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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
FRESH THOUGHTS W
ith the start of the growing season, our gardens beckon us to come outside and spend time in them, inspiring us to re-think old layouts and introduce fresh new ideas. Well, it’s what seems to happen to me every spring. However recently, instead of focusing most of my attention on redoing shapes and layout, I have, if you could say, fallen deeply in love with rediscovering plant varieties and mixing up new planting combinations. For the past decade or so, many designers have given pride of place to architecture and form, which can result in a fairly soulless landscape where plants play subordinate roles and simply fill spaces. But there seems to be a new revival in plant-focussed design, and planting themes are making a comeback. A successful example of this is the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, where well-known garden designer Piet Oudolf is setting new garden trends by experimenting with different and interesting plant combinations. In doing so, he’s reclaiming gardens as a home to plants, as well as connecting us emotionally with the landscape.
CONTENTS
Here in Cape Town, our designers are doing the same, and you can see some beautiful examples in our features. “Joyful abundance” on page 10 has a palette of wonderfully textured plants, the garden on page 14 features colourful indigenous combinations, while on page 34 Marijke Honig provides inspiration for a classic white theme. And if you are in need of some help, Marijke’s new book Indigenous Plant Palettes and, a current favourite of mine, Plant-Driven Design by Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden will give you some great advice. In June this year, the South African Landscapers Institute (SALI) celebrated its yearly industry awards, showing off top commercial and home garden achievements. The variety and selection of awards on page 23 showcase the diverse roles that landscape designers play. Some of these wonderful projects, such as the IRT bus route, are looking striking at the moment. We’re also lucky to have outdoor parks that have become well-designed places for us to enjoy and exercise in. We thank all the people involved in dreaming, designing and planning to make these spaces such a joy to be part of.
Cover: Tumbling grasses provide texture in this Elgin garden (see page 10). Picture by Claire Bunkell.
Regulars 6 38
In Brief: Garden news and views Profile: Franchesca Watson talks aesthetics
GARDENS 10 14 20 23
A notable perennial flower garden in Elgin Indigenous colour in Plettenberg Bay Vibrant blooms in Bishopscourt A showcase of award winners
PARK LIFE 17
Vegetables return to The Company’s Garden
KNOW HOW
34 Plant Palette: A vision in white 36 Fix Your Space: The case for artificial lawn EDITOR Cara Smith: info@ldgm.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Anne Duncan: anneduncan@mweb.co.za DESIGNER Tamzon Woodley: tamzon@twdesign.co.za PHOTOGRAPHY Claire Bunkell: clairea@tiscali.co.za
This composition of grasses and perennials by Mary Maurel indicates how
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planting combinations can become a painted tapestry in the garden, a work of
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art in their own right.
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
THE CONSTANT GARDENER We bring you advice from the experts in this column in every issue
Create a shady corner Respected nurserywoman Toos van den Berg, who’s been in the garden centre business in Cape Town since 1972, shares some ideas for creating a shaded seating area.
N
atural shade is always a winner and, if you want to create an eye-catching yet low-cost feature in your garden, consider planting a living pagoda as a focal point. Depending on the space you have available, you can choose different pagoda shapes, including triangular, square or hexagonal. For smaller gardens, half a pagoda is ideal. Start making the frame for your pagoda by planting wooden poles that will support your choice of trees or climbers. Build a latticed roof on top of the poles to which you can attach the branches of your trees. Use strong rope or plastic ties to fasten twigs and thin branches onto the frame initially, but allow for wiggle room to compensate for growth. Plant trees flush with the poles and attach selected tall stemmed specimens for best results. To create your pagoda, prune trees according to the shape of your frame. Seasonal maintenance is needed to keep it
under control. Suitable specimens should have pliable branches to allow for plaiting and weaving of stems through the structure. Ideal indigenous trees to use would be: white karee (Rhus pendulina), cape willow (Salix mucronata), wild sand olive (Dodonaea angustifolia), the parsley tree (Heteromorpha arborescens) and – for the adventurous – sweet thorn (Acacia karroo). Nonindigenous Ficus benjamina or Populus simonii also work well. Optional climbers to add to the structure include Distictis ‘Mrs Rivers’, Wisteria spp., bougainvillea, ivy, Pandorea jasminoides, climbing rose (starry eye) and grape vines. • Find Toos at the Van den Berg Garden Village at Klein Joostenberg, 021 884 4095, or at her new nursery at Stanler Farms in Durbanville 021 975 1724.
LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
IN BRIEF
5 minutes with… Tessa Oliver With the approach of the Cape wildfire season, we spoke to Tessa Oliver of the Fynbos Fire Project about the benefits of incorporating fynbos into your landscape. How did you get into fynbos and fire prevention? After studying humanities at Stellenbosch and UCT, my career went in a biological direction. My knowledge of local flora, absorbed from my parents who were both botanists, helped me secure a job with Cape Nature at their scientific services section. Since then I’ve worked for the Agricultural Research Council and the South African National Biodiversity Institute. What is your current role? I coordinate the GEF Fynbos Fire project, which focuses on reducing disaster risks from wildland fire hazards associated with climate change. I am also the chairperson of the Fynbos Forum. Why does fynbos help to protect your property against fire? Fynbos burns at a lower temperature
than most exotic plants. Don’t be scared to use fynbos in your landscaping and don’t be scared to approach experts for their opinions on which species to plant in the area you are in. As well as being fire adapted, fynbos provides food and habitat for birds, butterflies and insects, and also creates corridors for animals to move between protected areas, thereby ensuring gene flow between populations What fynbos plants are best? Low-growing succulents like vygies (such as Carpobrotus, Dorotheanthus bellidiformis, Mesembryanthemums and Lampranthus) or aloes are perfect for ‘firescaping’ as they have a high water content. They’re also waterwise, low maintenance and have gorgeous flowers. Can you mix in exotic plants? Mixing in the wrong kind of exotics can increase the flammability and fuel load, so rather keep it local
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
Are trees always a fire risk? Not at all. Many indigenous trees, like milkwoods, are highly recommended for firewise landscaping. They have a special chemical in their leaves and bark that means they don’t burn as intensely as exotic species. Can fynbos survive global warming? Some species have very specific habitat requirements and will probably not be able to survive a 5 degree increase of mean temperature, but most of the commercially available species are adapted to varying conditions and will probably not be affected. What is the biggest threat to the fynbos biome? The rampant spread of invasive alien plants such as pines, hakea and Australian acacias. • www.fynbosfire.org.za
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Choosing plants made easy
Respected botanist and landscape designer – and regular Landscape Design & Garden contributor – Marijke Honig has created a comprehensive reference for local gardeners in her new book Indigenous Plant Palettes – a guide to plant selection (Quivertree, R495). Due out in November, the 320-page hardcover book is an inspirational, practical and easyto-use guide that details everything you need to know to choose the right plants for a particular space and purpose, and create a dream indigenous garden. Marijke shares her vast bank of knowledge and experience to help you assess the conditions in your garden, select the perfect plants and grow them successfully – much like she does in her regular plant palette column every issue. It’s bound to prove an indispensable tool for anyone involved in the landscaping business – and is also a beautiful celebration of SA’s unique flora.
