Outside & In | Winter 2022 by Paper Plane Publications

TAKE ME HOME I'M FREE WINTER 2022

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EFFICIENT & STYLISH HEATING SOLUTIONS WITH MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

A NEW GENERATION IN HEATING.

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READ IT HERE - WINTER 2021

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EDITOR'S letter

YOU’RE A WINTER WARRIOR

“Fetch Your Life”

(In the apt words of Prince Kaybee)

We do love a good change of season, don’t we? Cue the winter shifteroo. Leaves fall, plants wither as the cold air creeps in, toes slip into that woolly pair of UGGS, kettle working on overdrive to keep up with the demand, that the towel rack in your bathroom is officially switched ON -everything is changing! So, you’re here because you’re keen to know what, where, how, why and wow for the season ahead? We hear you. Or, maybe you’re just here for the gorgeous homes and -let’s face it -beautiful pictures... We hear you too! It’s time to embrace the winter warrior vibes and join Outside & In and our herd of home and garden gurus, as we show you how to make the most of these deliciously deciduous months with great finesse. We are not going to beat around the bush (pun intended obviously), we think winter is a fantastic time to get stuck into that garden, embrace your firepit, brave the cold, plot and plan, compost, install a rainwater harvesting tank, DIY or renovate a room inside your home sanctuary, install a fireplace, a home automation system, germinate, harvest some root veg and then transport these harvested gems into delicious winter warmer meals... Ok ‘spoiler alert,’ we’re making pasta with Luke Dale-Roberts in this issue (we know right!)... Here is what else you’ll find inside... We are about to take you on a journey through the home and garden, starting with instagrammable ‘plant styling’ interiors and indoor plant conundrums, to burgeoning balcony trends and planting and furnishing that extends the amount of time we spend on the patio. Our garden section looks at rainwater harvesting, grow-to-eat, germinating and plant planning before we present the most amazing interview with Babylonstoren’s Master Gardener, Gundula Deutschländer. We then journey inside with 2 gorgeous SA homes -packed with personality, before we tackle the question, what if walls could talk? This cheeky topic on finishes, pattern, print and everything walls is presented by Anlo Neethling – the man behind the renowned One Design + Development brand. We’ll then introduce you to a couple of fierce SA lifestyle products. First up, lelive, a skincare brand for the conscious and contemporary SA urbanite, and then AuTerra, a jewellery brand using e-waste to create gorgeous pieces for your next unique jewellery buy.

So, fetch your coat and come with us... Let’s go Fetch Your Life!

Chanel Besson, EDITOR

Editorial

Editor-in-Chief & Director Chanel Besson Commissioning Editor Amy Aries

Advertising

Key Account Manager Justine Coleman Media Sales Executive Basheerah De Villiers Media Sales Executive Kieran Hedges

Cover Artist

Our winter warrior is by Artist & illustrator: Lisa Nelson @lili.rosey

Design Zoey & I Sarah Gregg-Macdonald Outside & In is Powered By Paper Plane Publications (Pty) Ltd.

@out_side_and_in www.outsideandin.co.za

www.bosch-diy.com/za/en BoschDIYSouthernAfrica

CONTENTS 13 – Where to Find Us 15

Babylonstoren’s Best

– Setting the Stage

Open Seas –

Portfol

by plant stylist, Jean Green

20 – You’re Never Fully Dressed

– 56

an interview with master gardener, Gundula Deutschländer

A dreamy seaside cottage in a Cape village

Without a Smile (and a plant)

by landscape designer, Mark Mac Hattie

– Outdoor Oasis

by Anji Connell, ACID+ Design

33 – Winter is for Dreaming

up a Cut Flower Garden

Life in Colour –

To Infinity and Beyond –

Light my Fire – by Thermo Fires

by Life Is A Garden

If Walls Could Talk -

43 – Outside & In's 'Germination Station Staples'

Fantastic Fungi –

45 – Now is the Time for Action! 49 – Let it Rain

by Julian Bartels, BEST Landscaping

54 – I Think You’re Succulent! by Plantland

by Anlo Neethling, ONE Design + Development

by Good Mind by Talborne Organics

by Velux and Cape Loft Windows

by Wildy Sown

39 – Dig into Winter

An explosion of colour and styles in perfect harmony, inside this Johannesburg home

Meet 'lelive' –

an interview with founder, Amanda du-Pont and Nash Mariah, of the contemporary organic skincare brand

AuTerra –

100

an interview with founder and jewellery designer, Ashley Heather

OUTSIDE&IN /

Make your home the most comfortable place to be this winter

his winter, the only load you’ll have to shed are those extra layers of clothing. Keep your home comfortable at any stage with our wide range of fireplaces. Fireplaces are energy efficient and allow you to cut down on having a huge electricity bill in winter. Wood is typically an affordable source of fuel and is an eco-friendly alternative as it is a sustainable source of energy. A warm and inviting fire in the living room will draw people towards it on those winter nights. There are very few features in a home that can create an ambiance like a fireplace. Even if you’re not entertaining, a fireplace becomes a decorative element in your home. For all your heating an insulation solutions outside and in... visit any Leroy Merlin store or shop online at www.leroymerlin.co.za

shop online at www.leroymerlin.co.za GREENSTONE Corner Blackrock Street & Stoneridge Drive, Greenstone Park Ext 2, Edenvale

LITTLE FALLS Corner Hendrik Potgieter & Cascades Road, Little Falls, Roodepoort

leroymerlin.southafrica

BOKSBURG Corner North Rand & Trichardt Road, Bartlett AH, Boksburg

leroymerlinsa1

FOURWAYS Corner Fourways Boulevard & Roos Street Fourways

leroymerlinsa

F E AT U R E - D I R E C T O RY

We're proud to present over 110 retail partners!

HERE IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOUR OWN COPY OF OUTSIDE & IN ACROSS SA

WESTERN CAPE

MPUMALANGA

LIMPOPO

Abode

Concrete & Garden Creations

Greener Tidings

Garden Pavilion White River

Plant Fundi

Cape Dutch Gardens Cape Garden Centre Joostenbergvlakte Cape Garden Centre Stellenbosch

Gin & Co. Distillery at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre

Cape Garden Centre Somerset West D'Ville Garden Centre Earthworx Garden World Elderflower Nursery Constantia Ferndale Nursery Fijn Botanicals Fiore Garden Centre Greyton Fiore Garden Centre Somerset West Flower Café Folha Greenery Happy by Nature Happy Life Plants Harry Goemans Garden Centre Hart Nursery Kirstenbosch Garden Centre Kunshuis Landscape Art Garden Centre Laughtons Hardware Ludwig’s Roses Cape Town Ludwig’s Roses Outeniqua Ludwig’s Roses Winelands Our Local Ogwini Greens Plantify Red Door Nursery Rawel Nursery Saggy Stone Brewing Co. Stanler Farms Starke Ayres Rosebank Starke Ayres West Coast Village Nursery at Tea Under the Trees Wise Gardener Nursery Wonderland Lifestyle Nursery

GAUTENG Bergmann’s Garden Centre Builders Express Sunward Park Colourful Corner Nursery CND Nursery Eckards Garden Pavillion Garden Bleu Parkhurst Garden Bleu Waterkloof

EASTERN CAPE Cherrywood Nursery Floradale Nursery Gamtoos Kwekery Garden of Eaden Nursery Sherwood Garden Centre Village Centre Nursery

Gardenista GardenShop Broadacres GardenShop Bryanston GardenShop Parktown North

KWA ZULU NATAL

Garden World Happy Life Plants

Blackwoods Assagay

Hecker Nursery

Blackwoods Pietermaritzburg

JFF Plant Shop

Bloomingdales Garden Centre

JFF Rooftop Farm

Flatwhite Coffee

Leroy Merlin Fourways

Froggy Pond Nursery

Leroy Merlin Greenstone

Greenman Nursery

Lifestyle Home Garden

Grovida

Ludwig’s Roses Big Red Barn

Halls Garden Pavilion

Ludwig’s Roses Egoli

Hingham Nursery

Ludwig’s Rose Farm Pretoria

Humble Coffee

Ludwig’s Roses Pretoria East

Illovo Nursery

Montrose Nursery

Lee’s SupaScapes

Nicolas Plants

Ludwig’s Star Roses

Plantland Garden Centre Akasia

Rock Paper Scissors Shop

Plantland Garden Centre Cornwall

Sebenza Garden Centre

Plantland Garden Centre Menlyn

Spade Design Centre

Plantland Garden Centre The Wilds

St. Clements Nursery

Plant en Palm Kwekery

The Plant Space

Plant Ranch Centurion

Tropical Nursery

Plant Ranch Germinston Schafflers Garden Nursery Simply Majestic Garden Centre Sunkist Garden Pavilion Swagger Collective

NATIONAL:

FREE STATE

Thyme Square Garden Centre

Bruwer Kwekery

Tulip Garden Centre

Cape Garden Centre subscription boxes

Greenside Kwekery

Witkoppen Wildflower Nursery

Plantland subscription boxes

SETTING THE STAGE U

I N S TA G R A

P NT INT

ERIO R

YES QU EEN ,

WN RO

U YO

F E AT U R E - S E T T I N G T H E S TA G E

dding plants and pots of different heights to your interior brings variety and creates visual depth. Not only do indoor plants enhance the overall appearance of a space, but studies show they boost mood, increase creativity, reduce stress and eliminate air pollutants.

I am Jean, a plant stylist, and it's wonderful to meet you Outside & In readers. My job as a plant stylist is to source suitable plants and planters to complement your individual style that will flourish in your environment. I usually do a site inspection to scope out the best spots to add greenery. I look to determine how much light there is and to get a feel of your interior and lifestyle needs. Clients often send me photos of the areas they require plants for if a site inspection is not possible. I then source, install and style the greenery and planters and the client receives a very detailed care manual after I've added my touch. So, you might be curious as to how I can help you add dimension, personality and intrigue to your interiors using plants... Right this way!

The 'Modern Contemporary' Interior landscape design, also known as plantscaping, is much more than the act of bringing plants indoors; it is actually about the strategic placement and selection of plant species and containers within an interior space to highlight and enhance aspects of spatial design. The majority of my plantscaping assignments or installations thus far have been for modern or contemporary homes. Each are totally different in design and interior and therefore have vastly different plant requirements.

Jean ‘Green’ Badenhorst Plant stylist @jeanbegreen

The size, shape and composition of a room and any existing features will impact the kind of plants you need. Some plants need a lot of space because they either grow very quickly or they take up a lot of room with large leaves. When considering plants and pots for a specific area, you need to keep in mind the height of your ceiling and the potential height of your plant. Darker areas without many windows can make the styling very challenging at times. There are very few plants that can tolerate low light, so I recommend you do your research before you purchase your plants. For rooms where space is an issue, don’t just explore horizontal surfaces. I love working with wall planters, they make a great statement in a room. You can also consider vining plants that can add a decorative touch to walls or shelves and can be planted into smaller pots. I

/ OUTSIDE&IN

F E AT U R E - S E T T I N G T H E S TA G E

choose most of my plants from a visual point of view, because of their appearance. I love spending time in nurseries or at any of our beautiful boutique plant stores in town. Often, I know in advance what kind of styling I want to achieve with them. With most modern homes, I prefer to use plants that are bolder in appearance than delicate. They need to make a statement. Luckily these days, we are spoilt for choice. The interior and aesthetic of the space I work in will determine the colour and shape of the pots used. Within modern spaces, I prefer to stick to shades of a specific colour, for example, shades of grey. I love grouping pots of similar shapes, but different sizes, together to create a modern look and feel. I suggest using the same type of plant in each pot or to make sure the plant shapes complement each other. If you have a bit of budget to play around with, you can consider having custom made planters or pots, made to fit into your space. You then have the benefit of choosing your shape and colour to match your interior and space. Most importantly, it is imperative to choose plants you like or... Dare I say LOVE! There are so many species to choose from that it’s easy to find a plant with a colour, pattern, shape or size that appeals to you, aesthetically. It’s also important to choose a plant that fits your lifestyle.

