieties, a hybrid called graptoveria 'Fred Ives' and Aptenia cordifolia, were used to create definition between the land masses and the sea. “There are 30 plants per square metre – 2100 plants in total – tucked into felt pockets, and the selection of plants always determines the success of your vertical garden,” Nicholas explains. “Succulents form clumps, and while they spread

slowly, once the garden is full it endures for much longer with low maintenance.” While the client changed a while ago (to Cape Town – Design Capital of the World 2014), Nicholas still maintains the wall. While he’s intrigued by living walls, Nicholas doesn’t do “just any vertical garden”. It has to be interesting, like the 20m² food wall he created in Fresnaye with 30 different kinds of herbs. The plants need to be replenished from time to time, which the family does themselves. “Once a year, I fill it up for them and try new herbs,” Nicholas says. His third vertical garden was a fern grotto, also in Fresnaye, and he is in the process of erecting a 370m² vertical garden at a home in Bantry Bay. “I am replicating a natural garden tapestry which you would find in nature, with 25 plant varieties,” he says, visibly excited by this huge challenge. Sean 0’Connor of Cape Contours Landscape Solutions, believes living walls can create great depth. Sean was instrumental in creating an awardwinning vertical garden for the Trinity Club in Green Point, and the 10.5 x 2.6m wall, with its pleasing, linear planting pattern garnered a lot of interest when it was first created. “So we’ve been

very busy these past two years,” he adds. The advantages of greening a space this way are not only to cover a wall for aesthetic purposes but also to help insulate buildings, reduce the urban heat island effect and reduce air pollutants. With this kind of gardening, the plant is king, as Sean puts it. “If you can give it what it needs in terms of water, nutrients and general maintenance, it will thrive. We stick to indigenous plants as much as possible and of the 40 plants we swear by, half of these are perfect for a pocket-panel system.” At the Trinity wall, Sean used six plant species with 60 plants positioned in three linear swathes of 20 plants each. When selecting the plants, Sean looked at their coverage, sun and shade requirements in terms of the position of the wall, and longevity of each plant based on its water requirements. Irrigation, one of the trickier aspects of livingwall gardening, here encompasses a drip system, fetigation (the feeding of fertiliser through the irrigation) and reticulation (the water is recycled and pumped back through the system). Sidestepping the soil pocket or felt cloth hydroponic systems, landscape designer Carrie Latimer used racks of pots to create an exquisite splash of green in a tight Clifton courtyard. “The pot system allows for flexibility when it comes to changing the planting,” she notes. “We were working in a small corridor and created a green, verdant feeling in a landscape where the walls are really close to the house.” Carrie maintains that vertical gardens are still in the guinea-pig phase in South Africa. Irrigation, climate and maintenance are huge challenges to overcome. “I’m still monitoring their success over time,” she muses. • •

Nicholas Whitehorn Landscape Design 082 258 9293 Sean O’Connor, Cape Contours Landscape Solutions, 021 788 1202

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Photo supplied

Photo by Claire Bunkell

Clockwise from left: The plant is king in a vertical garden created by The Greenhouse Nursery. Hardy plants such as succulents are often striking and successful; The award-winning green wall at Trinity Club in Greenpoint where 60 plants have been arranged in three eye-catching linear swathes; The “Green shack” concept of touching the earth lightly incorporates a food wall which is protected from theft, vandalism and the elements by see-through, lockable roof-sheeting.

daily problems in a practical way. “The Green shack looks at how simple, lowtech design can transform temporary spaces into dignified home spaces,” says Stephen Lamb, TEL founder. One of these is the ingenious use of plastic bottles fitted into the ceiling to provide lighting – natural light in the day, and collected solar at night. Another is the creation of a vertical garden wall. The sun-facing walls of the structure offer vertical food-gardening space, which creates food for the household. It is protected from theft and vandalism by see-through, lockable roof sheeting and is dripirrigated using a low-tech, slow-release gravity fed system from collected rain water, Stephen says. The internal walls and ceiling of the structure are lined

with fire-boarding, preventing the spread of fire. The team has conducted research on temperature levels in this design as compared to others and found that the Green shack is significantly cooler in summer. Lamb stresses that the Green Shack is not a single solution to a vast and difficult problem. It is rather perhaps, an innovative point of departure for creative discussion. The design concept was showcased in the building of a creche in Langa recently, where over 40 children will be able to watch their food grow and grow. • For more, see the website www.ttel.co.za, or contact Stephen Lamb, 083 229 1821

Photos supplied

FOOD FOR THOUGHT With its aim to provide a platform for “humanhearted, sensitive design” that can touch communities in a real and meaningful way, Touching The Earthy Lightly (TEL) has invented a so-called “Green shack” to improve the living experience of people who are making do under difficult circumstances in temporary housing. Looking at solutions to the problems of ground-water flooding, fire, insulation, lighting and food security, the Green shack suggests some simple design interventions aimed at reducing loss of life and livelihoods amongst informal settlement residents. Not intended to replace a permanent house, its design nevertheless tackles a number of

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

GARDEN

A natural CLASSIC

Think of spring and you think of flowers blooming and joie de vivre. Ina Paarman’s Constantia garden is a stunning example of just such a life-giving garden. By John Richardson. Pictures by Claire Bunkell.

na Paarman loves her garden. In fact it was the garden that clinched the deal when she bought the property 10 years ago. “When we saw the property with all these beautiful trees, we knew we had to buy it before a developer bought it and cut them all down,” she says of the many enormous camphor, oak and wild olives that grow on the property, “they are a legacy of Simon Van der Stels’s Groot Constantia and we feel like we’re custodians of them now.” At over six acres the garden is large by any measure and actually consists of two neighbouring properties merged into one. On the western property, collaboration between landscape architect Rene van der Westhuizen and architects Meyer and Vorster has resulted in a modern, yet organic building that houses the offices and kitchen. The surrounding gardens have been designed along contemporary lines with a large lawn, a wall cascade and planting characterised by bold swathes of colour en masse. The other property, a recently renovated 1930s Cape Dutch house with deep verandas and classical columns, is Ina’s private residence and here the plantings and layout are more typical of the English Arts and Crafts Movement gardening style of that period. My guide for the afternoon was to be Ina’s long-time horticulturalist, Nikki Delange. With so much to see one could be forgiven for not knowing 18

where to start. But in this garden, Nikki tells me, there could only be one place to begin – the herb garden, of course. Part garden, part laboratory, this classically laid out space is often the genesis of a new recipe, novel flavour, or new seasoning. “Sometimes I will plant a few different types of the same herb, like three types of basil for example, and then experiment with them in different ways to find new recipes,” says Ina. “At the moment it’s the micro-greens, all the smallleafed things for salad dressings and sauces.” Also in the herb garden is a central fountain, feeding into a narrow rill, which lends coolness and movement to a place that demands lots of work in the summer months. From the herb garden we move up the slope through a clivia woodland towards the top of the property. We are walking on a perimeter mulch path, above our heads the trees let through the spring sunshine and on our left masses of the purple Ribbon Bush (Hypoestes aristata) are responding to the lengthening days, shooting strongly from their winter pruning. Below us a large rectangular lawn strikes a bold line through the landscape, except for one section where it steps aside for an ancient olive tree, before stepping back and continuing on its unwavering way. At one point we come to a rustic bench, beautifully built by head gardener Shaun Isaacs,