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Joyful abundance
Set among undulating hills and fruit orchards, with panoramic mountain views, this extensive Elgin garden is an airy tapestry of tumbling grasses and buoyant perennials. By John Richardson Photographs by Claire Bunkell
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
GARDEN
T
his is the 14th year of the Elgin Open Gardens, an annual weekend gala where the owners of some truly remarkable gardens in the Grabouw district open their gates to the public. One of this year’s participating gardens is at Fairholme, the home and plant nursery of Duncan and Liz Henderson, who along with their daughter Mary Maurel have been developing a notable perennial flower garden on a portion of their 2,85-hectare property in the heart of the Elgin valley. While many Cape Town gardeners will remember Duncan from his longstanding nursery business Duncan’s Roses, it is the family’s more recent interest in the propagation and cultivation of perennials and ornamental grasses that has precipitated this particular garden’s steady rise to acclaim. A wander through the garden takes one from formal terraces to sunny lawns, along meandering paths to a shaded pergola walk, all the while accompanied by voluminous tumbles of buoyant perennial planting and swathes of drifting grasses. It is a flower lover’s paradise. Colours are vivid and LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
profuse: in places hot in jazzy reds and punchy yellows; in others, like the dappled depths of the woodland garden, demure blues, mauves and violets dwell amongst iridescent shades of white. “The formal gardens were created first,” says Liz. “Mary did an initial structural layout for the garden – so the parterre and rose garden were designed on paper first. The rest was worked out on site.” These formal gardens are found on the upper terrace where Myrtus communis ‘Microphylla’ hedges contain Hemerocallis ‘Joan Senior’, Agapanthus nana ‘Blue’ and other plants. There is also a grove of Betula pendula and Celtis sinensis trees. And, of course, there are dozens of roses. “The roses in the parterre garden are ‘Ivory Beauty’, which is one of the healthiest roses and also has a very well-shaped bloom,” says Duncan. Against the wall are ‘Graham Thomas’ and ‘Sally Holmes’. In one of the borders on the terrace there is an area of empty bedding. It is the only area of the entire garden that’s not positively brimming over. “We had planted Salvia leucantha here,” explains
Opposite page: Indigenous pincushions lend local flavour to this classic colour-coded English country garden-style border. Clockwise from above left: Perennial grasses provide both structure and movement in the meadow garden; purples and whites theme the borders around the main lawn and pool; the globular forms of clipped box (Buxus sempervirens) signpost the entrance to freeform herbaceous perennial borders beyond.
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GARDEN
Clockwise from top left: Restios and colourful
Rudbeckia fulgida flank the path in the lower garden; a formal parterre of Myrtus communis ‘Microphylla’ is framed by a profusion of agapanthus; a rose-clad pergola walk provides a cool environment for shade-loving perennials.
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Duncan, “but Mary vetoed that!” Now there is an autumnal planting of Ornithogalum thyrsoides (chincherinchees) interspersed with spring flowering Gaura lindhiemeri and the salvia has retreated to another part of the garden. “Mary is more concerned with the combinations than we are,” says Liz, “as this is key in her work as a garden designer. It is really the growing of plants that is the passion that drives Duncan and I. We’re always on the lookout for new plants. Sometimes Mary presents us with a cutting from a client’s garden or something she has found and says, here, grow this!” Below the house, leading off the north side of the lawn, is a stone path that wends its way through an area of planting characterised by combinations of perennials and ornamental grasses. This is a perennial meadow-style garden, inspired by the work of Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf. “The whole planting was a bit of an experiment,” says Mary. “Dad left it to me – he just spent the day wheeling trolleys of grasses down from the nursery. It wasn’t planned on paper first – I literally set out the plants instinctively on site.” Happily, her instincts served her well and the result is spectacular: cool greys of Salvia canariensis temper a feather-headed Stipa gigantea, goldenthreaded Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Overdam’ offset a dusky grey Achillea millefolium, while
light on the Miscanthus ‘Morning light’ shatters Campanula ‘Pixie Hats’ into fractals of lilac. “I love the movement,” says Mary, “how the planting catches the light, especially morning and evenings, and how it changes with the seasons.” Gardening with perennials, I have come to realise, is about plant combinations. It is the art of combining and contrasting plant forms, colours and textures until they resonate with a kind of synergetic harmony. And while many a gardener can muster a hum, it takes a master to really make them sing. Of course, a well-chosen location doesn’t hurt either. “Elgin has soil and climate in its favour,” says Duncan, “especially in winter. The soil is a rich clayloam, with a high content of small stones, which makes for good water retention and good drainage at the same time. We also have a fair amount of sub‑10 degree temperatures and every now and again a touch of frost. This is good for many perennials that come from Europe.” At less than 10 years old the garden has a maturity that belies its tender age, testament to the skill and knowledge of its three dedicated creators. Already the accolades are many: the garden has featured in Garden & Home, Condé Nast House & Garden, Country Life and The Gardener, as well as in Keith Kirsten’s 2013 book, Gardens to Inspire. And inspire it certainly does. LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
GARDEN
Clockwise from far left: The bank in front of the house is a riot of colour with pelargoniums and bitou; pincushions add pops of yellow in mixed beds; planting in blues, greys and pinks frame the deck; gazanias line pathways; gravel provides an effective ‘lawn’ in a damp, shady area.