OUTSIDE&IN /

F E AT U R E - S E T T I N G T H E S TA G E

The 'Boho-Mediterranean' With a particularly enjoyable boho-themed plantscaping project, I played around with a very neutral and natural colour palette - which I absolutely love! The owner started collecting cacti and pots when she started the renovation and I was asked to source more plants and pots to complement her look and feel. Plant styling is no different to any other styling projects. It is the combination of shapes, colours, sizes and textures that makes the difference. Within the boho-themed project, I used one colour palette for all the planters, creating a sense of unity and a feeling of repetition. I would say the hardest part of my job as a plant stylist is to source suitable containers according to size, shape and colour to complement my client’s interior and to fit into their budget. Unfortunately, locally we are very limited when it comes to beautiful or interesting pots of good quality which fits into most people’s budget. Even harder is sourcing indoor pots with drip trays to match, as most pots come without. I often have to match the colour of the pot and paint the drip tray myself. Because most cacti plants grow upwards, their plant pot is very much exposed and therefore plays a huge role in the look and feel, and it is often very difficult to find the perfect pot. If you struggle to find the perfect pot, you can paint a plain terracotta pot in the colour of your choice. Create different layers and levels by playing around with heights and shapes. Pots grouped together to create focal points at the entrance of the home, and again, in different corners of the house, both inside and out, create interesting greened nooks. Cacti usually have different textures and shapes, which makes them such a unique plant to work with and easy to create beautiful potted combinations. Keep this in mind, the shape and colour of the pots determine where they are placed. I believe they need to complement each other, especially if you work with a neutral palette.

/ OUTSIDE&IN

"Create different layers and levels by playing around with heights and shapes."

F E AT U R E - S E T T I N G T H E S TA G E

DO’S AND DONT’S FOR INTERIOR PLANTSCAPING: Proportion It’s all about scale. Consider the size of your room or space before you purchase a plant. An excessively large plant can overwhelm a space, while a tiny plant can appear insignificant. Texture Houseplants add texture and depth to your interior. The more you vary the plants in your space, the more texture and interest you will bring to it. There are so many different plants to choose from, some with shiny, smooth, waxy leaves, woody stemmed or spiky leaves. Mixing textures of plants in combination with your interior, draws your eyes around the space and makes it more interesting. Form The three-dimensional shape of the plant. Consider the shape of the plant and how that shape will fill the space. Colour Colour has the power to pull a plantscaped interior together or throw it into chaos. This is very important to keep in mind when buying your plants and pots. Choose a colour that echoes a colour found elsewhere in your space. Focal points Place plants to draw attention to the interior setting. Add plants to match the scale of your furniture pieces and pots to match your interior aesthetic. Repetition The repeated use of plants to create pattern or sequence. Repetition is greatly dictated by a person’s individual aesthetic. For a clean, simple look in a modern home I would create a grouping of identical plants in different containers. You can also use plants with similar form but in various sizes and textures. Balance Balance is key to interior design and plantscaping. You can use varied sized plants and pots in a room to create an overall balanced effect in combination with your furniture and interior piece.

OUTSIDE&IN /

You're never fully dressed without a smile

(And a plant)

F E AT U R E - M A R K M A C H AT T I E

t this stage of your mid-adult life, you most likely have had, at the very least, 5 house plants. With any luck 2 of them are still thirty, flirty and thriving. But why did the others die, were they temperamental? Was it a disease? Your inexperience? Bad lighting and poor soil? Yes, to all of the above. You were terrible, but you’ve gotten the hang of it. Slowly your collection has grown and you’ve learnt the correct placement, light, water and disease treatment protocols. Well done. You’re doing great sweetie.

There’s just one last thing, you’ve gotten really good at taking care of your plants, like a “Little Shop of Horrors” type of good - and now, Audrey wants out. Time to learn the most valuable lesson as a plant parent. You never truly own a plant, you’re a custodian of their wellbeing and while they're in your care, it’s the Maddox to your Jolie. You adopted a tiny three leafed Monstera with heart shaped leaves and cared for them for many years and now, they're standing 2m tall, have leaves bigger than most of your friends and it is dwarfing your furniture. You are competing for space and the best thing you can do is set your baby free. But do it nicely. Freedom for the houseplants is mostly a shaded area under a tree that is moist, but not wet. If you don’t personally know of someone that has a garden that can take in your beauty, talk to your local parks department to see if you could plant your baby in a section. The only reason for them to say no is if your plant is on the invader alien list and poses a risk to local flora. Botanical gardens are always looking for good large specimens, there are usually a few per city or even one per town. Next up is another route, one I have pursued recently. Auction and private sales. It sounds strange, but believe me , the plant auction market is ridiculous. The bigger the specimen the more likely you are to get a bid. People transport plants internationally and most buyers of large specimens have greenhouses or atriums, something not stock standard in most city dweller's apartments. Plants are the new beanie babies and everyone wants the rarest and biggest, so if you have a large specimen, you are willing to part with (make a cutting first though) get on one of these trading platforms. Facebook groups specialising in types of plants, ebay auctions and certain websites deal exclusively in plant bids and transport.

Mark Mac Hattie

Landscape designer @that_other_plant_dad OUTSIDE&IN /

F E AT U R E - M A R K M A C H AT T I E

I know it seems like a moral dilemma, but most of your plants started off small and the joy you had in watching them grow, transplanting them regularly and having friends admire them is all part of the process, and once you've raised them to be a good sized specimen, letting them go on to their new home or outside space is the most natural thing you can do. This also opens up space for more plants that will go with you through the process again and add joy to your life.

Plant care for home and garden.

New Innovat& ive

The new range of GARDENA Hand Held Pump and Pressure Sprayers offer convenient and gentle plant care for all garden sizes. The soft sprayer is perfect for gentle watering of delicate plants and seedlings. The Pump and pressure sprayers are cleverly designed to ensure no air gets sucked in and that the sprayers are able to work in any position. High-quality brass nozzle can move up to 90°, making it perfect for under-leaf applications. Translucent body provides easy visibility of water level.

Soft Sprayer 0.45 Litre

Pump Sprayer 0.75 Litre

Pump Sprayer 1 Litre

Pressure Sprayer 1.25 Litre

Effective and convenient plant care for home and garden.

gardena.com

OUTDOOR OASIS

F E AT U R E - O U T D O O R O A S I S

n urban areas where gardens are at a premium, a balcony can provide a much-needed oasis of calm. It can, however, be challenging in a small space to design and factor in everything on your wish list, but with a little bit of design know-how, there is no reason why you can't have a functional, stylish, and verdant oasis that looks wonderful. And, believe it or not, it's easy to achieve! We can create this (amazingly) in a day, whereas in a large garden it could take years to achieve the look you want. More care is required with containers, whereas bigger gardens can be left to their own devices a little bit more. Let's unpack the urban oasis... Create an inviting space that fills the senses with wellbeing, allowing nature to be the backdrop and enjoy endless alfresco days of fun and get-togethers with friends and family that leads to — outdoor happiness! Having a garden or any outdoor space is a real privilege – and one we should ensure we maximise and not take for granted.

Privacy Often in urban areas, there are some privacy issues. You may be overlooked by neighbours or passers-by in a street setting. Bamboo and olive trees can work well in this situation. They add shade and noise insulation by blocking traffic noise, noisy neighbours, or commercial buildings such as bars and restaurants.

Screens A freestanding garden screen can create a private little corner of a terrace or balcony to separate it from another environment and provide more privacy. Check out the stylish option from RODA. Use every space available! Tilt Screens and Design 11 are some fantastic local options.

Zones It's best to think of a balcony as a space with three separate zones: walls, ground, and railings. Stringing climbing plants to make a canopy roof for shade and privacy from above and across the front façade of balcony railings offers shade and privacy. Living walls look great and add biodiversity. Increasing the number of plants in our concrete and brick world provides a food source for wildlife while making our world a prettier place. Growing climbing plants bring green life to dead vertical surfaces, including walls, fences, and pergolas. There is a range of wall climbers that you can plant at any time of the year. You can also grow vegetables and herbs this way. Grow decorative and edible plants and herbs along with creepers from balcony rails. Lusciously overgrown balcony gardens look so pretty. If you are lucky, you may benefit from a green-fingered neighbour above you on the sunnier top floors, which have allowed their fulsome foliage to cascade down to you from above, 'borrowed foliage if you will.' Add planters on window sills and group planters to make a container garden.

Dot your precious landscape with small interventions - a little urban acupuncture makes life so much sweeter. Colour Keep the colour palette simple and unified on a narrow balcony; choose a single colour (such as white, for example) and add blooming plants here and there to complement the greenery.

Container gardens Whatever your preferred style, from classic, traditional, timeless mid-century to contemporary chic and minimalist, planters will transform your space! Sit your pots on feet or invest in plant stands, so they can drain and not rot your floor. A large pot can be quite heavy, so do check the load capacity of your balcony before adding too many! Place larger pots first and work the smaller ones around them, and buy moveable plant stands for larger, heavier pots. Garden pots and planters will dry out fast, as the containers don't access the moisture reserve found in the deep soil, particularly if they get several hours of full sunshine during the day.

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KIDA Hanging Lounge Chair by DEDON

Palissade dining bench by Ronan + Erwan Bouroullec for HAY

OASIS

F E AT U R E - O U T D O O R O A S I S

Anji Connell

Interior Architect ACID+ Design anjiconnellinteriordesign.com @anjiconnell_acidplus Long Planter Basket by Fermob

They will need regular watering, so consider installing a mini drip irrigation system to manage the chore, and you'll not have to worry when you're on holiday. Consider using drought tolerant plants like succulents, cacti, and plants from dry Mediterranean climates to cut down on watering. They will also need more fertiliser as the water will flush the soil of its goodness faster.

OUTDOOR

Planters CORTICA from RODA is a collection of contemporary outdoor planters and vases with a cylindrical shape, made in brown cork, a completely natural material. The expanded black cork is 100% natural and produced in an entirely green process. The planters can also be used as a flower vase by simply closing the drain hole on the base with the special cork plug. All RODA materials are eco-friendly. Adding meadow turf to a large planter looks fantastic, and fits perfectly with this years’ trends of ‘re-wilding,' and ‘cottagecore’ fosters the idea of living a simple rural lifestyle, embracing a simpler, sustainable existence that is more harmonious with nature. Aesthetically, it’s a nod to the traditional English countryside style, romantic and nostalgic.

Furniture Inject a level of sophistication into your patch with Carl Hansen & Søn's outdoor furniture range. The Danish brand's collection of garden tables, chairs, recliners, and benches includes works from master 20thcentury architects such as Morten Gøttler and Bodil Kjær, crafted in Denmark in highly durable and weatherproof untreated teak that can withstand harsh weather conditions. The line includes Børge Mogensen's furniture initially conceived for his own balcony. His slatted wooden chairs are collapsible and perfect for space-starved urbanites. Try hanging them on wall hooks when not in use to save losing inside space for storage. Vincent Van Duysen and Kettal teamed up to design the Giro collection for interior and exterior uses. The Giro high and low side tables included in the collection are constructed in concrete and finished in an antique rose colourway. The tables' semicut-out bases allow the tables to sit together in several ways. The Adagio Swing Seat by Paola Lenti from The Modern Garden Company is perfect if you have a ceiling or a robust framework. Handwoven in bright solid or bi-colours, in five vibrant mixed colours. OUTSIDE&IN /

F E AT U R E - O U T D O O R O A S I S

Parasols For a bit of style, shade, light, and tech, you need to look no further than the Belgian manufacturer's dual functionality and futuristic design of the Hulsol sun umbrella, which a smartphone app can control. The umbrella base has wheels for manoeuvrability, and the aerodynamically designed canopy ensures stability. The umbrella folds away for easy storage in a leaf shape. The polyester canopy and all other surfaces repel water, dirt, and mildew and come in matte black and white colourways. Billowing curtains or shades that can be adjusted up and down look super stylish while adding warmth, shade, and wind protection. Even in winter, we have sunny days, but the sun is lower in the sky and can be eye-boggling.

Add a rug Add the Marea rug from the Modern Garden Company, which has wave-shaped braids with a fringed edge in weather-protected yarn for interest, colour, and a luxe touch.

Disguising bad views Constructing a trellis of climbers or pleached fruit trees to the front of your balcony is a lovely way to enhance a bad view and gain privacy.

Trick the eye to extend the space Add a collection of pots in front of an outdoor mirror for depth. Adding mirrored window frames give the illusion of space, as does a fake door. Place a few planted pots in front of the door to make it look unused.

Lighting Using lighting in the garden, especially solar lights can help you make the most of the space. Use ambient lighting to highlight planting and draw the eye to different areas to give an illusion of space, inviting people to explore and discover more, or simply providing the light to sit and eat at a table. Use candles, too, for mood lighting. The LED Taki Lamp from the AQUA CORDA COLLECTION is a series of domed suspension lamps made with a colour rope cord in a spiral-like pattern. Additional internal shade, made of a semi-transparent polyester cord, enhances the lamp's brightness. RODA extends its know-how to lighting with a variety of contemporary outdoor lamps. Each modern exterior light is a piece of furniture in itself.