From top: Orderly English box (Buxus sempervirens) hedging contains a mass of buoyant perennials around the house; A stepped water-cascade cools the herb garden. LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

around an old camphor tree. “Ina likes to create places in the garden where one can stop and enjoy the views,” says Nikki, “she often walks the dogs up here in the evenings.” Further along the path we arrive at the orchard where a variety of fruit trees stand beyond a clipped hedge. There are pear trees, pineapple-guavas, oranges, avocados, and most importantly, lemon trees. “Ina loves to make lemonade,” Nikki tells me, “on the last open day she made tons of it for all the visitors.” I make a mental note to be around next time. I hear she bakes a mean cake too! From the orchard we move down the hill through the cut flower garden and I realise that we have unwittingly crossed over into the second property. Below us, Ina’s private residence stands in a sunny clearing, draped in bougainvillea and flanked with masses of Heliotropium arborescens “Royal Marine”, Gaura lindheimeri, Scabiosa africana and LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

the fragrant “Garden and Home” hybrid rose, now bejewelled in masses of buds in promise of October flowering. “In this part of the garden everything comes into flower at the same time,” says Nikki, “it’s such a pretty sight in late spring.” While some of the garden immediately around the house has been re-redesigned to accommodate the new driveway, most of the original garden terraces have been left largely as they were. Moving past the house, down onto the terraces, one descends into the painterly charm of jumbled steps, perennial profusion, wonky paths and stone walls to arrive at a quaint gazebo on the edge of a small lawn. It’s like stepping into a design by famed British horticultural designer Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932) and quite possibly my favourite part of the garden. Whilst the gazebo garden with its camellias, azaleas, port-wine magnolia and other darlings of

Clockwise from top left: Timeless perennials such as heliotrope, gaura and Iceberg roses embrace the classic architecture of the house; A fountain takes pride of place at the driveway's centre; A wagon wheel herb garden with central water-feature; A traditional irrigation rill in the herb garden; Form, colour and fragrance next to the veranda.

the Victorian era may hark back to bygone days, the brand new fynbos garden a little along the way abounds with plantings of the contemporary kind. Here on a warm slope below the swimming pool, a tired old hedge recently made way for a spectacular array of indigenous pincushions (Leucospermum cordifolium), Leucadendrons hybrids “Safari sunset”, “Inca gold” and “Red Devil” as well as various restios and many other plants, both endemic and from much further afield. Sadly, but understandably for such a large garden, there was still so much to see at the end of my visit and I will have to return on another day. I look forward to it – and the lemonade – very much indeed. • Architects: www.meyervorster.co.za • Landscape architect: www.viridian.co.za • Horticultural consultant: Nikki Delange 082 882 9884 19

GARDEN

Garden of

ABUNDANCE

From terraces spilling over with roses to centuries-old camphor trees and a whimsical woodland glen, The Cellars-Hohenort garden reveals hidden gems, writes Anne Duncan. Pictures by Claire Bunkell.

here’s so much lush abundance in the nine acres that surround The CellarsHohenort hotel in Constantia that it’s hard to know where to begin when describing its many treasures. Perhaps, though, the place to start is with the roses – they’re a star attraction for most visitors, and one of the first sights that greet you as you drive in. Liz McGrath, the hotelier who bought the neighbouring Cellars and Hohenort properties in the early ’90s and built them into the luxury establishment they are today, is known for her love of these blooms, so it's no surprise they take centre stage outside reception. Here, in the turning circle in the drive, there’s a circular bed starring Iceberg roses and a supporting cast of white agapanthus, foxgloves, camellias and alyssum. “The roses look their best from late October to early November,’ says Jean Almon, the head gardener, who has lovingly crafted the hotel grounds over the past 23 years. “We then get a second flush in March.” Beyond the white garden, to the side of the Hohenort manor, there’s the more formal rose 20

garden – three terraces containing more than 1 000 standard, shrub and climbing roses. Planted en masse to create a magnificent display, the first terrace is filled with yellow, cream and peach varieties, the second with all-red blooms and the third with an abundance of pink. There’s a demanding regimen that goes into keeping the flowers looking their best. “We spray them every two weeks – from early September until about May – with a Ludwig’s pesticide cocktail and feed them once a month with Ludwig’s Vigorosa fertiliser,” explains horticulturalist Bruce James, who joined The Cellars-Hohenort team as garden manager a few years ago. “Pruning is done in mid July, and in summer they’re dead-headed twice a week by neighbourhood volunteers.” From the rose terraces, the path wends its way down through the pink garden – where fuchsias and Peruvian lilies (alstroemeria sp) complement striking pink flowering gum trees – to the wide lawns that front the manor.

From top: A magnificent display of white Iceberg roses greets visitors at the CellarsHohenort entrance; Arches of Pandora jasminoides create a shaded and scented walk down to the camphor trees.

Here a venerable white magnolia tree frames views across the hotel vineyard towards the distant Helderberg. The hanepoot vines were planted by Klein Constantia, and every year the winery produces a Vin de Hohenort dessert wine for the hotel from the grapes harvested. Move through the palm arches and across the more secluded lower lawn – a popular spot LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Clockwise from top: The rustic Edwardian garden with soft planting of Inca lilies and oldfashioned roses leads down to the woodland garden; The first rose terrace is filled with yellow, cream and peach varieties such as the Just Joey rose; The formal rose garden with over 1000 standard, shrub and climbing roses; The woodland glen with the gentle giants of the garden, the 323-year-old camphor trees planted in 1690.