bulbine and watsonia waving wands of white and apricot. Lavender bushes and alstroemerias also get the nod, despite not being indigenous. Plantings beside pathways are bright with orange, red and even pink-striped gazanias and a rainbow of vivid vygies, with desert roses (Echeveria) adding a neat succulent note. The owners adore grasses, which have become very popular in recent years, and Graham used two big pots of exotic Carex ‘Frosted Curls’ at the front entrance, where they make a strong sculptural statement. The pool courtyard on the east side of the house is screened from the neighbour’s double storey by a hedge of coastal silver oak (Brachylaena discolour), which can handle salt-laden coastal winds. Planters filled with restios and wild irises soften the hard lines LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
of the deck and garden gazebo, while boxes of arums and clivias thrive in the shady areas. The plantings in this area echo those of the back slope above the driveway and low shrubs ensure that the magnificent view of the Robberg peninsula is not obscured. A deep mauve poppy that came up out of the compost has been allowed to remain as it complements the blues, greys and pinks dominating in this large, mixed planting. The owners opted for gravel instead of having a lawn to mow – which is also an effective solution for this damp, shady area in front of the house. A section of the gravel was replaced by a boule court after the garden was completed. It’s a low-maintenance garden that GvH Landscapes weeds and prunes twice a month.
Compost and fertiliser are added every six months. “With fynbos, you just need a little feeding and don’t have to keep fertilising,” explains Jeremy Botha, who heads the GvH maintenance team. The irrigation system runs off rainwater collected in four 5 000-litre tanks hidden under the house. “We took a very green approach to conserving water, because Plett is getting drier and there’s been less rain throughout the year,” says Graham. Now that the garden is established, its wild colour provides a perfect contrast to the beige and whitetrimmed house, and has added great value to this Garden Route property. • GvH Landscapes 044 532 7612, 072 289 2938, www.gvhlandscapes.com 15
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
The makings of a heritage vegetable garden Urban Landscape Solutions was appointed by the City of Cape Town to build the new Dutch Garden. “It was a very exciting project to be involved in,” says the company’s owner, Eric Cherry. “The Company’s Garden is the oldest garden in South Africa and of huge historical importance. It is also important to me that it will have a educational role, teaching visitors not only about organic food gardening, but also promoting the use of heirloom vegetables, which have much better nutritional values.”
Demolition and earthwork Monterama were subcontracted to demolish the building and car park that were on the site, and excavated to a depth of 600mm. Because of the historical nature of the site, excavation had to be done in 150mm layers with sample trenches inspected by the heritage council for any historical artefacts.
Once the site was clear, construction of the water channels, ponds and seating began. These were built in compacted layers and using brickwork built on solid foundations. The brickwork was then cladded with sandstone rocks, sourced from the Bredasdorp area, which had been stockpiled from wheat fields 200 years ago. This was done to give the cladding an old look and feel. Pathways were built up with compacted sand and finished with laterite with a cement mix. The arbours, pergolas and fences were built with treated turned poles supplied by The Pole Yard.
Planting The soil mixer was specially made by Reliance Compost and included sandy topsoil and a fine compost mix. The mulch added to the landscaped area was also supplied by Reliance. Urban Landscape Solutions’ sister company, New Horizen Farm-Nursery supplied the seeds for the heirloom and old-style vegetables, as well as the landscaping plants.
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garden became more curvilinear, inspired by the work of British landscape architects such as Lancelot “Capability” Brown, who favoured a much more naturalistic layout.” Much of what is seen today is reminiscent of the sweeping changes made during the Victorian era, when landscape preferences turned emphatically towards the picturesque. The head gardener at the time, James McGibbon, overlaid the Dutch geometry with curving paths, expansive lawns, buoyant shrubbery and many large specimen trees, sourced from the significant extents of the British Empire. Now styles are shifting yet again. City Parks and Cape Town’s Environmental and Heritage Management have collaborated to create a brand new vegetable garden, designed very much in the spirit and form, if not the scale, of Van Riebeeck’s original garden. “Almost all evidence of the early Dutch characteristic had been lost from the gardens for a long time,” says Rory, “and we wanted to reintroduce an element of it, specifically as a vegetable garden in order to make it as close to the original as possible.”
Designed by heritage professional Phillip Smith, a landscape architect working for the city, the new Dutch Garden is based on the orderly and workmanlike spaces of the typical Dutch Baroque kitchen garden. A great deal of historical research went into its design, which features strong rectilinear lines on both the horizontal and vertical planes, windbreak hedges and timber arbours and frames for vines, berries and other fruits. A stone rill, or ‘gracht’ as the Dutch would have called it, forms the central axis, expanding into a circular pond where it meets a perpendicular axis that aligns with the centre of the adjacent rose garden, planted in 1929. Timber bridges provide access across the rill, while stone walls double as seating. It will function as a kitchen garden supplying fresh produce to the new restaurant that is currently under construction. “The garden will also be used to educate visitors, specifically school children on permaculture practices at a grass roots level,” adds Rory, “demonstrating how these practices can help future societies realise food security, resource management and ultimately improve local nutrition and health.” LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
Photographs: Rory Phelan
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GARDEN
Clockwise from far left: Blossomtime roses climb over feature arches; a pathway leads to Kim’s greenhouse; from the bench one can survey the vibrant mix of planting; the central pathway leads the eye to the exquisite views; roses, gaura, heliotrope, veronica spicata and salvias produce a colourful summertime display.