Outdoor kitchen Add the positives of an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven or a wall, or balcony rail hung barbeque — a fold-up model ideally. Tabletop biofuel fires add ambience—and a ‘feeling’ of warmth.

Heat and fire A heater illuminates and keeps you warm and toasty on chilly evenings, extending the evening and enjoyment of your outdoor space for longer. When space is at a premium, tabletop, wall-mounted, or hanging heaters are ideal. Heatlab's Infrared Hanging Patio Heater is a stylish outdoor halogen heater that lasts up to 3000 hours that addresses your heating and lighting needs. The sleek lamp style Kalos Plush Floorstanding Electric Patio Heater has infrared technology that heats the body rather than wasting energy on the air around you, making it efficient. Just plug it in for instant heat without noise or fumes. The heater comes with three brackets to secure the heater. Jotul has a super selection of designer outdoor fires. The Jotul Froya comes in Cor-Ten® steel that naturally oxidises beautifully with a gorgeous rust patina finish that protects itself from the outdoor elements for years to come. An optional mesh screen protects from sparks, and a black enamel base plate protects your flooring.

Enjoy That's all that’s left to do—just sit back with your soundtrack of choice and a glass of something, and chill.

/ OUTSIDE&IN

Cobbles and Paving To Lead You To Your Paradise

Stone Connection is the leading distributor in granite, marble quartz and onyx in South Africa. As the pioneers for stone distribution for kitchen and bathrooms we are now introducing our landscaping products. Cobbles and Paving are available all over South Africa at all our 11 branches so that you can make your own road ahead

WINTER IS FOR DREAMING UP A CUT FLOWER GARDEN

F E AT U R E - W I N T E R G A R D E N

Winter is for drawing-in and dreaming up plans for spring... Thoughts of growing flowers for your breakfast table, sharing with friends and the bees is a beautiful reverie to get you through the cold. Find a spot of winter sun, bring a notepad and pen, and turn spring flower thoughts into your own cut flower garden. Whether you have an area of lawn to convert into beds or simply a patio with space for a few pots, there is incredible choice for spring and summer flowers, from ethereal nigella and floaty chocolate lace to bright and cheerful summer zinnias and dahlias. Prepare the soil now so you’ll be ready for springs’ warmth and heady possibilities, your mind will thank you for the time spent in the soil too. You’ll need a sunny spot (that receives a minimum 6-8 hours sunlight during the day), this could be a sunny patio for pots, a bare patch of soil begging to be filled or an unused area of lawn. You’ll want to make sure the area is well-draining, so after watering the area, check that there are no pools of water that sit for a while.

Scoop up a handful of your soil, is it heavy clods of clay, loose and sandy, or fluffy- feeling dark, rich loam? Sandy soil tends to be well-draining but is drier, loses nutrients easier, and gets hotter in summer, which gets tricky for cool-loving plants. Clay soils retain water and nutrients better, but can be heavy and waterlogged which plants generally don’t appreciate. Loam soil is ideal but take heart, adding compost to either soil helps solve these issues and there are flower options for all types. If you have an area of unused lawn, consider using a ‘no-dig’ method to repurpose this area for flowers, an easy way to prepare flower beds that requires just 2 things: cardboard and compost. To do this mark out each bed (a practical width is 1.2m) with string tied taut between poles to make straight lines, lay cardboard sheets (such as those from packaging or moving) over the lawn, overlapping each piece to ensure no gaps. Spread a 10-15cm layer of compost on top, and water it down. After a few weeks the lawn and the cardboard will have decomposed and you can plant straight into the compost. A no-dig method lessens weed germination and improves soil beneficial organisms and microbes which means healthier plants and less work for you.

Tip: For the best information on this you will want to look up Charles Dowding’s videos on how and why to do this.

If your cutting garden will be a collection of patio pots, choose flowers that will grow to a maximum height of 1.5x the height of the pot. Soil in pots dries out quicker than in the ground, and warms up quicker in the spring, so stay away from cool-loving flowers such as larkspur and nigella. Lay a layer of stones at the bottom of the pot for drainage and fill with potting soil. Not all gardens were created equal in terms of soil and sun so choosing what works best for what you have, helps with planning what to grow and where. Growing a mix of various flower forms or a certain colour palette will help when putting flowers together in a bunch or vase. Here are some

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F E AT U R E - W I N T E R G A R D E N

spring planting options for a variety of growing conditions: •

For sandier soil try scabiosa, cosmos, rudbeckia, statice, or yarrow, as these plants love the free-draining position, and can tolerate lower nutrients in the soil

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These flowers appreciate light shade or afternoon shade: rudbeckia, nigella, calendula, phlox, larkspur

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Save the hottest and sunniest areas for heat-loving zinnias, celosia and amaranth

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For clay soil try the obedient plant; coral bells, echinacea or choreopsis

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Save the best seat in the house (sunny, rich in organic matter and well-draining) for your dahlias, roses and snapdragons

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Perennials are sustainable choices as their roots grow deeper as they establish which means they are more waterwise and don’t require repeated purchasing of seeds. For perennials that make good cutting flowers try penstemon, alstroemaria and echinacea

•

For maximum harvest from a small growing space or when growing in pots you want ‘cut and come again’ flowers such as zinnias, scabiosa, snapdragons, and dahlias

Lastly, when planning your growing space consider using permaculture principles to help make the best use of your growing area’s space and personality, how to design it for both beauty and to fulfill more than one function while using water efficiently. This may mean designing beds to echo the shape of the greater space, planning beds to be perpendicular to the gradient if growing on a slope to reduce water run-off, incorporating space for herbs or a picnic spot, and planting flowers where they can be enjoyed from inside the house. For hard-to-find seeds and dahlia tubers contact the Hort Couture Flower Collective on Instagram @hortcoutureflowercollective.

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Lisa Barrett

Wildly Sown www.wildlysown.wixsite.com @wildly_sown @wildlysown_studio Hort Couture Flower Collective @hortcoutureflowercollective

A dream is a wish your heart makes. Find the Rose your heart has been dreaming about at Ludwig’s.

WINTER COLOUR For Indoors & Outdoors

Indoor

Outdoor

Cnr. Beyers Naudé Drive & Ysterhout Avenue, Randpark Ridge, Randburg • Tel: 011 792 5616 • Cell: +27 64 107 1377 • email: info@lifestyle.co.za • www.lifestyle.co.za . SHOP FROM HOME ON OUR ONLINE STORE. WE DELIVER.

DIG INTO WINTER There is no need for winter blues with so much life in the garden this season. With the right plants and products, you can grow food and blooms to your heart’s (and dinner plate’s) content. Let’s dig in and make the cold a little more colourful and crunchier with pre-spring seed sowing, germination hacks, and superstar seedlings!

F E AT U R E - D I G I N T O W I N T E R

Know your lingo Before we get elbow deep in dirt, it is important to know the difference between sowing, germination, and seedlings. Sowing is planting a seed from a seed packet, while germination is the process of that seed developing. A seedling is a baby plant that has already been sown and successfully germinated. Spring seed sowing What you choose to sow now will have germinated into young seedlings for springtime. We recommend that you begin the seed germination process indoors and then transplant the young seedlings into beds or larger containers later once the weather is warmer and frost has passed. Sowing according to your region is another important factor in ensuring the success of your seeds. Gauteng: Edibles such as peas and potatoes, as well as pansy, viola and primula flowers KwaZulu-Natal: Edibles such as radish and turnips, as well as cineraria and Iceland poppy flowers Western Cape: Edibles such as beetroot and tomatoes, as well as alyssum and salvia flowers. A germination station There’s nothing worse than sowing a seed that never makes it to meet the sun. Avoid the disappointment and begin an indoor germination station! This is a highly rewarding and educational activity for the whole family to become part of. We recommended starting off near a sunny window or on the patio or balcony, just remember to bring your babies in at night and move them away from any glass that can get rather icy at sundown.

Top compost tip: Keep your tea bags, grounded coffee beans, and eggshells to use as DIY compost for all your winter plants.

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F E AT U R E - D I G I N T O W I N T E R

Here are some more germination hacks: Soil: Use standard seedling trays filled with a specially formulated germination mix, designed to trap and hold moisture and nutrients for all new seeds. This mix is usually a combination of compost, coco-peat, vermiculite, perlite, kraal manure, and other essential goodies. Sprinkle: You can use shallow rectangular containers filled with germination mix for those really tiny seeds. Premix your seeds with a little bit of the soil and then sprinkle and scatter the seed soil mix around the container. Moisture: For larger seeds, begin germination inside a moist cottonwool sandwich. This method is an old favourite for kids as they can lift up the cottonwool and enjoy sneak peeks of the seed’s progress. After a few days, the seed will be ready to be moved to a seedling tray. In the seedling hot seat Your local nursery is fully stocked with cool season seedlings that you can grow at home. Consider your lifestyle and determine whether beds or containers would suit you best. Larger edibles are best for the ground, while smaller veggies and herbs work well in containers on the stoep where kids can easily get involved. Seasonal flowers add a bang of colour to barren borders and beds, especially when planted in between winter dormant plants. Always remember to check the sun requirements of your new seedlings to help you decide where to plant them.

Life is a Garden

www.lifeisagarden.co.za @lifeisagardensa

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F E AT U R E - D I G I N T O W I N T E R

Did you know? Some seeds like green peas can be easily sprouted by soaking them in water for a few hours. Once they start looking like cute little tadpoles, you can simply transfer them to prepared seedling trays for further growth.

Edibles: asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, peas, chillies, and eggplant Colour: verbena, alyssum, geraniums, larkspur, petunias and dianthus Fast growers: peas and calendulas Grow on gloriously Maximise your harvest and get the brightest show from your flowers by using the correct soil mixes and fertilisers. Ask for help from knowledgeable staff members at your local nursery who will be able to recommend the best products for your chosen plants. Once you have purchased a few seedling trays (with the necessary soil mix and food), follow these tips for successful growing. The difference of good dirt: You can either transplant seedlings directly into prepared beds and containers, or into 'halfway house' containers for replanting later, depending on what type of plants they are (edibles or decoration) and where their final growing place will be. In general, the prepared soil environment should be nice and loose with a combination of potting soil, compost, and a slow-release fertiliser worked in. Feeding is fabulous: Plants need to be fed during their growing season, during which they absorb the most amount of nutrients from the soil. Edible and flower specific fertilisers are available at your garden centres. Read the packaging of your chosen plant feed to determine how much to use and how often to apply.

Top tip: Transplant all new seedlings around mid-morning and water well. This will allow plants to utilise the water while they are most active during the day, while also reducing the chance of frostbite.

"Did you know? Some seeds like green peas can easily be sprouted by soaking them in water for a few hours" 42

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Germination Station Staples Outside & In's top picks for your very own germination station!

01. Vitamino Plant Food Fertiliser: R160 for 500ml, Makhro Home and Garden l www.leroymerlin.co.za 02. AquaFix The Water Reservoir: R160 for 500ml, Makhro Home and Garden l www.leroymerlin.co.za 03. Nourish Plant Food: R99 for 500ml, Talborne Organics l www.happylifeplants.com 04. City Gardening Balcony Basics: R59, GARDENA l www.gardening.co.za 05. Pressure Sprayer: R199, GARDENA l www.gardening.co.za 06. Wonder Fruit & Flower Slow Release Compost: R249 for 5kg, Builders Express l www.builders.co.za 07. Starke Ayres Seeds of Success Egg Plant Seed Packs in ‘Black Beauty’ & ‘Pale Moon': R26, Builders Express l www.builders.co.za 08. Protek Guanoflo Multi-purpose Organic Liquid Fertiliser: R89 for 200ml, Brights Hardware l www.brights.co.za 09. Good Roots Gardening Fork: R99, Faithful To Nature l www.faithful-to-nature.co.za

Add some healthy vegetables to your

with our range of vegetable seeds

KELPAK A plant growth regulator which will improve root, shoot and flower development. NUTRIFEED is a specially formulated, concentrated and balanced fertiliser, which, when used regularly, will promote healthy root, plant and flower development. HYDROCACHE is a moisture retaining carbon enriched gel that one works into the soil to hold on to moisture, so the plant can absorb it as and when it’s needed. Carbon retains microbes, elements and nutrients for sustained slow release to the plant roots and promotes the structure, biological and physical health of the soil. PALM PEAT is a uniform, consistent, high quality horticultural growing medium, which ensures good germination of seed, and vigorous root, plant and flower development.

Nutrifeed (Reg No. K2025 – ACT 36 of 1947) Fertiliser Group 1 • Hydrocache Reg. No. M48 (Act 36 of 1947) • Kelpak Reg no. L5756 (Act 36 of 1947)

Now Is The Time For Action! WINTER ACTIVITIES TO JUMP START YOUR SPRING GARDEN ...