for garden weddings – and you’ll come upon the charming Edwardian rustic garden. Presided over by flowering crab apples trees that drip with pink blossoms in spring, are informal beds blooming with fragrant old-fashioned roses and the beautiful pink tea rose, General Gallieni, which flowers until late in summer. Around them, English lavender, Peruvian lilies, agapanthus, columbines (Aquilegia sp), Japanese anemones, euphorbias, daisies and bromeliads provide a supporting riot of pinks, purples and reds. This colourful display gives way to the shade of the woodland glen. Plectranthus and arum lilies line the path that meanders through poplars and oaks – and, at one point, under the perfectly formed arch of a fallen trunk. It’s a truly magical part of the grounds, especially in late winter and early spring when the snowdrops, bluebells and daffodils come into bloom. “We leave the bulbs until the foliage turns brown and yellow, so that they flower really well the following year,” says Bruce. You emerge from this whimsical space to find – in another change of pace – the formal citrus terraces rising above you. “The bottom terrace contains lemons and limes, the middle grapefruit, and the top oranges,” explains Bruce. Jasmine-lined steps lead up past the citrus trees to the abundance of the kitchen terraces. Here staff from the hotel’s award-winning restaurant LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

harvest everything from onions, green peppers and aubergines to Jerusalem artichokes, rhubarb and strawberries. “We try to plant something different every year,” says Jean, “and we overplant so that it’s an ornamental as well as a working garden.” Below these well-used terraces is a part of the garden that’s alive with history – an avenue of camphor and oak trees, over 300 years old, that date back to the time of Simon van der Stel, the first governor (1679 – 1699) of the Cape Colony. “This was the original entrance to the Klaasenbosch estate,” explains Jean. “Van der Stel’s doctor built the original house and cellars, and planted an avenue of Dutch oaks leading to his front door. Dutch traders then brought camphor trees from the East, and these were planted between the oaks. They’re the second-oldest camphors in the Cape, younger than those at Vergelegen but older than those at Kirstenbosch.” The historic trees provide shady cover for another spring highlight – the clivia garden, which produces an abundance of blooms, from the more common orange to the lesser-seen apricot and pale yellow varieties. From here you enter the Fern Walk, where Australian tree ferns provide height among a mass of different fern varieties. “I got the idea from a friend who inherited a fernery,” says Jean. “It’s the perfect planting, as the area was always dark and nothing grew here.” This green corner melds seamlessly into rows of

hydrangeas and camellias, the latter flowering just after the hydrangeas have been pruned to create a non-stop display of colour for guests in the garden suites. Azaleas and rhododendrons provide more summer colour, as does the hot garden – sunny beds of red dahlias, canna lilies, Peruvian lilies and wallflowers – that line the steps that lead back up to the main drive. Even then there’s still more to see: a herb garden that serves the kitchen and provides a pretty courtyard display, an ornamental pool bordered by more iceberg roses, a Gary Player-designed chipping green and a shady plectranthus garden that overflows with purples and pinks in autumn. It’s in this section of the grounds that you’ll also find the small Gardener’s Cottage, from where Jean has presided over every aspect of the garden’s development. With no formal training but a passion for plants that is clearly evident in the exuberant displays, she and her team have created a world-class garden. She’s charmingly self-deprecating as she pulls off yellowing leaves and bemoans the chaos caused by the resident ducks, but it’s a remarkable feat. Little wonder that Relais & Châteaux, the prestigious global collection of luxury hotels to which The Cellars-Hohenort belongs, awarded the property its Garden Trophy in 2010. • Jean gives a guided tour of the gardens every Tuesday morning. Call The Cellars-Hohenort on 021 794 2137 to book. 21

URBAN DESIGN

Place of

HEALING

Clever design using sustainable Green principles in landscaping the grounds of the new Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital has saved millions of rand and broken new ground. By Marion Whitehead. Pictures by Claire Bunkell.

“T

he idea was to heal the landscape, as well as the people coming here,” says landscape architect Tarna Klitzner of the new Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital, which accepted its first patients in July and will be officially opened by Western Cape Premier Helen Zille in November 2013. The R10 million landscaping contract has seen the innovative use of materials from this part of the Cape Flats to rapidly create an environment that is welcoming and comforting. From the outset, it was decided to build the hospital on the most disturbed part of the site on the corner of the R300 and AZ Berman Drive, in order to preserve 14 hectares of endangered Dune Strandveld, a fynbos biome. This is now a nature reserve protecting a number of rare plants, such as Ortholobium bolusii, and small creatures, including grysbok, snakes and chameleons which were rescued from the site before building commenced. The reserve also provided a handy source for the propagation of endemic plant material to be used in the landscaping, as stipulated in the Record of Decision that came out of the Environmental Impact Assessment. Not only did this ensure that the localised gene pool remained untainted, it has also given plantings the strength and durability to handle the unforgiving conditions on the Cape

Flats, where the sandy soil bakes in summer and dessicating winds sweep across it. Propagation of endemics During the search and rescue phase on the fivehectare hospital site beginning in 2008, Vula Environmental Services collected cuttings and seeds that were then grown into mother plants at Veld and Fynbos Propagation Nursery. “It was the first time endemics from a site were propagated on a commercial scale,” said Deon van Eeden of Vula. “We’d never grown some of the plants before, like the stoebe and hermannia, and it was a huge challenge to grow such large numbers and have them ready at the right time,” added Brenda Szabo of Veld and Fynbos. “Many were special endemics that would have been lost if we hadn’t rescued them.” Some of the shrubs were transferred into 4kg growing bags, but the groundcover plants were brought to site in 120 plug size trays and planted directly into the soil, which had been enriched with compost. Because of the size of the site, in Tarna’s design for the hospital grounds, she used a planting strategy indicating different combinations of plants for each area. Only the trees were planted according to a precise layout. Bevil Steyn of Cape Contours, responsible for the planting, said one of the biggest challenges was co-ordinating the hundreds of

This page from top: Shade trees soften the entrance to Mitchell's Plain Hospital; Calcrete boulders unearthed on site were turned into an asset. Opposite page from top: Millions of rands were saved by incorporating calcrete rocks from the site into the landscape design; Attractive mosaic patterns on courtyard benches were the outcome of community workshops; Stormwater runoff is collected in detention ponds, where it filters through a layer of crushed rock to replenish the Mitchell's Plain aquifer. LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