Once Kim, a busy mother of four with a background in finance, had chosen the plants, they were planted very quickly with the help of a five-strong team. Then Kim and her gardener, Nelson Maeba, who relocated with the Wilsons from Johannesburg, spent the next six months repositioning plants because “some things didn’t work out”. But scores of things did settle down and, surveying the spectacular scene only 18 months later, the garden is as breathtaking as its views. The clever mix of plants in the more formal space has mauve irises with their spiky fronds rubbing shoulders with pink gaura shrubs with their sprays of deep pink flowers, purple spires of heliotrope keeping veronica spicata company and salvias chatting up penstemon. Blossomtime roses climb over the arches with clematis for good cheer. It’s a heady mix that bears testimony to Kim’s keen eye for colour, texture, variety and interest. There is nothing predictable and while the garden is deceptively pretty, on closer LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
inspection every plant has earned its place. One of the wide beds is devoted to a picture-pretty white garden with erigeron, westringia, verbascum, iceberg roses, Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) and miniature agapanthus setting the scene. In front of the house, a lovely expanse of uninterrupted lawn – which comes to an end in an ingenious curve at the hedged boundary fence – is punctured only by a long, linear pool in which Kim’s businessman husband Mark loves to swim at the end of a busy day. But that’s not all: the steep, commanding driveway is lined with sentry-like silver birch trees with star jasmine beneath them for uniformity. There is also a mini citrus grove, small vegetable garden and picking rose garden adjacent to the staff quarters. Kim has also used climbers – roses and wisteria – to good effect on the side of the house and there are lots of clipped hedges nestling just under the windows. “I’ve hedged
Viburnum sinensis and Viburnum tinus, Escallonia and Rhus crenata.” A hands-on gardener who spends a couple of hours in her sanctuary every week, consulting with Nelson or getting her hands in the earth herself, Kim admits her gardens are “high-maintenance”. But she nurtures them through thick and thin, and in this one the winding path in the informal section leads to a door in a wall behind which she creates her own compost and has a greenhouse. “I plant cuttings and nurse them here to replace things in the garden when they start to look shabby.” Aptly, it was French Impressionist Claude Monet who declared: “My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece,” and it’s no coincidence that Kim has visited Monet’s garden in Giverny in northern France. “It’s a style of garden that I love: ordered chaos.” And here, in this idyllic garden at the tip of Africa, Kim has created her own Monet masterpiece. 21
An assurance of excellence Choosing a SALI member gives you confidence that you have chosen a company that has the credibility and capacity to execute your project.
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Contact SALI for more information: Cape l Tel: (021) 558 4989 l Fax: 086 632 8666 | E-mail: sailicape@iafrica.com l Website: www.sali.co.za 22
LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
SALI 2014 Awards of Excellence Every year the South African Landscapers Institute (SALI) recognises outstanding work by its members. We’ve rounded up all the SALI Western Cape Trophy and Gold Award winners to showcase the best in landscape design, installation and maintenance in the region.
Mitchell’s Plain Hospital Contractor: Cape Contours Designer: Tarna Klitzner Landscape Architects • SALI Shield for Excellence in Landscaping (Overall Award) • Rand Water Trophy for the Best Waterwise Entry • Just Trees Trophy for the Best Landscape Construction with Design by Others • SALI Gold Awards for Waterwise, Specialised Landscape Construction and Landscape Construction with Design by Others This extensive project, which took 19 months to complete, required the complete installation and regeneration of an endemic landscape on a largely disturbed and alien-infested site. It also rehabilitated and preserved a large area of endangered Dune Strandveld (a threatened fynbos biome), with the philosophy being to bring healing to both the landscape and the hospital’s patients. In a groundbreaking new urban drainage system, stormwater run-off 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 2014
and is in turn used to irrigate the landscape – saving the hospital millions in water costs. What the judges said: “A well designed and installed landscape. Maturation success high even with construction still going on. Birdlife is noticeable in this indigenous paradise. Cape Contours did an excellent job to stay true to the design intent and impressed with their understanding of the drainage/ rainwater harvesting system. Excellent use of rock from site to use as features in landscape.” 23
Brandwacht aan Rivier Contractor: DDS Projects • Best Novice Trophy • Efekto Trophy for the Best Landscape Construction with In-house Design • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design A key feature of this new housing estate near Stellenbosch is the river that runs through it, and it’s the central theme of a landscape design that has used indigenous and endemic planting to provide an ecologically sound habitat for birds, insects and small mammals. Meandering walkways along the river provide an opportunity for residents to interact with
the beautiful landscape, while three lawn areas provide recreational areas that also allow children to experience more of the unique fauna and flora along the river. What the judges said: “The design blends well with the river area. Plants have established well and many species are self seeding.”
House Hillside Contractor: Plant Culture • MayFord Trophy for the Best Use of Colour in the Landscape • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design The owners of this new build in Hidden Valley Road in Stellenbosch asked Plant Culture to blend their new home into the hillside as naturally as possible. They needed to contour, stabilise and secure the embankments and encompass existing rock formations. The planting material needed to be low maintenance and waterwise, but make an impact, especially at the entrance. Lawn areas were to be kept minimal and the client wanted an irrigation system that could link in to the existing farm system. What the judges said: “An excellent project that’s a pleasure to visit. There’s great use of colour in both flower and foliage and the diversity in plants adds to the ecological value of the hillside. The design responds well to context (climate, slope, user requirements, etc) while being nestled into the landscape in a sensitive manner.”
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
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SALI GOLD AWARD 2014
LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
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House Ascough Contractor: Prohort • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design What the judges said: “A hardy plant palette for the extreme climate that also fulfils the aesthetic requirements of the architecture. The use of lawn to create a seamless blend with the estate landscape is very successful and creates a huge park-like feeling.”
House Coulthard
Capital Harvest
Barloworld Toyota
Contractor: GvH Landscapes • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design
Contractor: Langverwacht Landscaping • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design
Contractor: Langverwacht Landscaping • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design
What the judges said: “A happy client, and a robust and colourful plant palette for the offices of this niche agriculture finance company.”