F E AT U R E - TA L B O R N E O R G A N I C S

he promise of a spring garden with fresh new leaves unfolding, the scent of jasmine wafting through the air, blossoms on the fruit trees and flower buds bursting open, it's all motivations enough to inspire the passionate gardener to kit up for a bit of action and help nature craft the best garden ever! Yes, we're going outside...

Here is a list of activities to keep you warm and busy during the cooler winter months. And yes, prepping your garden for spring comes with the added benefit of a natural workout and a dose of crisp, fresh air!

Lawn care

Whether the winter has been mild or frosty, the lawn will always respond well to a bit of TLC. Tip: Healthy roots are the best foundation for a thriving lawn. Established lawns should get a topdressing of Organic Earthworm Castings at 250ml (1 cup) and 100g per m2 of Vita Green 5:1:5(16) organic fertiliser to condition soil and promote healthy leaf cover. New or problem-riddled lawns (hard or uneven soil, a poor knit or lawns prone to weeds) should be spiked with a garden fork or on large areas, hire a spiked roller from a lawnmower shop before spreading a topdressing layer of about 1 cm mixture of 1/3rd good quality (weed free) topsoil.

Tip: Don’t use builders’ sand which is too gritty and abrasive for delicate new grass stems. Use 1/3rd Organic Earthworm Castings and 1/3rd compost finely sifted. Add 100g VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) and 200g of agricultural lime (Dolomitic lime) into the topdressing mixture per m2 of lawn to be covered. This will result in a tight knit lawn which will smother out weeds and prevent weed seed from germinating.

Lawns in tight clay areas should be conditioned as per problem lawns above, except for substituting gypsum for the agricultural lime. Gypsum will break open the tight bonds of the soil particles by adjusting the chemistry.

Pruning and shaping

This is the garden's equivalent of your home's 'spring clean'. Out with the old, dead branches and roots, as pruning stimulates the formation of new roots and branches on which the new growth and buds will develop. While deciduous trees, shrubs and roses look dormant, they are very busy energising in the root zone and preparing for the spring boost which is known as the period where the sap rises.

Tip: Don’t delay your pruning which usually takes place between the start of July and end of August (remember to adjust for your regions climatic conditions). Weather patterns are changing so once the buds appear, pruning is too stressful for the plant.

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F E AT U R E - TA L B O R N E O R G A N I C S

Fertilise

Immediately after pruning, the roots require nourishment to regenerate. An organic fertiliser is the ideal choice (Talborne has a fantastic option) for this winter conditioning as it does not burn roots and leaves of plants as nutrients are released over a period of at least 4 months. It contains the N:P:K and the full spectrum of the other nutrients essential for healthy, productive plants. For existing or newly prepared flower, herb and vegetable beds Apply 100g of VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) per m2 and 125g per rose or shrub and 250ml/1 cup of Organic Earthworm Castings. For fruit and ornamental trees spread 500g to 2kg of VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) per tree and 250ml/1 cup per m2 of Organic Earthworm Castings (adjust for tree and container size). Tip: Bonemeal is traditionally applied with pruning for supplementing phosphate and calcium, but as VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) has adequate nutrients included in the formulation, do not add any extra bonemeal.

Watering programme

Water the beds, lawn and trees after applying the fertiliser to activate the soil life (microbes) which is responsible for the release of the nutrients from organic fertiliser for uptake by the plants. As the conditions warm up, adjust the watering programme from once a week to 2 or 3 times a week as needed. Tip: VITA Organic Fertiliser conserves water as nutrients are not bound to salts like old fashioned chemical fertilisers which must be dissolved for uptake by osmosis. VITA Organic Fertiliser is waterwise as plants and lawns will not burn if not watered immediately after application and there is no need to wait for heavy rainfall before you can fertilise the lawn. The usual watering programme will be adequate to activate VITA without the threat of fertiliser burn.

Feed and condition your indoor plants

The good news is that on those chilly days when you’re tired of sitting inside and all you want to do is go out into the fresh air and garden but freezing weather conditions keep you tucked up in front of the fire, you can exercise those green fingers by spending time nurturing your indoor plants. Condition your indoor plants with Organic Earthworm Castings (apply a 1cm layer onto the top of your pot plant soil) and feed with 5-10ml of Nourish Liquid Organic Plant Food as per plant’s fertilising requirements.

Claire Gove

Managing Director Talborne Urban Organics www.talborne.co.za @talborneorganics

Tip: Nourish Liquid Organic Plant-Food is 100% plant-based, made from potato and sugar beet extract so there is no unpleasant smell in your indoor space. You can use Nourish to foliar feed or soil drench your indoor and outdoor plants. Before you know it, Spring will be here in all its glory, and you will be enjoying the fruits of your labour!

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TANKS FOR THAT! R A I N WAT E R H A RV E S T I N G M A D E S I M P L E

F E AT U R E - L E T I T R A I N

rainwater harvesting system can easily be one of the best investments you'll make for your home and garden. It can also save you money on your utility bill and makes it possible for you to make optimal use of the winter rainfall, especially in our (Cape) region. With so many different DIY water harvesting varieties in the marketplace, there’s no one way to assemble your system. Whichever option you decide will work best for your needs, is up to you, so we've put together some guidelines and tips with our resident garden guru, Julian Bartels, to help you get the most out of your tank! Plan properly

There are a few things to consider while DIY'ing: •

The type of rainwater harvesting system that will best service your needs

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The water tank size and shape you will need or want

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Where you would want to locate the tank: on your roof, if load bearing allows or on the ground and semi-buried below the surface, or a sub-surface tank

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How the pipework will be connected: This is largely dependent on your home’s layout and your preference

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Types of water filters: This will depend on end-use, as each usage will require different filtration systems Pumps: When collecting water for gardening needs only, a basic pumping system may be most appropriate

Area preparation If an underground or submerged tank is what you’re looking for, we’d advise a shallow submerged tank for easy cleaning and maintenance.

Main water tank installation After the site has been prepared, it is time to install the water tank. There are three main types of tanks of tanks that can be considered: •

Cylindrical tanks are the traditional round tanks that are typically made from plastic or galvanised iron

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Rectangular tanks are narrow and space-saving, but can be more expensive and have lower capacities; and

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Collapsible bladder systems are able to fit into many spaces, especially hard to reach places such as underneath decks

Water tanks come in a variety of colours so that you’re able to choose which best blends into your garden. Possibly the most aesthetically pleasing means of screening water tanks is to install trellising which will allow creeping plants to completely obscure the trellis frame and tanks. Submerged tanks can be concealed with grass or other foliage.

Auxiliary tank installation If you have more than one tank in your garden, with the main tank in place, all additional tanks can be placed. At this point it is important to ensure that everything is connected and secured properly. In order to enable and ensure maximum harvesting and storage. Additional water tanks should be placed at various roof collection points on your property which are connected to the main tank.

Pipework, pump, filter connection How and where these are placed differ according to each unique harvesting system. Ideally, the drainpipes should enter the water tank from a single-entry point. The main filtration system should be before the water tank too, while the filters can be divided into separate systems.

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Julian Bartels

CEO, BEST Professional Landscaping www.bestlandscaping.co.za @best.landscaping

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F E AT U R E - L E T I T R A I N

As far as pumps go, their placement depends on the specifics of the system and the garden’s requirements.

Water collection and drainage system installations Rainwater harvesting systems are typically designed to collect water from the roof of the home. Existing drainpipes already affixed to the house can simply be directed towards the water storage area.

Base surface The rule of thumb is that the base upon which the water tank stands should be at least 500mm greater than the diameter of the tank. A concrete slab is always the best long-term solution for your new water tank; typically, a well-laid concrete slab, at a minimum of 150mm thick with reinforcing mesh will suffice. Ensure that the base will last as long as the tank. It is important to ensure that the ground is 100% compacted when pouring the slab so as not to compromise the base.

Tank size An important first step would be to estimate how much water will flow into your tank. This would mean that the size of the catchment area, which would be your roof, would need to be considered. The bigger your roof surface, the more water you are likely to harvest. Other factors that would need to be considered in determining your tank size would be an estimate of the amount of rain the area is anticipated to yield, as well as the average daily water usage of your garden.

Uses of harvested rainwater Harvested rainwater has a number of uses, both inside and outside the home, and each litre of rainwater used, reduces a household’s dependence on municipal water. In most households, washing machines account for large proportions of primary water usage. This can be reduced by using harvested rainwater to run your washing machine. With collected rainwater, you could also use your normal hose to wash your car, saving both water and money in the long term. Although your garden may have direct access to water when it rains, there will be times when there will not be much rainfall, and your collected rainwater from your tanks will extend the delay on having to use municipal water for irrigation. Now you can use your harvested rainwater in your outdoor green space, as well as for your indoor plants! It can also be used for ponds and for water features in your garden. Depending on the scale of the project, a rainwater harvesting system could take up to 5 days to install. Happy Harvesting!

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Growing Health

NOURISH your Garden

Available in the following sizes: 500ml (makes 100L), 1L (makes 200L), 5L (makes 1 000L)

100% Plant based, made from Potato & Sugar beet Approved for Organic Growing Grow nutrient dense food & climate resilient crops No preservatives or artificial growth stimulants Ideal for Organic Vegan & Vegetarian growing No Odour

Available in the following sizes: 500g, 1kg, 2kg, 5kg, 10kg and 25kg bags

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Innovat

a Superfood for Plants a Sustained Release of Nutrients a Climate, Carbon and Water SMART a Won’t Burn Plants a Feed Every 4 Months a Value for Money

‘Growing Health’ is not only cost-effective but planet-SMART too. www.talborne.co.za

Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants = Healthy People

F E AT U R E - P L A N T L A N D

I think you’re Succulent!

Love plants but never seem to be able to keep them alive? We’ve got a succulent for that!

hese fleshy florae know how to put up a fight in the harshest conditions. Yet, they are hailed as must-haves for their simplicity in care and exotic looks. In this guide, we explore the wonders of keeping a succulent garden and how to spruce up your space with them.

Unravelling succulents

Succulents come from the Latin word 'sucus,' meaning ‘juice’ or ‘sap’ for their fleshy, water-storing leaves, stems or roots. They originate from dry and desert regions on continents worldwide, apart from Antarctica. As they grow well in arid climates, they need little water and thrive in sunlight.

Succulents come in a variety of types and colours, some of which include:

Plantland Garden Centre www.plantland.co.za @plantlandgardencentre

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Agaves — appear like artichokes with a rosette shape, originate from the Americas, vastly range in size

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Aloes — tapered and serrated, fleshy leaves filled with gel. They create starfish-like rosettes with bright orange and yellow bloom spikes

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Cacti — this variety of succulent often includes spines and come in many shapes (round, columnar, or paddle-like stems)

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Crassulas — come in two distinct varieties stacked or branching. Are either silvery grey, bright yellow or variegated cream and green with a bit of red

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Echeverias — iconic succulents with tightly formed rosettes, creating ‘hen and chick’ clusters. Appear like cabbage on continually growing stalks

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Euphorbias — include non-succulents. These instead have milky sap (sometimes hazardous irritants or toxic) with bead-like flowers

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Kalanchoes — colourful tiny flowers or with felt-covered leaves. Great in hot climates as they are heat resistant and quite tough

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Portulacaria — a small-leaved succulent plant found in South Africa. Has reddish stems and green leaves, but variegated versions are also available

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Sedum — trailing succulents with stacked and concentric or bean-shaped leaves, with starshaped blooms in summer. Great for rock gardens, fillers for containers or as ground covers

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Senecio — come in a wide variety of shapes and colours of deep green, bluish, or striped with thick and fleshy leaves. Flowers are daisy-like and yellow, or red-orange puffs, which eventually bloom dry into dandelion-like tufts

If you intend to keep them indoors, make sure to plant them in well-draining soil and keep to watering them minimally (about once per week). You can also use pebbles or marbles to cover growing mediums for your potted succulents.

BENEFITS OF SUCCULENTS Waterwise plants You’ll save on water and reap a glorious garden with colourful groundcovers and indigenous shrubs with their minimal water needs. Can’t go wrong there!

Relatively pest-free These plants are hardy, not just for their waterwise properties in the garden, but are also pest-resistant. Although, you may experience bacterial or fungal diseases if you overwater them indoors. Rare cases of pests may include scale, mealybugs or spider mites.

Highly adaptable They can thrive in either high light and low moisture, to wet and humid environments.