thousands of plants for each of the 25 zones and 19 courtyards. “Each required their own unique mix of plants.” Just nine months down the line, the risk of planting small plugs has paid off and the plants are well established, with many already blossoming. Irrigation will be slowly reduced until the garden relies only on rain. “Because we’d collected them from the site, we knew they’d work,” said Brenda. A bonus is that the Mitchell’s Plain form of the tough Phylica ericoides is a particularly well-shaped shrub which flowers nine months of the year and is now available to the nursery trade. Because there were no large trees endemic to the area, indigenous species such as white stinkwood (Celtis africana), karee (Rhus or Searsia viminalis) and water berry (Syzygium cordatum) were used to provide shade, particularly around the entrance where people will congregate. The only non-indigenous species used are in the hospital courtyards where they have to cope with deep shade. The wards are colour coded to help patients find their way about, particularly people who may not be literate. “Repeating these colours in courtyard plantings was a fun way of reinforcing this path finding aspect,” said Tarna. The outpatients’ courtyard, for instance, is yellow and orange with wild irises (Dietes bicolour), red hot pokers (Kniphofia species) and wild dagga (Leonotis leonurus) growing around benches decorated with bright mosaics. These are the outcome of community workshops facilitated by ceramic artist Lovell Friedman. LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Calcrete bonus During excavation of the building footings and earthworks for the roads, about 6 000 cubic metres of calcrete rock, part of the Witsands geological formation which underlie a large proportion of the site, were exposed. “Most of the calcrete was retained and used on site, in accordance with the sustainability principles adopted on the project,” said Tarna. In her design, she turned this “waste” material into an asset, using the boulders as a natural aesthetic of the endemic landscape, scattering them randomly in between plants to act as giant mulch. “Rain and condensation runs down them and provides damp, protected spots for plants.” Some of these boulders weighed up to 1,5 tonnes and Bevil admitted that Cape Contours had a tricky time getting them into position. An important but unseen use is as crushed rock in drainage areas such as swales and detention ponds – Cape Contours crushed about 3000 cubic metres of calcrete for this purpose. “The ponds and the swales have become part of the aesthetic landscape of the hospital, with water-loving plants growing in these areas contributing to the diversity of the vegetation and animal habitats,” said Tarna. They enable storm water run-off from roofs and paved areas to be filtered before sinking into the ground to recharge the Mitchell’s Plain aquifer, instead of going into the city’s storm water system and out to sea. This innovation saved the client R3 million in drainage infrastructure costs alone, said Courage Karenyi, project manager for Stauch Vorster

Architects. It is the first public building to use a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) and has been such a success that SUDS has been incorporated as a bylaw in the province. Another saving came from using calcrete as a natural-look paving material in low-traffic areas and as cladding on the sides of the benches. Community members were trained to work the stone, giving them skills that will be marketable long after the project is over. Not having to cart the calcrete off the site saved another R1 million in transport costs, added Courage. Sustainable irrigation The new landscape is irrigated by a borehole sunk into the Mitchell’s Plain aquifer. “We’re recharging the aquifer with storm water and so extracting it for irrigation is a sustainable way of irrigating the gardens,” said Tarna. This saves the hospital 2,8 million litres of potable water per week, pointed out Adrian White of Arid Earth, who designed the irrigation system to handle the strong winds and high soil infiltration rates experienced on the Cape Flats. Now the biggest challenge is the weeds, which also enjoy the favourable conditions created in the hospital grounds on the Cape Flats, normally an unforgiving place to grow a garden. Neighbouring Lentegeur Hospital has been inspired to upgrade its garden and is now getting plants from Mitchell’s Plain Hospital, giving the rehabilitation of the wider area a big boost. So in the process of construction, the previously disturbed site has itself undergone a healing, paving the way for patients to benefit from this restored and rejuvenated environment. 23

PLANT PALETTE

The magic of RESTIOS

Bell Reed (Cannomois grandis) in the restio garden at Kirstenbosch.

Restios have become more and more and more popular in gardens. Here’s our indispensable guide on to how to get the best results with them. By Marijke Honig.

love restios for their texture: their segmented green stems and papery bracts, and the way they rustle in the wind. They are quintessentially Cape – restios are not only unique to fynbos, but the most typical element of fynbos. Look around and see for yourself: while proteas and ericas may be absent, restios are always present in one form or another.

Species Cannamois virgata

Common Name

Elegia capensis

Elegia equisetaceae Elegia persistens

Elegia tectorum

Besemriet

Hoek’ Ischyrolepis subverticillata 24

Comment

–

Fonteinriet, Horse-

Dakriet, Cape Thatching reed

Elegia tectorum ‘Fish

Single plant Group

Bergbamboes

tail restio Elegia fistulosa

with a leaf blade, and restios do not. Restios do have a leaf sheath (the part wrapped around the stem) which is split to the base. Often the sheath drops off, leaving a little brown ring, which creates the typical segmented appearance of restio stems. Restios have a fascinating biology: the plants are either male or female and they rely on wind to transfer pollen from the male to female flowers.

Moist Dry X

Calopsis paniculata

Restios are often confused with grasses or sedges, but this is like confusing cats and dogs – they are so different they are in different families. While describing the differences can be quite technical, involving botanical jargon, it is actually quite easy to tell them apart. If you take a minute to compare a grass with a restio you will notice the grass has “proper leaves”

– Duineriet

Size

Large bamboo-like restio with thick hollow stems, 3m

flowers at the end of arched stems, great accent plant

–

75cm

–

1–1.5m

–

0.5–1.25m

1.5–2m

60cm

Graceful arching stems with soft feathery foliage, common along streams Large bamboo-like restio, with decorative bracts and whorls of fine leaves The only restio with a hollow stem, decorative papery bracts rustle Finely divided side-stems, long brown flower heads with papery golden bracts Forms a dense clump, beautiful long bronze flowering stems Neat upright plant with striking dark brown flower spikes Dwarf form with thinner, daintier stems, suitable for small gardens Dense plants with fine feathery foliage in distinct whorls on the stem LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Photo by Adam Harrower

don’t do well in small walled suburban gardens – there is too much shade and not enough free air movement. Some species, such as Cape thatching reed can tolerate a wide range of conditions, from wet to dry, coastal to inland frost, and acidic to alkaline soil, which is why it has proven to be such a reliable landscaping plant. Plant selection and design When selecting a suitable species, there are a number of considerations: Available moisture: Is the environment you are planting dry? If yes, this cuts out all the moisture-loving species which occur naturally in seeps or along streams. Choose only from the column marked “dry” in the table below. If the landscape is irrigated, you could widen your choice to include these. What size do you require? Restio species vary in height from half a metre to over 3m, so this is an important selection criterion. I find many species are too big for average suburban gardens – rather choose smaller species (less than 1m), which will enable one to plant one or more groups. On the other hand the large species make a very attractive feature in medium to large-scale landscapes, particularly along road sides where one is driving past at speed. However here it is essential to take the wet/dryness into account – large species such as Cannamois, Elegia capensis and Calopsis paniculata all require year-round moisture. Single accent vs massed effect: Some restios produce neat rounded tussocks which lend themselves to being used as single accents in a planting, while others are less tidy and need