What the judges said: “Simple and effective planting selection for this type of landscape, which requires hardy low-maintenance plants that will look neat and manicured. Small but well thoughtout design. Colour contrasts work well.”
What the judges said: “Contractor delivered exactly what the client required: soft palette with blue, pink and white, arranged in a formal pattern with symmetry. Extraordinary work on the retaining wall. It turned a constraining element into a beneficial element adding value to the property.”
House Viljoen Contractor: Petro Landscaping • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design What the judges said: “Beautiful installation and design. Hardy with good colour contrast in foliage.” 26
LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
Avendesora – Laurelin Project Contractor: Prohort • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design What the judges said: “A well thought-through design with respect to residents’ needs and requirements, as well as the opportunities provided by the landscape and environment. The client (a private estate outside Franschhoek) is extremely satisfied – and proud.”
House Mauerberger Atkinson Contractor: Prohort • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design What the judges said: “The attention to detail creates a good first impression. Prohort’s soil preparation is excellent and it’s amazing to see the maturation success of this landscape in relation to the nextdoor landscape that was installed at the same time (using some of the same species). The design really compliments the lifestyle and requirements of the users and the landscape has become an extension of the built home.”
Why outsource to a SALI member?
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Rustic House Contractor: Roomtogrow • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with In-house Design What the judges said: “The site is extremely steep and the contractor overcame huge issues with levels through his design solution. It’s a good combination of hard and soft landscaping work. Roomtogrow did an amazing job placing boulders to create a path and hide the municipal services.” LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
he South African Landscapers Institute (SALI) works to improve the standing of the landscape industry by encouraging training, higher standards and professionalism. Its members offer a variety of services, including design, installation and maintenance, and subscribe to a Code of Conduct to ensure that contracts are carried out in accordance with the specification and normal good practice. A SALI client is expected to gain high standards of workmanship, plants and materials and, if unhappy, has recourse to the SALI office where mediation can be facilitated.
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Lourens river Rehabilitation Contractor: Urban Landscape Solutions • SALI Gold Award for Environmental Landscape Work • SALI Gold Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance What the judges said: “Project entails a further phase of this large-scale flood alleviation project. The first phases established a very scientific approach to harvesting locally endemic plant species from upstream and propagating it for use in the rehab project and
these processes were further deployed in vegetating this project. It’s an awesome example of environmentally responsible rehabilitation work, and the dedication on the part of the contractor is clear. The indigenous landscape is establishing well in accordance with the
original intent, with minimum feeding and watering. The project was exposed to heavy flooding just prior to judging and areas were damaged, but it was evident that the vegetation assisted in keeping large areas of the stream embankment intact.”
Kings Beach Enviro Upgrade P2 Contractor: Vusumzi Picket Lane Design by Earthworks Landscape Architects • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with Design by Others What the judges said: “Good installation of a simple but effective landscape design. Maturation success is high in spite of very windy climate and poor sandy soils. Soil preparation and mulching done very well.”
Koeberg Interchange
Project Kat
Contractor: Marina Landscaping Design by OvP Associates • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with Design by Others
Contractor: Green Planet Landscapes Design by Kobus Meiring • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with Design by Others
What the judges said: “An extremely difficult project with many constraints, including site scale, no irrigation, tough engineered soil conditions, heavy traffic, vandalism and access, but still the contractor delivered on his contract.”
What the judges said: “A small site but landscape has big impact. Good first impression and maturation success. Ground cover lawn reduces maintenance and water use.”
Imizamo Yethu Sports Complex Contractor: Servest Group • SALI Gold Award for Specialised Landscape Construction What the judges said: “Another world-class artificial pitch by Servest. Levels and workmanship of very high standard.”
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
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Onverwacht Village Contractor: Vula Environmental Services Design by Gibbs Saint Pol Landscape Architects • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with Design by Others What the judges said: “A striking first impression. Contractor very passionate and knowledgeable. Hydroseeding specs are of a very high standard and the result is evident. A pleasure to visit this landscape.”
waterside House Contractor: Marina Landscaping Design by Herman de Lange • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with Design by Others What the judges said: “Design installed very professionally. Good quality plant material and construction results give a very good first impression.”
Green Point Labyrinth Contractor: Urban Landscape Solutions Design by Mouille Point Ratepayers Association • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with Design by Others What the judges said: “Design installed very professionally. Veld grass and other indigenous planting is a refreshing alternative to conventional labyrinths. Braille Labyrinth for visually impaired adds the finishing touch.”
Parkland College Sandown Campus Contractor: Peninsula Landscaping Design by Planning Partners • SALI Gold Award for Landscape Construction with Design by Others What the judges said: “The school boasts an inspiring vegetable garden that provides both education and fresh produce to the cafeteria. The amazing food garden is well installed and maintained. There’s good tree staking and maturation success. It must be a joy for the students.”
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
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One & Only Hotel and Resort Contractor: Urban Landscape Solutions • SALI Gold Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance What the judges said: “Very impressive project site backed up by similar impressive maintenance practices. Attention to detail is very good. Contractor copes well with operational constraints associated with hotels and resorts of this profile.”
Gorgeu Garden Contractor: The Green Zone • SALI Gold Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance What the judges said: “Excellent attention to detail. Very colourful and aesthetically pleasing garden which responds well to the owners’ lifestyle and requirements. Contractor consults and maintains on a quarterly basis, while also working together closely with resident staff.”
IRT – R27 Milnerton to Table View
Metropolitan Golf Club
Contractor: Urban Landscape Solutions • SALI Gold Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance
Contractor: Servest Group • SALI Gold Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance
What the judges said: “Edges cut and neat. The installation is maturing well in spite of the harsh environment.”
What the judges said: “Maintenance is integrated with an environmental management plan that includes an owl release programme. The landscape deals successfully with storm water generated by adjacent stadium infrastructure.”
Val de Vie Estate Sport & Leisure Centre Contractor: Servest Group • SALI Gold Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance What the judges said: “Very well manicured landscape, fitting to the nature and theme of the estate. Planting and lawns looking healthy in spite of irrigation and drainage constraints.”