Dynamic plants These plants double as healing tools. Not only are they great for medical use (they can reduce high blood pressure, cure sore throats and skin ailments) — but also act as a mood booster! Their colourful presence uplifts spaces and assists in aiding focus. Altogether a delightful decoration or thoughtful gift. There is so much you can do decoratively with these plants both indoors and outdoors, the only limit is your imagination! OUTSIDE&IN /

Babel chefs in the Kitchen Garden

Babylonsto

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F E AT U R E - B A BY L O N S T O R E N ' S B E S T

oren’s Best I

t’s not every day you have the pleasure of sitting with the one and only Gundula Deutschländer, the Master Gardener behind the exquisite and iconic gardens of Babylonstoren. Outside & In was thrilled to chat to Gundula about her winter gardening advice, favourite spots onsite Babylonstoren, tools and tricks of the trade and highlights of her long and fulfilling career in the industry. Needless to say, we were all ears...

Q: Tell us a little about the journey that led you to Babylonstoren... What was your 'aha moment' when you knew a life in botany was your calling? I remember going on a multi-day hike crossing the Cederberg, from north to south, as an art student at Stellenbosch University. It was raining most of the time, with such poor visibility that you’d almost walk bang into one of those huge decrepit cedar trees looming out of the mist. One morning, the sun broke through the clouds, its rays refracting rainbows in the drops dangling from the bushes. This diamond-spangled wilderness was just the place to be! Despite the long hard slog to get there, everything else just paled in comparison. Just a few weeks ago, we had our first decent shower of rain after a long, dry summer, and again, it triggered that memory of that moment and being in awe of nature. After completing my degree, I travelled abroad, working as a gardener for several years. Brantwood, the estate of Victorian genius, John Ruskin, exposed me to the historical context of gardening and how to work with integrity within the fabric of the landscape, honing the skills of a craftsperson. It was all about creating a living laboratory. Working for Eleni Martinez, an Antique Dealer in Greece, gave me the opportunity to juggle different garden spaces that depended on the suspense of the design. Her garden, situated between olive groves, leads down the garden path to various places of contemplation and great drama, all very stylishly done. On returning to South Africa, I then worked with a landscaping company, where the support of a team added a much-appreciated social layer to the creative process. Gardening is very much about creating a safe space that is reliant on collaboration and trust. Q: So having all of this space to explore and create on the iconic farm must be so exciting... What are some of your favourite places in the Babylonstoren gardens to visit, and which are the places that make you feel the most joy? Currently, it has to be the jewel boxes surrounding our mature persimmon trees, which we have four of, anchoring the four corners of our orchard. I planted tall bay hedges around each and have pruned windows into these to allow glimpses of the colouring leaves. I know of few trees that have such a magnificent range of autumn colours - from a metallic purple to a fiery coral gleam - reminiscent of the glow of stained-glass windows.

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Images by Babylonstoren

F E AT U R E - B A BY L O N S T O R E N ' S B E S T

Q: We imagine the work you do is quite seasonal onsite, so tell us a little about what winter looks like in the gardens? What is the general planting or harvesting routine, and what prep work needs to be done for the seasons to come? Winter at Babylonstoren brings many unexpected joys. With our focus on food production, we don’t include ornamental blooms unless they are edible or ripen to produce edible fruit, however, flowers bring great joy. During the winter dormancy period, we prune our deciduous trees, pairing it down to the structural skeleton ready for the blossoming eruption in August. The plums are particularly precocious in their white blossoming, while snow dusts our mountain tops. That’s definitely one of my favourite times

"Winter at Babylonstoren brings many unexpected joys. With our focus on food production, we don’t include ornamental blooms unless they are edible or ripen to produce edible fruit, however flowers bring great joy." at Babylonstoren. We usually have much to do before the cold sets in: pruning, sowing seeds and planting herbs and bulbs. I do a lot of cutting back of herbaceous shrubs and herbs (for example, sage, santolina, artemisia and melissa) to take advantage of the temperate weather and sprinkling of rain, to allow time for protective growth to form before the cold sets in. Pruning often exposes soil that gives us the opportunity to feed the plants with compost and dress the soil with mulch. Q: How many different plant species can one expect to find whilst roaming the Babylonstoren gardens and how big is the team that works with you? Impossible to keep track of! We keep adding new plant species and expanding varieties, particularly in Babylonstoren's botanist Ernst van Jaarsveld's growing indigenous collections. Our team consists of 47 gardeners, florists, harvesters, washers, and drivers as well as 7 students. We appreciate immensely the support from our loyal volunteers that come to help twice a week, and it’s fun because we attract a wide range of people interested in the various aspects of gardening. Gu

nd ul

We like to keep things under wraps until the day of the launch as it allows us the element of surprise. However, I’d encourage visitors to come along in early winter, to view the rock exhibition in our Puff Adder, we’ve got a surprise that promises to be multisensory. I’m very excited about it!

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Q: Is there anything new or exciting we can expect to come to fruition in the gardens for the year ahead?

ice

use

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F E AT U R E - B A BY L O N S T O R E N ' S B E S T

Q: Tell us a bit more about why you believe in the art of teatime and how these herbs are explored in the gardens at Babylonstoren? What might you consider to be your signature blend? A decent cup of tea can really allow your day to shift gears. We don’t all have the time to pause for teatime, but there are various ways to enjoy a cup of tea, especially when we have such an array of herbs to select from as we do at Babylonstoren. In the main garden, I originally used herbs to heal the poor soils earmarked for use as the garden. The herbs also attract various pollinators throughout the seasons and function as companions for our fruit and vegetables.

"Rosy-cheer is my signature tea - a charming combination of roselle and rose pelargonium. I love it for its intense hue and delicate taste, but also its remarkable ability to wash away anger and frustrations." In the Healing Garden, I’ve had the opportunity to really focus on the healing properties that herbs provide for our human bodies. It’s a bit like having an apothecary in its original form, before things were placed in capsules and syrups. Rosy-cheer is my signature tea - a charming combination of roselle and rose pelargonium. I love it for its intense hue and delicate taste, but also its remarkable ability to wash away anger and frustrations. We sometimes have stock in our online store, so keep an eye out for it. For winter, I recommend a herbal blend to keep a cold at bay: thyme and sage remain the classic antiviral, antiseptic combination, but I’d usually spice it up by adding myrtle berries and violets, which sooth the throat and ease a nagging cough. Q: What are your top tips for home gardeners in winter? Top tips will vary depending on where your garden is situated: •

For most parts of the country, you need to pull a blanket of compost and mulch over your garden to protect it from the cold and prevent weeds from taking advantage of bare patches.

•

For those starting a new garden or area, it’s vital to do some soil preparation, so with very hard soil you should break the top surface and sow some green manure, which will grow profusely if you're in a winter rainfall area. The top roots of various grains, such as barley, help break open the soil and in conjunction with legumes like lupins and serradella, which release nitrogen, a cover crop can spare you much backbreaking labour and enrich the soil before planting for the following season. I like adjusting my mixes every winter, sowing in linseed, poppies, cornflowers or calendula - each not only attractive to hungry bees but useful in various ways. Green manure can be either dug in at the end of the season, or cut and left to form a protective mulch.

•

Winter is really the best time for planting deciduous fruit trees. When they are dormant, they don’t mind being moved to a more appropriate spot.

•

I also love a good pruning, getting my secateurs in to trim a tree into shape and etch a skeleton of good proportions.

•

Our SA soil is often old and tired, so where old growth is removed and the soil is exposed, use this opportunity to feed the soil with a sprinkling of organic fertiliser, compost and mulch.

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F E AT U R E - B A BY L O N S T O R E N ' S B E S T

•

Watch the advancing line of the shadows in your garden, As the sun takes a lower arc across our southern skies, shadows lengthen and we can take note of which plants are happy with seasonal light adjustments and can cope with deep shade. Prune the branches of trees where the shade becomes too deep.

Q: What are some tools in the garden you just can’t live without? I use my secateurs like an extension of my hand, but also love a good wooden-handled fork. We try not to disturb our soil too much, however, I’m always curious to see what’s going on down there, so whenever I need to dig, I always grab a fork - it’s less invasive than a spade and better for reading the texture of the soil. Q: What’s the best advice you’ve received through your many years in the trade? Patrice Terrevale, the architect who started the gardens at Babylonstoren with me, once said, 'There is much freedom in formality.' This was in reference to the grid pattern that has formed the fundamental weft of our garden, within which the various approaches of our gardeners can feel at ease to play, and nature peeks through with scattered surprises. Despite these quirky elements, the garden keeps its rhythm and harmony, and because of this structure, the seasonal twists and turns are so pleasurable. Q: Do you have a favourite dish, using foraged flavours from the garden? I love my greens, which make me feel as strong as Pop-eye, so that would be leaf amaranth in summer, lightly steamed, or dandelion greens in winter. For the most nourishing dish, nettle risotto with some peas and broad bean tips takes comfort food to the next level. Q: If you had the chance to salvage 5 treasures from the outdoors to create a capsule garden, what would they be? Small spaces are much more challenging than large areas, however all gardening is reliant on soil, light and water. An interesting garden emerges from our engagement with our challenges, whether poor soil, intense sunlight or deep shade, or a lack of water. Gardens only come alive when we can create an oasis for wildlife to enjoy the safety and abundance within this small space.

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Gundula Deutschländer

Master Gardener Babylonstoren www.babylonstoren.com @babylonstoren

IF I HAD TO PICK 5 TREASURES TO CREATE A CAPSULE GARDEN, THEY WOULD BE: 1.

A borrowed view, be it a distant mountain vista, a neighbouring tree or even a tree on the street.

Cow manure, which is pure magic for enriching and enlivening soil quality.

A shallow rock basin, filled with water for a bird bath or where bees and other insects can drink.

A transplanted old wild olive - it’s my son’s birth tree and a plant which has been an anchor throughout the years both here and abroad. Tenacious trees that carry on forever, they are great for climbing in and harbour festive birds when the berries ripen.

A mint pelargonium cutting taken from the one growing high up in the mountains where my father’s ashes are strewn. He passed in his sleep with a sprig between his fingers, and I find its velvety surface and scent a great source of comfort.

Gardeners at work

Open Seas A dreamy seaside cottage in a Cape village with a candy-coloured interior and a sweeping ocean-facing deck strikes the perfect balance between fun and functionality.

P RO J E C T - O P E N S E A S

he new owners of this beach cottage tucked into the mountain above the seaside village of St James in South Africa, knew that the house needed vision and TLC. However, the charming features and breezy lifestyle it promised was precisely the kind of project floral designers Dané Erwee and Chris Willemse had been aching to get their hands on. 'We held out for a decade to find a property that had uninterrupted views,' explains Dané, one half of the creative team behind Cape Town’s floral and event company OKASIE. A game-changing deck was added to capture the prized views and add liveability and space to the footprint, but internally space was still a premium. In a bold but brilliant move to solve this, they reconfigured the interior by slotting bathrooms into what was an unnecessary passage hallway, says Dané.

PROJECT INFO: PHOTOGRAPHS Warren Heath TEXT Lori Cohen PRODUCTION Sven Alberding

The row of three bathrooms that now separate the bedrooms from the living area save immense space. Embracing the quirky design decision, they upcycled sash windows, installing them above the bathroom doors to invite light in and inject a touch of whimsy. The walls were washed with Cretestone tinted with pigment into warm pink, olive green and soft blue. Moroccan tiles in the bathrooms in complementary shades make for a fun threshold between the bathrooms and the living area. The playful use of paint extends into the kitchen and living area, where peach and watermelon tones blush from highlighted walls, window reveals and the fireplace, and a minty hue extends from floors to the exposed wooden ceiling. 'I wanted the house to be quite eccentric. A bit of Mediterranean, a bit Capri, and very colourful,' says Dané.

LEFT: Adding a deck to the small cottage transformed it into a breezy, liveable space where views of the sea dominate. To create visual interest, and vary the dappled light, the pergola was constructed with a ship-like hull shape. Dining table, Koöperasie Stories. Bench chair, vintage find. Bench, made with reused wood from deck. Chairs, vintage find. Cushions, made with indigo Mali fabric. Large round planter on table, OKASIE. Leather chair, Warhams Woodstock. Table runner, Studio Isobel Sippel. Hanging lamp, gift from Turkey. Daybed, vintage find; cushions, Koöperasie Stories. Wicker stand, vintage find. Coffee table, old table with top cladded in suede.