When you walk through the veld and brush past male restio plants, you may have noticed a cloud of pollen being carried on air – that’s pollination in action. Look out for the female plants: they bear flowers with feathery stigmas and special bracts which help to capture the airborne pollen, so that fertilisation can take place. To me this “hidden” world is part of the magic of restios. Restios are low on maintenance and mostly water-wise, so it is no wonder they have become popular landscape plants. They are textural and understated, lacking bright flowers, which makes them well-suited to contemporary landscapes. Considering the widespread and almost exclusive use of Cape thatching reed (Elegia tectorum), one could be forgiven for thinking there is only one restio species! In fact, there are 330 species in SA, of which about 30 species have been brought into cultivation. I think restios are not yet used to their full potential in commercial and domestic landscapes. Often they are spaced too closely, so that the tussocks are enmeshed and one cannot appreciate the natural form of the plant. Sometimes inappropriate species are selected, for example when moisture-loving species are planted on unirrigated traffic circles and roadsides, where they are destined to die. As always it helps to assess the environment you are planting and to make a careful selection. Growing conditions Most restios require full sun, although a few can tolerate a few hours of shade. They grow on welldrained, usually sandy and acidic soils and require free air movement. For this reason restios usually

Species

Common Name

Restio multiflorus Restio similis Rhodocoma foliosa

Rhodocoma gigantea Thamnochortus

–

Langeberg riet

Olifantsriet Steenbok reed

bachmannii Thamnochortus

–

fraternus Thamnochortus lucens Thamnochortus insignis Thamnochortus

Jakkalsstert Albertinia dekriet Dekriet

spicigerus LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Single Moist Dry plant Group

–

to be planted in groups for best effect. Of course the “single accent” species can also be planted in groups, but take care to space them properly, so that each tussock has the space to develop to its mature size. As a general rule, the tussocks tend to grow as wide as they are high. Companion plants: Restios combine well with just about any fynbos species, but I think they look particularly good with grey foliage (e.g. Eriocephalus or Stoebe) or the fine foliage of buchus. For a striking effect plant restios en masse with only a few companion species – a good example of less is more! Some species form such dense tussocks that it’s best to plant only groundcovers within their radius. Small species which are more upright and wiry (e.g. Restio similis, Thamnochortus pluristachys) lend themselves to interplanting with ericas of a similar height. Maintenance Restios do not require much maintenance, except for the occasional removal of the lower leaves when these are brown or lying on the ground. People seem to like to clip restios and give them a straight hair cut, but to me this looks unnatural and detracts from the architecture of the plant. Restios such as Cape Thatching Reed can be cut right down at the base once every 5 years but you need to get the timing just right. Before the plant produces new shoots, the plant re-absorbs nutrients from the old culms into the rootstock. At this moment (when it has re-absorbed the nutrient) you could cut the entire plant (tussock) at the base and it will regrow. However if you do it at the wrong time, you will weaken the plant and it may die.

Size

–

1.5m

–

70cm

1–1.75m

Comment Sparsely branched plants, can interplant with tall ericas and conebushes Tufted plants with fine stems, great for interplanting with ericas. Dark brown seed heads Upright dense plants with arching fronds and bunches of juvenile foliage (foliosa means full of leaves)

–

1.5–3m

–

60–80cm

–

60cm

–

50cm

–

1.5m

Very tall plants, sparser than Cannamois, a pretty screen for fynbos Suitable for small gardens, pretty bronze-brown flowerheads Neat plants for small gardens, limestone species so can tolerate alkaline conditions Neat tufted plants with golden flower heads, the tussock does tend to ‘flop’/flatten after rain Large neat rounded tussock, pretty golden flower heads, good accent plant Very hardy, tolerates coastal conditions, thick hollow stems 25

NICK KENYON IRRIGATION

design – installation – repairs – maintenance

Tel 021 7618118 – Mobile 083 2319852 – Email oldnick@wam.co.za

Constantly improving the current state of the environment, Reliance produces 100% certified organic compost. Reliance reduces Greenhouse Gas emissions by about 80 000 CO2 a year, and annually diverts over 1 500 000 cubic meters of green refuse from already over crowded landﬁlls around the City of Cape Town. 0861 888 784 • info@reliance.co.za www.twitter.com/OrganicReliance www.reliance.co.za

Eco sustainable timber specialists

• Hard wood decking • T&G Flooring • Custom cut beams • Custom furniture • Frameless folding doors. 10 Bloemhof Avenue, Wetton 021 703 7082 or call Craig on 082 447 6081 info@forestcreations.co.za www.forestcreations.co.za

VEGETATE

Nutritious and delicious, there’s nothing better than picking berries fresh from your own garden – and they’re easier to grow than you think. By Marion Whitehead.

hen you think of growing berries, strawberries and Cape gooseberries probably pop into your mind. But growing blueberries, blackberries and raspberries is easier than you think. They make pretty, dual-purpose hedges in even the smallest food garden, pollinators love them and they’re rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants. These days you can get cultivars suitable for zones such as the Cape Peninsula and many are now thornless – an important factor when it comes to pruning and picking. Plant in spring and remember berries are greedy feeders, so good soil preparation is vital. Boost with a sprinkling of volcanic rock dust (available from selected garden centres) or Talborne’s Vitaveg before digging in well-rotted kraal manure and compost. BLUEBERRIES Caroline de Villiers of Themba Trees in Elgin Valley says blueberries are becoming popular with food gardeners because they’re hardy, easy to grow and quite disease resistant. They don’t have thorns, the blue-grey to green foliage is attractive and the white, bell-shaped flowers hang in clusters in late spring, producing berries that ripen to a deep purple-blue in summer. They don’t take up a lot of space and are also happy in containers. Choose a variety which is self-fertile. Paarl blueberry farmer Philip Howes recommends Misty and Sharp Blue for containers and Brightwell for an LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

edible hedge – plant them about a half a metre to a metre apart. Blueberries are members of the Ericaceae family and like an acidic soil, with a pH in the range of 4.5 to 5.0. “They like light, sandy soil that is well drained and rich in organic matter,” advises Philip. “Incorporate decomposed pine bark, but not sawdust.” The shallow-rooted plants are thirsty, so mulch well – pine needles and coffee grounds will help keep the soil acidic. Water deeply at least once a week and more often for containers. Prune in winter, thinning out old growth every three to four years. “For hedges, just trim them back to a metre wide each year,” advises Philip. Blueberries start bearing in their second year. RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES Raspberries and blackberries belong to the same family as roses and their ferocious thorns make them a good option for a security hedge if you go for thorny cultivars. Unlike blueberries, they need support and can be trained by the conscientious gardener. Raspberries like dappled sunlight and bear in the same year, whereas blackberries bear on one-yearold wood, says Raymond O’Grady, of Hillcrest Berry Orchards outside Stellenbosch, who has been growing them commercially for 25 years. Gundula Deutschlander, one of the gardeners at Babylonstoren near Paarl, says their berries have done better than expected in that climate and