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
PLANT PALETTE
A white delight Elegant white planting gives a garden a light, romantic feel – and is easily achievable with waterwise indigenous shrubs and perennials. By Marijke Honig (Struthiola dodecandra) release a sweet scent in the evening to attract moth pollinators. When planning a white garden you need to decide whether you want a burst of whites, mainly in one season (for example, a summer border), or a sprinkling throughout the year. Personally I find too many whites at the same time a glaring riot, especially if the shades of white don’t combine well. When you group whites together, you will notice white can be warm or cold, and realise quite how many shades of white there are: they can be creamy, ice-white, or have subtle undertones of pink, green or blue. The challenge is to combine whites that go well together, or opt to have fewer species flowering at the same time, and have a longer seasonal spread. The table below is designed to help you with this. The same basic tenants of garden design apply to a white garden. You need to combine plants with different heights, foliage textures, plant forms and have
SPRING
Large plants (>2m)
Medium shrubs (1-2m)
Groundcovers and herbaceous
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Bauhinia bowkeri Sparrmannia africana
Freylinia tropica white Jasminum species Struthiola dodecandra
Chaetacanthus setiger Felicia echinata white Pelargonium tomentosum Stachys aethiopica Syncarpha argyropsis
SUMMER
enough repetition to hold it together. Evergreen shrubs with mid- to dark-green foliage help to offset the whites and strike a quiet, neutral tone. When planning a white garden, it is tempting to get carried away with flower colour, but don’t forget about the overriding importance of foliage in a planting design. Silver or grey foliage adds perennial interest and colour to a planting, and can add a wonderful complimentary note to a drift of white flowers nearby. The white everlasting (Sycarpha argyropsis) has metallic silver foliage, while Plecostachys serpyllaceae is useful for semi-shade. It goes without saying that the usual plant selection criteria also apply to white gardens: frost tolerance and harsh coastal conditions will be major determinants of what you can and cannot plant. Then one needs to consider the amount of available light and choose sun or shade-adapted plants accordingly. Once you have identified these criteria and made a sublist, you can play with flower types and seasons.
AUTUMN
WINTER
Bauhinia bowkeri Gardenia thunbergia Pavetta revoluta Rothmannia capensis
Sparrmannia africana
Carissa species Gomphostigma virgatum Plumbago white Struthiola dodecandra
Eriocephalus africanus Hypoestes aristata white Leonotis leonurus white Selago corymbosa
Ceratotheca triloba Chaetacanthus setiger Clematis brachiata Crassula pellucida Nemesia fruticans white Pelargonium tomentosum
Aerva leucura Felicia echinata white Hypoestes forskaolii Phylica ericoides Plectranthus ciliatus Plectranthus ecklonii white Plectranthus grandidentata
Agathosma mucronulata Coleonema album
Felicia echinata white Phylica ericoides
LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
Main picture: Claire Bunkell, other pictures: Marijke Honig
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hite gardens involve the artful combination of white flowers with greenery, and often include plants with silvery foliage. This type of single-colour garden was made famous in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst, and remains popular to this day. White is associated with elegance, purity and tranquillity, and since white gardens tend to include many herbaceous plants, they tend to have a romantic feel, reminiscent of English cottage gardens. One can easily create a white garden with indigenous shrubs and perennials, which will be more waterwise and reflect our South African plant diversity. White reflects light, a quality which can be used to a gardener’s advantage: white flowers glow in the evening, and can be used to brighten up dark shady areas. Many white flowers are evening scented, adding a sensory dimension to the garden. For example the night gladiolus (Gladiolus tristis) and soetgonna
Bauhinia bowkeri (Kei white bauhinia): A large scrambling shrub with showy white flowers in spring and early summer. Flowers profusely, and sweetly scented. A decorative screening shrub, ideal for gabions and embankments. Semideciduous, likes fertile well-composted soil.
Pelargonium tomentosum (peppermint pelargonium): A spreading groundcover with soft, velvety leaves and a strong peppermint fragrance. In spring and early summer it is covered in a haze of dainty white flowers. Grows in sun and semi-shade. Needs space to spread.
Syncarpha argyropsis (white everlasting): A tough coastal shrublet with shiny silver foliage – a real eye-catcher! Buds develop in mid winter and open to white or pinkish flowers that last all summer. Requires full sun, drought-tolerant once established.
Struthiola dodecandra (soetgonna): A fynbos shrub with narrow grey-green leaves, and masses of white flowers all summer. Emits a strong, sweet scent in the evening. Waterwise once established, despite its dainty appearance.
SPRING
SUMMER
Pavetta revoluta (bride’s bush): An evergreen shrub to 3m. Produces showy clusters of sweetly scented white flowers in summer. Birds enjoy the small black berries. A spectacular specimen shrub. Rather slowgrowing to start, but flowers from an early age.
AUTUMN
WINTER
Bulbs
Freesia alba Gladiolus tristis Watsonia borbonica ssp. ardernei Zantedischia aethiopica
Flowering on and off all year
Asystasia gangetica, Dietes grandiflora, Albuca bracteata, Chaenostoma cordatum (=Sutera cordata), Stachys aethiopica white
Green hedging
Diospyros whyteana Rhus crenata
Silver or grey foliage
Helichrysum petiolare, Syncarpha argyropsis, Stoebe plumosa, Eriocephalus africana, Curio (=Senecio) crassulifolius
LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
Agapanthus white, Agapanthus ‘Selma Bock’ Albuca nelsonii Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Haemanthus albiflos
Zantedischia aethiopica
Carissa macrocarpa
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FIX YOUR SPACE
The grass is always greener… With the move towards low-maintenance, waterwise landscaping, many gardeners are now rolling out synthetic lawn instead of the real thing. Anne Duncan looks at the pros and cons of going faux.