TOP RIGHT: While the cottage needed work, the garden surrounding it was derelict and had to be extensively restored. There were a series of stone walls made from the granite of the mountain slopes the property was built on, but the majority were partially collapsed on the house. Dané explains that walls had to be reinforced, rebuilt and the rubble-filled soil rehabilitated. 'We filled the garden with indigenous plants so it needs little maintenance now. But there are also plants like hydrangeas tucked amongst them – greenery and flowers that do so well in the climate and we love to work with.' TOP LEFT: The living room is filled with an eclectic mix of upcycled pieces to create a fun, theatrical style. For example, an ageing floral sofa was covered with a muted brown slipcover, strategically cut holes to expose the blooms. BOTTOM RIGHT: A simple galley kitchen was a cost effective and efficient solution for the weekend getaway in St James, near Cape Town. Chris encourages natural growth on the stone walls that surround the cottage.

BOTTOM LEFT: A floral design created by Dané from the plants and flowers that surround the cottage.

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OUTSIDE&IN /

P RO J E C T - O P E N S E A S

LEFT: Part of a wall in the main bedroom was exposed to reveal the original stonework, while the gable above it was restored and washed with a lime effect paint. Curtains, OKASIE. Chest of drawers, Habitat. Rug, Fabulous Furniture. BELOW: The bathroom that serves the guest bedroom differs from the other two in that is has a green theme. A minty pigment in the Crestone ties the mix of Moroccan tiles together. Shower and taps, Bathrooms 4U. Tiles Moroccan Warehouse. Vase, OKASIE. RIGHT: A 'dead' alley that could not be planted had new life and beauty breathed into it with the addition of pond pots with goldfish and water plants. Selection of pots, Lieberman Pottery.

Loose pieces of marble were cut for the windowsills to add more colour and a layered effect. Floors were kept simple in a muted concrete screed, and in keeping with Dané’s objective to reuse as much of the demolished material as possible, the original pine floors were repurposed to box out the roof space. 'It gives the feeling of being cocooned in these beautiful colours,' says Dané, who says when choosing furnishings, they also wanted pieces to be 'light and fun.' Repurposing furniture and unique finds for their event business is the ultimate enabler, Dané confesses, and many of the items that now live in the cottage are lifted from their catalogue of creations. The philosophy extends to the kitchen, where most cabinets and cupboard doors are made from repurposed shutters or screens, and fabricated by Dané's brother, Theunis. Shelves are open (a practical decision to beat the moisture-heavy sea air) and display treasured pieces that give the cottage an authentic feel and keep it true to its roots. 'I'm a bit of a kid still,' laughs Dané, 'I like things dreamy and fun.' Most of the doors and windows were too weather beaten to be salvaged, however. With the passage reassigned and the entrance door closed, they opened up the front of the cottage, adding a sweep of double-glazed glass and shifting the entrance. The kitchen and dining area now flow onto a deck that delivers outside dining, comfortable spots for siestas and unwavering views of the Atlantic Ocean. Filtered light comes from the budget-friendly wood batten used to create the pergola. With the combination of the lush garden setting, stone terraces topped with chalky, white paint and airiness of the expansive deck space, you can’t help be mentally transported to the Mediterranean. 'It's always been about the view for us. The cottage is wonderful, but its purpose is to be a periscope through which we can enjoy the sea,' says Dané.

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This flower-filled Johannesburg home is an explosion of colour and styles in perfect harmony

P RO J E C T - S P R I N G L O A D E D

n the garden of Mariette and Peter Theron’s house in the Johannesburg suburb of Saxonwold, there are pot plants nestled amongst the herbaceous drifts of the flower beds. They peep up through the beautiful combinations of colours and textures, joining the exotic beans, heads of lettuce and strawberries that grow between the flowers. That’s because Mariette likes to move them around, as she might move the furniture and art in the house. 'I garden like I decorate my house,' she says, 'moving things around all the time. It’s moving but it’s not. It adapts.'

Peter and Mariette have lived in this house with their three daughters for 20 years. When they moved in with their eldest daughter, Pascale, now studying at the Eindhoven Design Academy, Mariette was pregnant with their second daughter, Andrea, who has just turned 19. Georgia, their third, is in her second last year at high school. But they didn’t change a thing about the house – not until they’d live there for 14 years. The house itself dates back to the 1930s. It was a fairly modestly sized double-storey house with a Cape Dutch gable, a shady colonnaded porch, and tall arched windows and doorways, and a single central bathroom for the whole family to share. There were large trees in the garden (although the biggest – the reason they bought the house in the first place – recently fell, miraculously leaving house, cars, pool and garden largely unscathed) and, as Mariette says, gave them 'a good feeling'. Well known architect, Johann Slee, carried out a very subtle and respectful alteration for them. 'He’s a good friend of ours, and he’d known the house ever since we moved in,' says Mariette. 'He always says we shouldn't lose that feeling.' So the structure remained unchanged: the footprint and façade are as they have always been. But Johann opened up some of the interior spaces, swopped around the kitchen and dining room so that the dining room better connected both to the kitchen and the living area. He also created an en-suite bathroom for each bedroom upstairs. Outside, he shifted the driveway from the front and centre of the house to the side, clearing a space for the beautiful romantic garden Mariette and Peter have created. He also extended the stoep (patio) so that it wrapped right around the house, which made it possible to walk around the outside of the house with ease, which wasn’t possible before. 'These floors are incredible,' says Mariette, referring to the intricately arranged herringbone pattern in all the new areas. 'They’re handmade clay bricks from Swellendam in the Western Cape. They call them klompies.' The rooms are resolutely un-fakeable. The old cliché about everything having a story behind it is actually true here. Usually, the people who make the claim seldom know the stories they’re hinting at. The kitchen island, for example, is a repurposed drawing office filing cabinet, bought when a large Johannesburg mining house closed their head office. 'They said we could have it for R150, provided we collected it,' recalls Mariette. It was on the tenth floor of a downtown buildings, and wouldn’t fit into the lift. Ditto the dining table. Similarly, there’s a trunk they had to lug from Folkstone to Dover in the UK, when they were living there as a young couple (Peter was working on the Channel Tunnel) when it wouldn’t fit in the bus.

LEFT: The combinations of colours in the flowers, fruit and ceramics on the wooden drawings cabinet that serves as a kitchen island show Mariette’s eye for design and flair for colour and composition. CIRCLE: In the main bedroom, the balcony has been converted into an open-plan bath area looking out over the trees. RIGHT: While the garden might seem wild and unruly as you walk through it, from above it’s clear that it has a carefully planned geometric structure.

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P RO J E C T - S P R I N G L O A D E D

But the beauty of this home is not just in the quirky stories. The aesthetic consciousness – Mariette’s eye for colour combinations and design details – creates unity. It’s achieved through constant combination and recombination, the subtly shifting, adapting, evolving arrangements that cast the old in new light and synthesise recent additions with the existing items. Throughout the house, grand old antiques rub shoulders with contemporary furniture, local south African design with international design, 20th century design classics with little-known student designs. As with the best of eclectic homes, the quirky details of personal history somehow find a place for them in the sweep of style’s various evolutions. In the same way, on the walls, works by some of South Africa’s most sought-after contemporary artists hang among pictures by the Theron girls when they were children, and young and unknown artists. Mariette is a painter herself, and says she is a strong believer in the importance of supporting little-known artists. With Pacale, in Eindhoven, Peter and Mariette have discovered much new (and some wellknown) contemporary Dutch design. 'We love Holland because of the quirkiness of it,' says Mariette. 'They don’t take things too seriously.' Of course, they do take things seriously, but have such a lightness of touch that all effort is obscured, as it is in the Theron household. That’s how, while their house is anything but minimalist, somehow it seems uncluttered. That’s another way of saying that things seem to have found their place in the thoughtful ways. They’ve been combined so that there’s harmony and balance, which is ultimately more important than the choice between minimalism or maximalism, or anything in between, anyway. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they won’t be moved again tomorrow. Because a really creative eye will find countless new combinations, new compositions and harmonies. It’s what Mariette means by: 'It’s moving but it’s not.' That’s the difference between a house that’s decorated and one that’s lived in aesthetically.

PROJECT INFO: TEXT Graham Wood PRODUCTION Sven Alberding PHOTOGRAPHS Greg Cox

ABOVE: The kitchen, which looks out over the fishpond, was one of the most radical changes to the house. The kitchen island is a drawing register and counter from an old mining house that closed its head office. It cost just R150, but came with the proviso that the Therons had to collect it, which involved carrying it down 10 flights of stairs because it was too big to fit in the lift. BOTTOM LEFT: The lush herbaceous garden surrounding the swimming pool makes it seem almost like a pond. The wooden stand with the terra cotta bowl used as a bird bath/feeder is from Twig, the furniture design company owned by Pretoria chef Lientjie Wessels, made using wood from invasive species collected during bush-clearing operations. Mariette habitually places pot plants in among the plants in the gardens beds so that she can move and rearrange them as the mood takes her.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Mariette says that her favourite room in the house is the sunroom. “My favourite spot in my house is the day bed,” she says. “The light is so beautiful.” It’s also perfectly positioned so that you can feel part of the house yet peacefully alone there, connected with the goings-on in the rest of the house, yet undisturbed by them. The chair is a Slow Chair by the Bouroullec brothers for Vitra.

Ceramics, a vintage hat block and flowers make an effortlessly elegant and beautifully composed vignette. Mariette says that she constantly moves items around the house until they seem to find their place.

F E AT U R E - P R O F I L E D P R O D U C T

The VELUX story began in 1941 with our founder Villum Kann Rasmussen’s simple idea of transforming unused dark attics into bright liveable spaces filled with daylight and fresh air. Our distinctive name is a combination of 'VE,' short for ventilation and 'LUX,' Latin for light – VELUX.

Healthy buildings focus We wish to lead the change towards healthier and more sustainable buildings. We believe that a healthy and sustainable home must be designed for people, for increased energy efficiency and with respect for the environment. Our key products are roof windows, flat roof skylights and sun tunnels, as well as accessories like blinds, and roller shutters, plus solutions for operating them, including sensor-driven, remote controlled and smart home systems. Our products help create bright, healthy, energyefficient places in which to live, work, learn and play.

Roof Windows Let in daylight and fresh air and open your home to the outdoors with a VELUX roof window. Available in a variety of different styles and sizes to suit your home and your needs. Roof windows offer twice as much daylight as vertical windows.

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Make sure you get the daylight right. Converting your loft can add so much to your home – not just an amazing new living space, but value too. Did you know that a loft conversion typically adds 13% to your property’s value on top of your project outlay? But, if you're going to invest time, money and effort in a loft conversion, you need to consider every aspect up front and get it right from the very start.

Bigger, brighter, better A daylight solution isn't just about the amount of light you have coming in. It's also about making the most of views, maximising the sense of space and creating a room that looks great, feels great and works just the way you want it to. OUTSIDE&IN /

Thermo Fires

THERMO FIRES is a privately owned Proudly South African, Cape Town-based family business. We are manufacturers of Quality and Bespoke Braais & Fireplaces. With over 18 years’ experience in manufacturing and design, THERMO has become synonymous with quality and custom products. As proof of our commitment to our products, THERMO is the only company that gives a 20-year warranty against faulty workmanship. 021 200 7660 | info@thermofires.co.za | www.thermofires.co.za 18 Viben Avenue, Brackenfell Infustria @thermofires

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F E AT U R E - T H E R M O F I R E S

LIGHT MY FIRE

Quality indoor and outdoor fireplaces by Thermo Fires At Thermo Fires you can find one of the most extensive ranges of locally manufactured indoor fireplaces. Our bestsellers are currently our Slimline and Corner freestanding ranges. While the Slimline range is designed to be wall-standing, the Corner unit is unique to Thermo Fires, designed by us to tuck neatly into an unused corner of your room, radiating heat at 90 degrees, with a view of the flames from all directions.

These ranges are available in 4 sizes – 600 mm, 700 mm, 800 mm and 1000 mm wide. The unit incorporates convection channels, a door with adjustable air-intake, a wood-burning grate and pan, as well as a 3.6m stainless steel insulated flue kit. The door turns this fireplace into a slow-burning unit which burns more efficiently, using less wood while radiating more heat into your room. Our insulated flues are insulated with non-flammable rockwool, withstanding temperatures up to 1000°C, giving you the peace of mind that your fireplace will not cause unwanted fires. Also available in the Slimline range, is a double-sided unit for installation in the middle of a room, or as a room divider. Want to make a statement? We also manufacture Square and Octagon units, as well as 2 ranges of built-in fireplaces. With our 20-year quality warranty you simply cannot go wrong! Outdoor units by Thermo Fires Why not turn your outdoors into an extension of your indoors by converting your covered patio area into a braai room, or by adding an outdoor kitchen? At Thermo Fires, we have a choice of more than 10 ranges of braais, in different sizes and materials, as well as drop-in braais and gas braais. No covered patio? No problem. We also manufacture portable braais and firepits. Our hottest seller at the moment is our professional range of built-in braais. This range has been designed to have modern, clean lines. When closed, the single door makes a statement – whether mildsteel (black) or brushed stainless steel. When opened, which is hardly needed, the door slides neatly out-of-the-way underneath the ashpan, but is easily pulled out to be utilised as a workspace. As with all deluxe braais, this braai is supplied with a stainless steel polished grid (or 2) and is available in mild steel, 3CR12, and stainless steel, as well as a combination of materials. Also available in the professional range, are spitbraais, combination (gas and wood) braais, as well as freestanding braais. Our freestanding braai comes with a fully enclosed cabinet to pack your wood, tools potjies, blitz, and the works. No matter which braai you choose, you will be the envy of both your friends and frenemies.