Photos by Philip Howes

BERRYGOOD for you Above: The pretty, bell-like flowers of blueberries reveal they are part of the Erica family. Packed with vitamin C, the berries ripen into a deep blue-purple.

recommends Autumn Bliss raspberries, one of the berry plants for sale to the public at Hillcrest Berry Orchards (also Hull, a thornless blackberry which is a good bearer). Treat blackberries and their derivatives such as tayberries, youngberries and boysenberries the same: they do best in a sunny spot with welldrained, sandy loam soil rich in organic matter with a pH of 5.6 to 6.2. Do not plant berries where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, or eggplant have been grown within the past four years, as they can pick up a root rot called Verticillium from them. Mulch with coarse compost, says Henri de Jager of The Berry Farm outside Swellendam, where the public can picnic and pick their own berries in the November-December season. Once established, a single plant can yield 2.5kg to 5kg of blackberries. Berries are extremely perishable and must be picked regularly before the birds get them. “Pick them the moment they’re ripe or they develop fruit fly,” advises orchard management consultant Peter Greeff. Berries are best eaten fresh, when their antioxidant properties are at their health-giving peak. PLANT SOURCES Not many garden centres stock berry plants. Buy good cultivars direct from Hillcrest Berry Orchards (021 885 1629, www.hillcrestberries.co.za) and Themba Trees (083 419 0223, www.thembatrees. co.za) or via mail order from The Urban Berry Farm (www.facebook.com/theurbanberryfarm). 27

MATERIALS

All you need to know about

DECKING

Decking is a great way of making the most of your views, creating an aesthetic pool surround, or solving awkward spaces. John Richardson reports on the structures and the timbers used.

ver wondered what to do with that awkward corner of the garden where no-one ever goes? Or how to capitalise on that unused space above the garage that revealed a stunning view of the mountain last time you were cleaning out the gutters? Or how to turn your 16m² city backyard into an alfresco dining experience worthy of a Mpumalanga guest lodge – without losing your one and only tree? Well then, why not build a deck? Timber decks are used in a great variety of ways for adding functional and beautiful space to any garden or home. From intimate islands-for-two floating in

the greenery at the bottom of the garden, through to the grand platforms for hundreds of people at trendy beach-clubs, the versatility and ease of construction make timber decks a perfect choice for almost every scenario and budget. Versatile materials and sensitive sites Decking has an inherently sympathetic relationship with the natural environment – it sits lightly on the earth. It is this unique ability to seemingly float above the landscape that creates such great potential for space-making and allows access to vistas and spaces that would be very difficult to achieve with other building materials – especially

on sensitive sites where minimal disturbance to the natural ground level is preferable. “The portability and lightness of wood makes installation comparatively easy on difficult-toaccess sites,” agrees landscape architect Donovan Gillman, “and since boards can be cut to fit any edge profile, even with trees and rocks protruding right through them, it allows them to be used in a very natural way.” Architecture and aesthetics Design-wise, decks present many options. Architectural detail can be incorporated into balustrades with timber, stainless steel cable,

MATERIALS REGULARLY USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DECKS SABS GRADED AND APPROVED SA PINE (H3 – H6) IN VARIOUS SIZES SA Pine is the standard solution for decking substructure. It is available in many different sections, lengths and grades and suitable for all exterior environments. All SA pine used as structural timber has a hazard class grading from H1 to H6, with H1 and H2 being for interior use only and grades H3 to H6 specified for various exterior applications. H3 TREATED SA PINE DECKING PLANKS Advantages: Readily available and relatively inexpensive. It is easy to work, stain and preserve. Disadvantages: It is a soft wood so it scores easily and, when used as deck planking, any knots will be visible (although this can be reduced by staining it dark).

Treatment: Annually with a quality wood preservative. Never varnish a deck. Origin: South Africa BELAU An extremely durable exterior hardwood, it is mostly used where maintenance is not desirable or practical. It is expected to last between 20 to 50 years in its natural state. The initial light brown colour quickly weathers to a silvery grey in the sun. Surface cracks are characteristic and pinholes are often present. Advantages: Hardwearing. No maintenance. Disadvantages: Considered difficult to work with. Leaches colour pigment for the first few months. Tends to splinter, so be wary around swimming pools. Treatment: Due to its natural resin, sealants and paints don’t penetrate properly and tend to come off. Best left untreated. Origin: South East Asia

GARAPA This kiln-dried and stable timber is hard and strong with a fine grain which does not splinter. If left natural, its naturally yellow colour weathers to a silvery grey over time or it can be stained the colour of choice. Advantages: Great around pools because it doesn’t splinter. Can be stained. Hard and durable. For some contractors it has surpassed Belau as the timber of choice for decking planks. 25-year plus life span. Disadvantages: Structural sizes not available. Only decking planks. Origin: South America MASSARANDUBA A dark to reddish hardwood that maintains its rich colour when regularly treated with teak oil. It is very stable and, if left natural, weathers to a silvery grey. It is used in heavy industry, for railway sleepers, boat building and decking.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Photos supplied

Photo by Claire Bunkell

Opposite page: Here Massaranduba decking planks, fixed to a Garapa sub-structure from the underside, creates a practical poolside surface that is both and environmentallyfriendly and attractive. Clockwise from top: Modern thinking for contemporary architecture, woodcomposite decking presents its case for the future; Durable and earthy, classic Belau decking has stood the test of time, in the harshest of conditions; Garapa decking planks have the benefits of being durable, available and stainable, making it a new favourite.

painted steel or combinations of all of these and other elements. Seating areas, braai structures, spas, pergolas and planters are all easily incorporated. The material can be economically formed into almost any shape, on single or multiple levels, hugging the topography or floating high above it. The minimal foundations allow plant roots to grow naturally around it and its inherent permeability allows water to move through it. Few other building materials sit as idyllically in the landscape as does a timber deck. “The refined geometric form of a floating, circular or rectangular deck can create a sense of drama within a sylvan glade,” says Gillman, “or be cantilevered out over a large pond, wetland or natural vegetation, with the softening effects of grasses or perennials naturalising the hard edges”. Planning and structural design When planning a deck it is important to understand the impact it may have on any existing views. For example, a large, level deck that opens

up panoramic vistas from its perimeter will also cut out much of the foreground areas when standing further back. Alternatively, stepping it down will allow progressively more of the foreground into the view with each drop in level. If possible, set up a visual guide during the planning stage. A simple string-line set up at the proposed finished level is a good visual guide as to how the finished structure might affect existing views. All decks are supported by a substructure, often timber, which needs to be designed either by a qualified engineer or an experienced decking contractor working within the local building regulations. “If your deck is higher than one metre off the ground it needs council approval and balustrades shouldn’t have any openings more than 100mm wide,” says Sam Zaayman, owner of Master Decks Master Ports. Substructures can be constructed from masonry, reinforced concrete, steel, timber or a combination of these materials.