The allure of plastic First debuted on football fields in the 1960s, artificial lawn has come a long way since critics first decried the plastic fake stuff as stiff, bristly and unforgiving when you fell, not to mention dangerously slippery when wet. “With today’s technology,” says Hansie, “artificial grass now really does look and feel like the real thing.” Indeed, manufacturers have made great strides. Blades now sport a mix of green tones so they look 36
more natural, the turf is porous for better drainage and the base is often softened with sand or rubber chips. “We can offer a variety of different grass types too,” says Michael Merryweather of Synsport, which specialises in the supply and installation of artificial turf throughout Southern Africa, with projects ranging from full-size sports fields to smaller residential applications. “You can choose from a range that goes from neat short pile turf to long natural field turf.” Innovative solutions “No one likes an unsightly lawn and the greatest advantage of artificial products is the resolution of problematic areas, where natural lawn doesn’t perform well because of shade or high traffic,” says Michael. “Synthetic lawns are being combined with landscaping ideas to offer unique-looking areas where grass is not an option. Rooftops and balconies are quickly transformed into impressive home-living areas with artificial lawn, and it’s also particularly useful in children’s play areas and around swimming pools. We are also seeing a lot of domestic sporting applications, where clients are using synthetic turf to create putting greens, cricket pitches and tennis courts on their properties.” Indeed, one way to think about artificial lawn is as a good alternative to concrete or hard surfaces. It provides a softer playing surface than paving or asphalt in areas where real grass would just not survive.
Cost considerations While initial installation costs for artificial lawn are higher than for natural grass, Michael believes reduced maintenance costs more than compensate for that over time. When choosing a product, he advises you carefully consider the application of the proposed area and how much traffic it will receive. “The pile height and pile weight will give a good indication of the softness and durability on offer. Thinner, lighter products will be more affordable but offer less softness and durability,” he says. Quality modern products have good drainage properties and drainage shouldn’t be an issue if the artificial grass is installed on a solid base that drains well. “It can be installed over solid concrete and paved bases that drain to a low point, or over a gravel/ stone base that drains vertically,” he says. If you’re installing it in an area that doesn’t perform well in rainy conditions, he suggests consulting a professional supplier and installing additional drainage. Green implications In colour it’s certainly green all year round, but is replacing living grass with plastic really good for the environment? Its supporters certainly believe it is, citing water savings as the biggest advantage in water-scarce areas such as the Western Cape. It also doesn’t require fertilizers or pesticides, and reduces the noxious emissions generated by mowers. Many LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
Photographs: supplied by Synsport
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othing says summer like the smell of freshly mowed grass and the feel of soft turf between your toes, right? Perhaps… But a beautiful natural lawn that entices you to picnic or play on its lush green blades doesn’t come without a lot of hard work. In the heat of summer it requires plenty of water to prevent it from becoming a dust bowl, and in the wet Cape winters it’s often reduced to a mud pit. Which is why a growing number of lawn fans are now opting for the artificial variety rather than the hassle of the real thing. “Not having to maintain a lawn anymore is usually the biggest selling point,” says Hansie van Dyk of Easygrasse, a Maitland-based synthetic turf supplier. “For people whose health or age doesn’t allow them to put time and energy into garden upkeep, it’s ideal. Many people who travel a lot also choose an artificial lawn because they can leave home for as long as they want and not worry about whether the grass will survive.”
From left: Fake grass transforms a rooftop into a green extension of the recreational space around a pool; an innovative mix of stone and artificial lawn makes for a stylish rooftop pool area; with the addition of synthetic turf, a concrete balcony becomes a fun putting green.
manufacturers also use recycled material, such as car tyres, that would otherwise end up in landfills. Its detractors point to the fact that natural grass, like other plant material, strips carbon from the atmosphere, and can help cool the surrounds of buildings. The latter points to one of the greatest disadvantages that the synthetic industry has so far failed to solve – artificial turf heats up significantly in the sun, and can get up to 50 per cent hotter than real lawn, often requiring water to cool it down.
Pet factors While many pet owners choose synthetic lawn because they get tired of their dogs ruining their natural grass, others complain that animal waste is an odorous problem. “Dog activity does need to be strictly maintained,” says Michael. “If you brush and wash the lawn regularly, you shouldn’t have odour or hygiene problems. ” Hansie believes the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. “You don’t get bald, muddy spots or
digging holes, and synthetic lawns eliminate muddy paws so there’s less clean-up in the house,” he says. “Urine drains through a properly manufactured and installed synthetic lawn, and you don’t get the yellow stains that dog waste can cause on natural turf.” Michael similarly points to the many benefits, saying that synthetic lawns are still easier to maintain than natural turf, and look good 365 days a year. • www.synsport.co.za • www.easygrasse.co.za
Brommersvlei Road, Constantia 021 794 5144/75 fern@ferndalenurseries.co.za
SPRING IS HERE Monday - Friday: 08:00am - 17:00pm Saturday & Sunday [public holidays]: 09:00am - 17:00pm LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
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PROFILE
Growing beauty An innate sense of style combined with a thorough horticultural knowledge has seen Franchesca Watson design some of the Cape’s most glamorous gardens. She shares her passion for aesthetics and plants with Anne Duncan.