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If Walls Could Talk...

Wallpaper by Cara Saven Wall Design

F E AT U R E - I F WA L L S C O U L D TA L K . . .

f you’re stepping through your front door to your dream abode, you should be feeling what you’re wanting to feel! Invoke peace, positive energy or a space that’s popping with colourful pride. Anlo Neethling, interior designer and director of ONE Design +

Development, shows us how to create visually striking (and personal) walls within our homes. Here are a few design elements, materials and appealing options to create jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring wall treatments, no matter your personal taste and home interior aesthetic.

Wallpaper One of my personal favourite wall treatments...The availability of designs, variety of textures in wallpaper, installation methods, local designs, international design and range of cost, means there is something for everyone. If you have a healthy budget, gold foil embossed wall treatment is even an option. There are endless possibilities with creating a custom designed wallpaper. Anything from designing a unique pattern to enlarging an existing photo or print. In a previous project, we created a small piece of art with oil paints, we then scanned and enlarged it to ultimately produce a custom wallpaper print. •

Make sure you have a highly experienced installer, especially with an elaborate pattern or design

•

If you have a tighter budget or you are scared of commitment, one can combine a dado rail and paint the section underneath the dado, with wallpaper placed above the painted section

•

When brave, select the boldest colours available, if you're not into loud splashes, you can go for a subtle earthy shade, or muted palette

In one of our favourite projects, we printed a bold custom designed pattern on wallpaper vinyl, and then stretched the vinyl over a large timber frame (which is 2100mm in height x 1400mm width). This was extremely cost-effective, bold, highly visually impactful and ‘commitment-friendly.' You could easily change it in a season or two with a new trend and it won’t break the bank.

The cooler months ahead Don’t get stuck with the traditional warmer tones, try exploring alternative tones such as: •

Current trend setting schemes include terracotta, dirty pinks, burgundy and even a warmer white and warm cream tones

•

To balance the warm tones, as a contrast, I like to use cooler tones with the warm feature wall colour through secondary pieces in an interior... Here is how:

•

For the bedroom - cooler tones for headboards and scatter cushions

•

For the lounge or living room – accessorise with cooler tones using art, scatter cushions, sculptures and notes of visual and personal interest

For a quick, easy Saturday DIY project, divide the walls into three horizontal spaces. Paint the bottom third in a feature colour of your choice (go bold!), and then hang some art so that it overlaps the newly painted area and neutral colour.

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Anlo Neethling

ONE Design + Development Interior designer www.onedd.co.za @one_design_and_development

LEFT: House Colley: Custom wall design by ONE Design + Development. Art by Paul Senyol and Salon Ninety One. Furniture by Frederick Sinclair. BOTTOM LEFT: House Sir George: Paint, 'Valhalla' by Dulux. Panelling by NMC Mouldings. MOA Light by Bofred. Fabric by Hertex. BOTTOM RIGHT: Apartment Silva: Wallpaper by Artlab. Stools by Weylandts. CIRCLE: Bridgewater One: Wallpaper by Lemon. Art by Printeriors. Lamp by Weylandts.

F E AT U R E - I F WA L L S C O U L D TA L K . . .

•

To add warmth to a room or feature wall, look into using timber. Either slats, solid boards or when on a budget, look at ‘weetbix boards’ commonly referred to as ‘chipboard’ or OSB (orientated strand board). It’s cost-effective and perfect to use in a rental property

•

Look into using a warmer tone of paint (still neutral) but opt to use a textured foam paint roller to apply it as this will add texture and depth to your wall

•

Smokey, eggplant colour for warmth is trendy and all the rage. It looks as delicious as it sounds, give it a go!

Materials and finishes to feature walls •

Green walls - from a couple of pot plants fixed to a wall to an entire wall of greenery, creates a luscious feature wall

•

Alternative materials (as seen in House Colley) -here we incorporated 80mm PVC downpipes, cut in half, attached to a cleat system and fitted to the lounge wall. The 3 doors were installed afterwards to match up perfectly with the cladding, this created a modern and seamless interior, painted with a matte paint after installation

•

One of my all-time favourites...Decorative mouldings - I have used this material in modern to very traditional interiors. We love using a variety of profiles and sizes. Installed in either a traditional pattern, or to push the boundaries and create a modern and new approach

•

Cork is fantastic as a feature wall, especially with creating a warmer mid-century interior. It also works extremely well in a kid’s bedroom or office

•

Tiles, and not only for a kitchen or bathroom. Using tiles to create a feature wall can be very effective, especially with the vast array of handmade tiles produced in South Africa. For the brave, combine extraordinary tile with a bold wallpaper

•

Craving an industrial or even a traditional farmhouse feel? There’s nothing better to use than exposed brick. Do note to make sure that the bricks are sealed afterwards, this will enhance the lifespan of the wall and reduce the collection of dust

•

Stone - stay away from man-made stone or stone effect. The current trend is slate tile installed in its natural form, very much inspired by the retro 50s

•

Everybody loves a timber cladded wall -but, this can get very expensive, extremely quickly. Use a vinyl-timber flooring plank, it’s 25% of the cost and you would be able to have it installed in a couple of hours

•

Padding - a dramatic headboard for your bed can span from wall to wall or floor to ceiling, creating an entire padded wall and dramatic statement

•

Plaster art - adds texture, warmth and movement to walls, it's cost-effective and can be done in an afternoon

•

Mirror - from the standard to smokey grey, rose golds or any tinted variations of colour. This will add depth and increase the perceived space of a room. Go ahead and hang some art on the mirror wall

Repetition or collection Create a feature wall through the repetition of an object through collection. A feature wall made up of a collection of beautifully crafted plates, collection of photographs, and personal trinkets. Install a couple of floating shelves and add all your found treasures for an instant feature wall. Oh, and change the objects daily if you'd like to create an element of excitement!

Trends in feature walls •

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When you have the privilege of renovating or constructing a new home look into creating an expansive wall of glass, looking onto a manicured garden or courtyard garden. Alternatively, have a glass window backsplash in your kitchen, looking onto a garden or planter box

House Dreyer: Terrazzo by Union Tiles, Scallop Tile by Wolkberg Casting Studio. Sanware by Flush Bathrooms and Meir.

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Local, local, local – source locally printed wallpaper, stone from surrounding areas or even locally and sustainably grown timber. Use local installers and reduce your home's carbon footprint as much as possible

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Mix organic shapes with geometric ones

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Go with the flow and have fun with different shapes when painting—a circle here, an arch there, you name it! The final design will be full of personality and totally one of a kind

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Walls will transport us to 'far away' lands filled with leafy palms and safari animals, which can be easilly achieved through a custom printed wallpaper

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Marble and terrazzo - when you have the opportunity to create a feature wall from the actual material or printed wallpaper versions, this trend will last for at least 5-10 years

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Don’t be afraid to continue your feature wall onto the ceiling and continue the wall colour onto the ceiling too. For the brave, continue the wallpaper from wall to ceiling

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There are a plethora of endless design aesthetics and materials to add to your home’s interior. Have fun with curating an experience that will leave an impression on house guests, family and friends, but ultimately represents you and the atmosphere you wish to create. OUTSIDE&IN /

Chef ’s Tabl

F E AT U R E - C H E F ' S TA B L E

When she’s not busy designing beautiful interiors and he’s got some rare downtime from being South Africa’s most influential chef, Sandalene and Luke Dale-Roberts embrace being homebodies in their bighearted family dwelling. And yes, toasted cheese features regularly on the menu.

or the epicurious, there are few questions more fascinating than how a well-known chef lives: from family ties and interior design preferences to which labels are hanging in the wardrobe and, most pressing, what’s on the dinner table. When that personality is Luke Dale-Roberts, the visionary behind Cape Town’s internationally lauded The Test Kitchen and The Pot Luck Club restaurants, the sense of curiosity runs from profound to zealous.

After all, this is Cape Town’s very own rock star chef (a title he certainly deserves but, refreshingly, doesn’t seem particularly interested in) complete with swaggy London accent and a jet-setters CV that has seen British-born, Swiss-trained Luke cook and run kitchens everywhere from Singapore to South Korea to the Philippines where he met his South African wife, Sandalene. After relocating and spending four years racking up the honours as the Executive Chef of La Colombe restaurant at the Constantia Uitsig wine estate, Luke launched The Test Kitchen in 2010 followed by The Pot Luck Club (and in early 2016, a pop-up in Johannesburg’s exclusive The Saxon hotel that has subsequently become permanent). Since then, his highly developed technical skills and imaginative, conceptual approach has landed Luke and his establishments just about every significant local and international industry award and accolade you can shake a stick at, not to mention the adoration of critics (‘a peerless exemplar of how innovative South African cuisine can be’ according to The Telegraph), fellow chefs (UK celebrity alchemist-chef, Heston Blumenthal, counts himself a fan) and customers who describe his adventurous, seasonal fare and poetic presentation as nothing less than ‘food artistry’. Luke’s bond with Sandalene runs deeper than love, friendship and the family they have made with almost-ten-year-old son, Finley. A former fashion designer, she is the creative and delightfully animated force behind the interior design of all of Luke’s establishments that are as much a part of the experience as the food and unpretentious but impeccable service. Having garnered many accolades of her own, Sandalene has left the industrial glamour of the restaurants behind at their location in an old biscuit mill in the rough-and-tumble (but increasingly gentrified) neighbourhood of Woodstock and applied her accessible but stylish eye to a generously proportioned, light-filled period home in Plumstead: an area that appealed because ‘it manages to be leafy and suburban and historic but with gritty elements that give it an edge’.

PROJECT INFO: TEXT Mandy Allen STYLING Sven Alberding PHOTOGRAPHS Warren Heath

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F E AT U R E - C H E F ' S TA B L E

The combination of luxury, whimsy and practicality seen in Sandalene’s professional work is clearly evident but in a more personal, nuanced incarnation: warm browns and natural wood act as counterpoints to just-the-right-amount of fresh, vibrant colour while quirky objects, original artworks, textured soft furnishings and patterned textiles as well as eclectic pieces of furniture – some of which have had a previous life – all sit entirely comfortably with one another. Many of the standout pieces are of Sandalene’s own creation under her label, Naturalis, in particular the simple school-style chairs that feature both at The Test Kitchen and The Pot Luck Club. A cool riff on the traditional South African school seat made modern with inventive materials (on-trend copper), textures (Nguni cow hide) and prints (such as traditional Southern African Shweshwe), the chairs have become Sandalene’s signature item with each and every one, incredibly, being finished by hand in her work-fromhome studio. Food is one of the strongest threads that connects this busy family to one another. ‘During the week we always make an early dinner together before I head to the restaurants,’ says Luke, who also is the designated Toasted-CheeseMaker-In-Chief, a culinary staple of Finley’s school lunch box. The open kitchen area is, unsurprisingly, the heart of the home. Here the main event is the cooking island with top-ofthe-range appliances and plenty of counter space for prep work and plating. The kitchen’s flexible design and central placement that opens on one side to the living room, on the other to a cosy breakfast nook and forwards onto a sundappled ‘outdoor dining and living room’ allows the couple to be part of the conversation when friends and family come round, which is on most weekends.

It’s immediately evident that Luke and Sandalene are a harmonious and laid-back double act when cooking together (though Sandalene does get the giggles as Luke slips into chef mode for less than a nanosecond to cast an eye over her salad mid-progress). Observing Luke work while composing the various elements of this meal is to catch a glimpse of the brilliance and focus that has elevated Luke to the top of the pack – never has watching pasta dough being passed through a machine been so hypnotizing or satisfying. Today the couple are putting together generous, colourful platters of melt-in-themouth beef carpaccio and that fresh pasta done two ways: a linguine with sweet, garlicky prawns, roasted tomatoes and fragrant basil and ridiculously delicious pappardelle with tender seasonal greens, smoked bacon and Parmesan shavings. It is all, of course, sublime, beautifully presented and unforgettable. But then again one gets the feeling that even a toasted cheese coming out of this kitchen might move you to tears.