Locally, sub-structures are mostly framed using SABS graded and approved SA Pine (H3 – H6). This is South African plantation-grown timber that has been pressure treated against fungal and insect damage. “Treated structural SA pine is perfect for substructures,” says Zaayman, “it’s cost effective and readily available in the right lengths and sections.” Fixing methods One of the major aesthetic considerations is the way the planks are fastened to the substructure. The simplest method is top fixing with a visible, flush fitted, stainless steel screw. This method is also the most practical from an installation and maintenance perspective, because the screw is accessible and can easily be removed or retightened at a later stage, if necessary. If you don’t want to see the screw-heads then there are “secret fixing” methods, including the skew screw, where a longer, narrow screw is driven into the plank diagonally from the (to next page) ▶▶

Advantages: A stable, dense timber that is easily worked and very durable. Disadvantages: Structural sizes not available. Only decking planks. Origin: West Indies, South America. JARRAH Well-known for its durability, it was used mostly for railway sleepers in the past. It is flame resistant, dark reddish brown in colour and very suitable for decking. Advantages: Hardwearing, it requires little maintenance. Structural sizes are available. Disadvantages: Relatively expensive. WOOD COMPOSITE DECKING This manufactured material has undergone much improvement worldwide over the past decade. American manufactures have developed durable and aesthetic composite polymer decking planks suitable for climates like South Africa. Advantages: No maintenance. Durable and stable.

Disadvantages: Some types can get hot underfoot. There is a range of brands available locally, so research well and shop wisely. Origin: America and China EUCALYPTUS / GUM Widely used in Australia, properly cured eucalyptus is a good material for hardwood decking planks. It is sourced locally and can be stained or left natural. “Hardwood eucalyptus decking is highly eco,” says Grant Bramwell of Forest Creations, “it’s a sustainable product made from alien timber. It is also less likely to form small splinters – as do some of the imported hard woods.” Advantages: Durable. Inexpensive. Can be stained. Disadvantages: Subject to cracking if not properly cured. Origin: Originally from Australia, but there are plantations in eastern South Africa. It is also sourced in Cape Town.

RECYCLED TIMBER This is second-hand timber sourced from demolished structures. Deemed to be the least environmentally costly source of timber, it is not necessarily the most financially viable. This is because the source structure needs to be dismantled rather than demolished and all nails, screws and other metal fasteners need to be removed prior to re-use, also the lengths often have to be cut down into non-standard lengths. Advantages: Very environmentally friendly. You are saving it from the landfill site. Disadvantages: Supply and availability extremely variable. Not necessarily less expensive due to labour required to refinish. Origin: Demoliton sites and yards

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Other timber regularly used includes: Meranti, Iroko, Zimbawe teak, Ipe, Purple Heart, Bilinga and African mahogany amongst others. 29

DESIGNING spaces for PEOPLE

“I

Honoured as an “Icon of Landscape Architecture” by the Institute for Landscape Architecture in South Africa, Johan van Papendorp has a portfolio that has literally helped shaped Cape Town as we know it today. Glynis O’Hara spoke to him.

’ve been lucky in some ways and it’s been tough in some ways,” says Johan van Papendorp, who’s been in the business of landscape architecture for more than 37 years. The antithesis of egotistical, as fellow landscape architect Tanya de Villiers notes, he spends a lot of time during the interview talking about the talents of other people and has to be gently brought back to talk about his own achievements. He’s also widely known for encouraging younger generations of landscape architects, all of whom speak glowingly about him. His contribution to the city has been enormous, including the multiple award-winning reconstruction of Green Point Common, the upgrade of the tourist areas and landscaping on Table Mountain and at Cape Point, development of the V&A Waterfront, the greening of the city centre, master planning for the University of the Western Cape, and framework planning for Marina da Gama. “Johan’s work over the last 30 years made Cape Town a more liveable city, improved the quality of people’s lives and demonstrated the intrinsic value of landscape architecture,” says Antoinette Raimond, Institute for Landscape Architecture in South Africa (Ilasa) president. He is the co-founder of OvP Associates with Bernie Oberholzer, who called him a “great 30

Photos supplied

PROFILE

visionary” in the Ilasa presentation at the awards held in Johannesburg on August 24. Both men studied architecture at the University of Cape Town in the late ’60s and, notes Bernie: “He was both a ballet dancer and rugby player at the time… which was a bit unusual for a boereseun from the platteland… but fortunately I’m broad-minded.” After graduating, Johan shimmied straight into the Marina da Gama project in the early ’70s. The planners imported Dick Schecht, an American landscape architect, he explains, “and it was very progressive for the time because before then, the profession didn’t get involved at an early stage. The team had to understand how to manage the wind, the behaviour of the water and what type of vegetation would work, although the emphasis on indigenous was not that strong then.

“He was both a ballet dancer and rugby player in the '60s... which was a bit unusual for a boereseun from the platteland … but fortunately I’m broad-minded.” “Working with Dick made me very much more aware. We created berms against the wind, houses facing northwest and sloping roofs to give another line of protection. We also worked on aligning trees

and houses to create protected zones.” Inspired by all of this, Johan went to Harvard University in the US to do a master’s in landscape architecture and worked there before moving to Toronto, Canada, for six years. Back in Cape Town, Johan joined the city council as a senior landscape architect and worked on researching and drawing up policy frameworks for: “Greening of the city”, on open spaces and recreation, and “City for the people”, on upgrading of CBD public spaces and a “pedestrianisation” programme. “The city was so dominated by traffic then, so this was all new thinking. It was going through a low at the time (the early ’80s) and competing with big centres developing in the suburbs. We had to find a way of improving the urban environment for the people living and working in the city. “St George’s Mall was one outflow, as was the upgrading of Greenmarket Square. Church Street between Long and Loop was closed to traffic and it worked.” As for the V&A Waterfront, the beginnings were in the early ’80s, when a research group first looked at the potential. It was owned by the department of railways and harbours though, “which wasn’t very interested at first”. But by 1989, they gave some seed money for the first phase and OvP was appointed as landscape architects. LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

Decking

Clockwise from left: A packed Green Point Common – “My joy is to go to things I’ve made to see how people use the space,” says Johan; Landscaping at the top of Table Mountain; Apartment at the V&A Waterfront; Elevated view of Green Point Common.