Why garden design? I trained as a ballet dancer in Durban until an accident meant I could no longer be a ballet professional. I continued to work in the performing arts for a while, moving to Johannesburg where I got some work as a dancer in commercials in the early years of television. Some of my work took me to Sun City, then just being established. I wasn’t happy in the performing arts, but I knew I wanted to work in an artistic field – all my family were in the arts – and seeing the Sun City gardens take shape gave me the idea of doing garden design. How did you get started? In those days there weren’t garden design courses, so I did a diploma in horticulture in Durban. I soon realised there were very few women in the field, and that I would need to work extra hard to get noticed. Top students were picked to do in-service training with the Durban city council, so I made sure I was top of my class so the council would have no choice but to offer me a place. We did six months at Tech and six months with the 38
council, and it was wonderful experience. I worked on everything from sports fields and golf courses to parks and graveyards, and also got my truck licence. After finishing my diploma, my boyfriend – also a horticulturist – and I travelled through Africa for six months, then moved to Cape Town. I got a job as the in-house designer at Marina Landscaping, where I worked for about seven years. When I had my children, I needed a more flexible working environment, so I created my own design company, and later built up a contracting company that offered a complete design and installation service. About eight years ago, I closed that and now offer just garden design. How do you define your role? My role is to make everything outside look good. I work with everything from the colour and texture of the walls to the planting. I’m fascinated with how a building melds into a landscape and believe it’s vitally important to integrate architecture and landscape. Essentially, I like to think I’m guiding my clients. At the end of the process, they have to love their garden. Not all clients are good at expressing what they want, so my role is also about getting to understand what they like and dislike. I’ve become good at reading people as a result. What makes a good garden design? For a garden to be sustainable, you have to get it right the first time around. That includes getting the bulkings, or proportions, right, getting the soil right, and choosing plants and materials that are appropriate to the site and the general environment. Above all else, a good garden design needs the right plants. I’ve come full circle in my career and have returned to my horticultural roots. I make a conscious decision to find and use new plants, and love working with people like Gael Gray of Good Hope Gardens Nursery in developing different plant palettes. What inspires you? I love working as part of a team that brings together different creative disciplines, such as architects and
From top: A dramatic courtyard in Bishopscourt; the ‘Garden of Reflection’ at Stellenberg.
lighting designers. I also get creative energy from clients who have vision. What have been some of the highlights, and lowlights, of your career? There are so many highlights. One that still stands out is a job I did early in my career in Bantry Bay. The client let me conceptualise everything, and really pushed me. Above all, I enjoy projects that challenge me, and give me the chance to do something different. Running my own contracting company was hard work and, while I worked with a great team, it did take me away from the creative side, so I’m happier now I’m just concentrating on design. How would you describe your style? I like timeless, sophisticated designs and am shy of anything gimmicky. A garden is not something you change every few years – it needs to be something you still like in 20 years’ time. My style ranges from the very formal to the very natural. I like the minimalist, modern trend, and the trend for gardens that have undefined edges and look like nature. My signature though, is always to add some glamour. It might be going for 17 pots instead of two, or putting a curtain on a pergola. Whatever it is, it adds drama and magic. LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014
Photographs: supplied
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ith a career spanning more than 30 years, Franchesca Watson has worked on gardens too numerous to mention by name – from private homes and estates to hotels throughout SA, as well as in the Seychelles, London and the US. Her guiding vision is one of good aesthetics and the need to choose the right plants for a site, and her signature style is timeless and sophisticated. She believes a garden is a unique art form – and that an aesthetically pleasing garden connects us to nature and improves our quality of life. A keen writer, she’s also the Contributing Garden Editor at Condé Nast House & Garden SA, where she shares practical knowledge and creative inspiration.
Pioneering the Future c ulti ote
™
M
www.haifa-group.com ase Fertilizer Controlled Rele
IN SIDE Providing your plants with optimum nutrition has just become a whole lot easier. To obtain lush, healthy growing plants, gardeners need to ensure that the plant available food closely matches the seasonal requirement of their plants throughout the growth cycle. Mulitcote’s unique controlled release fertilizer, Multicote (8) 15-3-12 Mg + Me (K7996 Act 36 of 1947), can be applied as a single application now - and still provide the ideal rate of nutrition several months later at the end of the growing season. This means that, irrespective of the time of season or the growth rate of your plants, your garden will have the nutrients available for healthy growing. The technology allows for an increased release rate of nutrients as soil temperature increases; always closely following the growing and feeding requirements of your plants. Thereby ensuring strong, healthy and happy plants while also promoting optimum nutrient use efficiency and minimal losses or adverse environmental effects. Gerrit Burger, Agronomist of Haifa South Africa, explains: “Due to Multicote’s unique controlled release technology, the release rate will be higher with high soil temperature and slower with cooler temperatures, always closely matching the nutritional demands of your plants under such conditions.” Multicote (8) 15-3-12 Mg + Me is a well balanced fertilizer that meets the needs of most garden and indoor plants when grown in balanced growing mediums and soils. Even beginner gardeners can now grow lush, beautiful plants if they follow the guidelines below: Potted plants: Apply 3-7g per litre of growing medium. Mix the required dosage into the growing medium prior to filling the pots for the best results, or dose each pot individually. Flowerbeds: Apply 30-50g per square metre. Be sure to spread it evenly before turning into the bed, or cover with suitable mulch or compost. Small ‘trees’: Apply 300g (small tree) up to 1kg (large tree). Divide the dosage per tree into four portions and apply into slots 5cm deep radiating around the wetting area of each tree. A general rule is to always use a lower dosage for sensitive plants and the higher one for heavy feeders. It is always best to incorporate Multicote into the growing medium or cover with a suitable mulch or compost. Do not apply Multicote directly against the stem or roots. Lastly, it is important to water your plants carefully to ensure they get just the right amount. The advantages of using Multicote are: • Easy, precise application of nutrients for each plant. • Most advanced fertilizer use efficiency • No contamination of ground water •
Constant growth throughout the growing season (no saw-tooth effect as a result of fertilizer spikes) • Balanced nutrient (NPK, Mg, Micronutrients) • More resistance to disease and insect attack • Plants can withstand handling and transplant shock better Contact Gerrit Burger 082 800 8766 or Gerrit.Burger@haifa-group.com for more information
Multicote (8) 15-3-12+Mg+Me
Controlled Release Fertilizers for Nurseries & Landscaping Multicote controlled release fertilizers provide a steady, continuous supply of essential nutrients at a precise, pre-determined rate. A single application ensures balanced nutrition over the entire growth season, saving on labour and costs. 40
Please contact us for your nearest distributors: Haifa South Africa PO Box 1409, Brackenfell, 7561, South Africa Tel: 021 982 0309 • Fax: 021 981 7637 E-mail: gerrit.burger@haifa-group.com Cell: 082 800 8766 LANDSCAPE DESIGN & GARDEN – SPRING 2014