When you look back at your work, what do you like the most? There’s no one single project. At the Waterfront, it’s the link from the pierhead coming through to Quay 4 and the shopping mall and two levels in front of the mall. It’s a celebration of life in public spaces. Before then, Cape Town didn’t really have that. So it brought people out. I also love the city centre – it’s very touristy with lots of small businesses. I love the life and getting people to interact. The upgrading of Table Mountain was an amazing process too. The old cable car was out of commission and everything had to be taken up by helicopter. Workers lived up there in containers flown up by chopper. We had to be careful not to damage plants and our first task was to collect seeds, cuttings and soil to bring down for a growing medium. What made you interested in outdoor spaces? I come from farming stock and I grew up in Riviersonderend, living in the mountains on a river. There was no electricity at first, in the early years we just had oil lamps and candles. My father was a farmer and ran the algemene handelaar (general dealer) shop in town. I just always had the desire to configure spaces. I used to make dams as a kid, controlling the waterflow and seeing what happened. I didn’t think of university then, we didn’t have much money. But I applied and got a public service bursary. Were Green issues always top of mind? I’m not sure we were so aware of it in the early days, but landscape is not separate from life, it enables us to be. So we do pay a lot of attention to it now. More than 50% of South Africans live in cities now. So the pressure is to expand and take up more natural environment. But it has to be done healthily. We’ve LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2013

learned so much from ecology. Development is beyond the business of making money. It’s also about people and sensitive responses to nature. Where did you learn most? In this office. I’ve had wonderful opportunities and met wonderful people. People are very important to me, especially young people coming into the profession. Highs and lows? Every day is a high. I can’t imagine doing anything else. The lows have been in worrying about cash flow. At times I’ve had to reduce staff and it’s the hardest thing to do. What’s your own garden like? Terrible. I don’t get to it. It’s very small. There is a veggie patch which my wife likes a lot. What do you think your legacy is? My joy is to go to things I’ve made, like a plaza or park, to see how people use the space and enjoy it. Sometimes in ways I visualised and sometimes in ways I never thought of ! It’s so worthwhile.

continued...

◀◀ ( from page 30) side using a special jig. Or upsidedown fixing, where planks are fixed to battens from the underside and then turned and fastened to the sub-structure in panels. There are also various special clips and brackets that, when used with highly stable, specially machined timber, are a very effective and neat solution. Some decking planks come with grooves (reeded) on one side “But we don’t advise using it on the top side”, says decking contractor Nathaniel Roberts from Timbacore, “a recent study has shown that it does not result in better traction and the small ridges are prone to splintering. It can also make it difficult to finish the screw off neatly.” Alternative materials Recent developments in the manufacturing of composite polymer wood decking have produced a modern material which has a longer life span and requires less maintenance than natural timber. It stands up to the elements well and requires little maintenance. “You will not need to worry about termites, mildew, rotting or splinters,” says Larry Jacques of Envirodeck. “Wood composite boards are foot-friendly with superior anti-slip properties. Over time there will be some minimal fading.” Maintenance The amount of deck maintenance required depends on the type of timber or wood composite plank used. Generally, SA pine exposed to the elements needs to be treated once a year with a quality wood preservative (never use varnish on a deck). Most of the hardwoods require no treatment at all and almost all of them go a silvery-grey after a year or so. If you want a hardwood in a darker colour remember that not all hardwoods can be successfully treated. Others will take oils like linseed or teak oil, which make them go very dark in the sun. Sustainability When harvested from a sustainable and wellmanaged plantation, timber is a renewable resource with a lower embodied energy (total energy for production of the ready-to-use product) than steel, bricks and cement based materials. Today there are more than 50 certification standards that facilitate the renewable timber industry worldwide, with the two largest being the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These certificates endorse the forest management practices as defined by their criteria and benchmarks and must accompany the timber across the entire supply chain. “If we need to” says Nathaniel Roberts, “we can trace a single deck plank right back to the plantation from where it was harvested.” • Forest Creations – 021 703 7082 • Envirodeck – 021 706 1099 • Timbacore – 021 949 5555 • Masterdecks – 021 762 9390 31

OBJECTS

BIRD houses 1 – Driftwood birdie house by Oshun 021 789 0083 / R300

. 2

3 – Nesting box with wash effect (various colours) by Aspidistra 021 881 3494 / from R89 4 – Birdhouse (40 x 30cm) by Aspidistra 021 881 3494 / R395 5 – Reclaimed wood birdhouse by The Greenhouse 021 689 9598 / R345

Specialising in: Water-wise, indigenous gardens Wildlife-friendly ponds Garden maintenance Cell: 081 466 1579 danbiggs.ct@gmail.com www.capelandscaping.co.za

Vita Organic Fertilizer Complete plant food Won’t burn plants Organic nutrients release slowly Feed 4 monthly Environmentally friendly Low odour Easy application granules

Our Natural Swimming Pools produce water so pure and life sustaining, you’ll want to drink it

Tel: (013) 933 3172 www.talborne.co.za www.facebook.com/Talborne Stocked by leading Garden Centres

Certified Organic

EcoPools has pioneered Natural Swimming Pools in SA over the last decade, with over 450 installations

info@ecopools.co.za • Tel: 021 761 3759 www.ecopoolsonline.com

Reg. No. K5125, K5126, K5127 Act 36 of 1947

Vita Fruit & Flower Vita Green CAT11169/1/E

2 – Vintage ceramic birdfeeder by The Greenhouse 021 689 9598 / R225

Vita Grow Vita Veg

00371/00/00 Organic Certification UK 4

Liebermann Pottery

MARC DAWSON

Fridhem Farm, Saxonwold Rd, Klein Dassenberg, 7350 fridhemfarm@vodamail.co.za 082 804 2241

• Porcelain� • Tableware � • Planters� • Bonsai 20 Kommetjie Road, Sunnydale •021 785 7713 GPS: 34o 08’06”S 18o 22’ 21”E liebpottcpt@mweb.co.za

www.liebermannpottery.net

Kurt De Beer 083 285 7607 • 4X4 CRANE TRUCK HIRE • CHIPPER HIRE • TREE FELLING & TRIMMING • FIRE WOOD • BRAAI WOOD • MULCH SUPPLIED

At Cape Contours, we are well experienced in the customized design, supply and installation of Living Green Walls (vertical gardens) across South Africa and beyond. Our unique designs can be adapted into a portable screen or partition between spaces, an extended planting surface for fresh herbs and vegetables, or to add a lush backdrop in apartments, restaurants and shops.

We aim to beautify, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and strengthen our living environments by introducing more of these vertical green lungs into our cities.

For more information visit www.capecontours.co.za or contact Sean on 021 788 1202 / sean@capecontours.co.za Cape Contours_LDMG_Aug2013.indd 2

2013/08/13 12:57:29 PM