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F E AT U R E - C H E F ' S TA B L E

IENTS

Serves 12

500 g white bread flour 3 whole eggs 2 egg yolks salt

1. Beat eggs lightly. 2. Make a pile of flour on your table and add a pinch of salt. 3. Knead egg mix into flour and then knead together very well until properly amalgamated. 4. Rest pasta dough in fridge over night. When rested, roll pasta dough to the finest setting in a pasta machine and cut into desired shapes.

It's all about the dough...

Prawn, Basil and Tomato Linguine

Serves 6

ING RE

Pasta Dough

IENTS 200 grams fresh pasta dough rolled and cut into linguine Tomato Mix 200 g assorted cherry tomatoes 10 g basil, torn basil 3 cloves garlic, sliced 20 g diced butter 4 Tbs olive oil 200 g shelled and deveined prawns 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 5 small lemons, squeezed 20 g fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Halve the assorted cherry tomatoes and lay them out on a baking tray. Scatter chopped basil, sliced garlic and diced butter, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Slow roast the tomatoes for approximately 40 minutes or until completely collapsed. Reserve. 2. Bring 6 litres of salted water to a vigorous boil. Add a few drops of olive oil to the water. Blanch the fresh pasta for 3 minutes and refresh in iced water. 3. In a separate pan sweat one finely chopped onion with three cloves of crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Add the prawns to the pan along with the white wine. Cook on moderate heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato mix to the pan and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Add fresh basil, squeezed lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. 4. Add the blanched pasta to the prawn and tomato mix. Toss through quickly and season again. Serve immediately.

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F E AT U R E - C H E F ' S TA B L E

Here’s another one to try folks...

ING RE

Spring greens, speck and parmesan pappardelle D

IENTS 200 g pasta dough cut into pappardelle 80 g sugar snap peas 80 g garden peas 40 g brussels sprout leaves 50 g asparagus spears 70 g speck (smoked bacon), chopped 5 onions, finely diced 5 glasses white wine 150 ml whipping cream 100 g finely grated Parmesan 40 g pea shoots

1. Bring approximately 6 litres of lightly salted water to a vigorous boil. Plunge all greens into the boiling water and blanch for 1.5 minutes. Plunge into iced watering to refresh. Drain well and dry on absorbent paper. 2. Bring another 6 litres of salted water to a vigorous boil. Add a few drops of olive oil to the water. Blanch the pasta for 3 minutes and refresh in iced water. 3. In a separate pan sweat finely chopped onions with the speck. Add white wine and cream and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add blanched greens and blanched pappardelle. Add grated Parmesan and pea shoots and toss lightly in the pan. 4. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

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011 701 2200

Fantastic Fungi F E AT U R E - G O O D M I N D

Free Your Mind... The Rest Will Follow Heralded for health benefits beyond their nutritional compositions and favoured for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, functional mushrooms are non-toxic, non-psychoactive fungi and are known for their abilities to combat stress and aid in the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Functional Mushrooms contain adaptogens (nature’s miracle workers) – compounds that help bodies adapt to and fight off chemical, biological, and physical stress. They operate on a cellular level, ‘adapting’ their functions to our needs at any given time. In moments of stress, they train the brain to use oxygen more efficiently, energising the body and soothing the mind. They can also balance hormones, boost the immune system, improve cognitive function and reduce anxiety. In the same way that exercise trains the body to improve stamina, adaptogens train the mind to better handle the effects of stress. They work their magic on a cellular level, helping to stabilise the hypothalamic, pituitary and adrenal glands – all of which are involved in the body’s stress responses. Although functional mushrooms certainly have many magical benefits, they are not to be confused with psychedelic or magic mushrooms. They are legal and safe to use, with no toxins or risk of getting 'high'. Super mushrooms The three most powerful functional mushrooms are Lion's Mane, Reishi and Cordyceps. Each of these mushroom species has its own benefits… Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a powerful, mood-boosting, nootropic that helps protect and regenerate brain tissue, alleviating the feeling of brain fog and promoting overall cognitive health and sustained focus, it also promotes better sleep and slows the ageing process. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is an effective antioxidant-rich super mushroom that helps support the immune system and improve the body's natural response to managing stress. Celebrated for its ability to stabilise and calm the body, it also promotes better sleep and slows the ageing process. Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis) is an anti-inflammatory fungus that is praised for its natural support in athletic performance. Due to its ability to increase blood-flow and lower bloodsugar, they help the body reduce fatigue, optimise energy, and speed up muscle recovery. Functional mushrooms and cognitive health Stress has become a daily part of life for many. COVID and its resulting global concerns have compounded the stress of balancing work, life and everything else with fatigue becoming more and more of a problem for the average person still struggling to adjust to the ‘new normal’. Poor concentration and focus, low energy, and a general sense of mental fog have all become par for the course.

So what is cognitive health, exactly? A healthy brain is able to learn new things, concentrate on tasks, stay alert and focussed, retain information, and have the energy to get us through each day. Cognitive health does not only affect your brain right now in the present. It does not only impact your ability to have a calmer, clearer mind. It also affects your mental function as you age. Poor cognitive health can also make it harder to get through life on a day-today basis. As anyone who has ever had to juggle multiple deadlines with other responsibilities knows, there is no room for brain fog. Poor concentration and focus can increase stress. This has a knock-on effect, increasing the risk of physical fatigue and burnout. Polysaccharides found in Lion's Mane mushroom extract have shown to induce neuronal differentiation and promote neuronal survival. The mushroom had no adverse reactions and showed effectiveness in treating mild cognitive impairment. In addition to decreasing the risk of cognitive impairment, Lion's Mane mushroom has many other benefits that could help improve overall mental wellbeing. This mushroom can also regenerate brain cells and improve hippocampus functioning, making it easier to process memories and emotional responses. Taken daily as a health supplement, functional mushrooms can offer many benefits to the brain, including mental acuity. In the longer term, they could serve as a preventative measure to maintain a healthy brain.

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LELIVE I T ' S T I M E TO ' L E L I V E ' O U R B E S T L I V E S O N E S E L F- C A R E RO U T I N E AT A T I M E .

F E AT U R E - L E L I V E

eing a magazine that prides itself on local, recyclable, current, trendy and curated content for a contemporary SA citizen, we thought it high time we sat down with the creators behind the skincare brand that is taking over our Instagram feeds one self-care routine at a time... And you best believe we are here for that! Meet lelive.

Q: Talk us through the beginnings… lelive (pronounced ‘leh-lee-veh') was created in 2020 by Amanda du-Pont. The range was developed by expert formulators alongside our dedicated community on social media to create skincare that's truly made by Africa. It's our mission to make skincare that is clean, simple, effective and affordable while celebrating what makes Africa unique.

Q: ‘lelive’, what’s the meaning behind the name? The name was inspired by Amanda's unofficial Swazi name, and means 'of the nation or world'. This was a perfect fit for us because we're first and foremost about building a strong community that we support, listen to and are guided by.

Q: What has influenced your use of ingredients? Are they all natural? Our range has been formulated to be kind to you and the environment. Our products are produced in SA, and we make use of 95% natural ingredients, focussing on those that are native to us, like aloe, shea, marula and rooibos, to name a few. We have combined our beloved local ingredients with powerful plant-identical actives garnering international acclaim like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C, to produce a unique range that's the best of both worlds.

Q: How does your brand appeal to the ‘conscious consumer’ who is mindful of the products they use? We appeal to the conscious consumer by using 95% natural ingredients that are sustainably sourced with the rest being plant-identical actives. We package our products in mostly aluminium due to its recyclability and only use plastic for our caps. The rest of our packaging is all recycled paper. We’re also vegan, cruelty free, sulfate free, paraben free and reef safe.

Q: Let’s take a look at lelive’s diverse range of products. What is recommended for oily skin and what is recommended for dry skin? Our 3-piece oily set is ideal for mild to moderate acne-prone skin that scars easily and it moderates oil production without stripping the skin or leaving it greasy. If your skin's condition leans more on the oily side try lelive's 'jelly splash' cleanser, the 'all glow'd up' vitamin C brightening serum and the 'créme de la cream african mahogany' everyday moisturiser.

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If your skin calls for more moisture then we recommend our dry set- packed with sustainably-sourced african oils and shea butter, along with plant-identical scientific actives like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. The set includes, lelive's 'cleaner colada' (a coconut and pineapple african oil cleanser), the 'all glow'd up' vitamin C, turmeric and hyaluronic acid brightening serum and the 'du-pont' shea butter lush moisturiser.

Q: What’s your favourite indulgence product in your range, and why?

"It's our mission to make skincare that is clean, simple, effective and affordable while celebrating what makes Africa unique."

For Amanda, it’s definitely The du-Pont. It’s really important to layer your skin with nutrition, especially if you really want to awaken the glow. The shea butter makes it extremely nourishing (even in the dry Joburg climate that she spends most of her time in) and she loved it so much she had to put her name on it.

Q: Let’s talk branding and packaging… Inspirations leading to conceptualising the chic, minimalist and recyclable, sustainable packaging? As an African brand we knew that colour was important. We were inspired by various colours in nature, to further emphasise our love for our planet and its diversity. The recyclability of the packaging was actually decided by our community (who made all our key decisions in terms of what our range focussed on). We gained their insights using various polls and questionnaires on social media.

Q: Amanda, what does your self-care routine look like, and Nash, how does this differ from yours? Amanda: Pray, rest, eat healthy, and use The du-Pont from lelive. It's the perfect overnight hydration mask. Nash: Put a thick layer of Seatox on, jump in the bath, and try to block everything out for 20 minutes. Always fixes my mood, and skin!

Q: What are some products you’re experimenting with at the moment, and what can we expect to see next from the lelive brand? We have many exciting plans up our sleeves, including an anti-ageing capsule, a lip balm and skincare for your body.

lelive

Amanda du-Pont, CEO and Founder Nash Mariah, Chief Marketing Officer and Co-founder www.leliveafrica.com @lelive.africa

Q: Where can our readers get their hands on your range? Wellness Warehouse, ARC stores, Takealot, Superbalist and more!

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From Trash to Treasure

F E AT U R E - F R O M T R A S H T O T R E A S U R E

f you’re searching for the perfect way to give a unique gift, or hey... Even looking for something special for yourself (go on, you deserve it!), let us introduce you to minimalist, hand-crafted jewellery like you’ve never seen it before. If, like us, you’re also wanting to make sure it’s special and not massproduced or leaving a huge carbon footprint on the environment, we'd like to introduce you to AuTerra and the designer behind this brilliantly ethical brand, Ashley Heather.

Q: What sparked your journey into jewellery design? I stumbled into jewellery making quite by accident. I had always discounted it as an option for myself because of the environmental and social issues associated with mining and precious metals. Then, one day I was visiting a friend and she just happened to be melting a crucible full of silver, I was completely spellbound by its shimmering viscosity. I signed up for a part time course the next day and one lesson insigned up for a full-time jewellery design and manufacture course. Armed with technical metalworking skills and a background in Fine Art, I knew the only way to bring together my dual passions of sustainability and crafting precious metals was to go it on my own, and so, AuTerra jewellery was born.

Q: And how was the name AuTerra Born? ‘Au’ (pronounced just as what it is- ‘ore’), the atomic symbol for gold and ‘Terra,' Latin for ‘earth,' roughly translates to golden earth. This name encapsulates everything we stand for- a deep love for this planet and our craft.

Q: What are some of the inspirations behind the aesthetic of your pieces, and what is your favourite piece for the season? Our pieces are inspired by the details in the world around us, from the tiny form of a seed to the sweeping angles of mountain ranges. I don’t have a favourite seasonal piece, in fact, one of my favourite aspects of jewellery is how well-made pieces transcend seasonal trends and can become timeless pieces to be treasured by this generation and the next.

Q: Which materials do you utilise to create your collections, and how does this impact your company ideals? All of our designs are handcrafted in silver and gold reclaimed from electronic waste. E-waste is the fastest growing municipal waste stream in the world, placing mounting pressure on our landfills and releasing toxins into the soil and groundwater. It also contains both silver and gold, a sustainable jewellers dream! Precious metals are remarkable in that they can be recycled almost indefinitely without losing any of their properties. We believe that while some metal mining may always be necessary, ultimately, our most important extraction operations should be taking place in scrap yards and recycling centres, rather than in sensitive ecological areas and ancestral lands.

Q: It all seems very intricate, to create delicate fine jewellery out of e-waste! How do you do it, give us insight into the unique processes in producing such stunning pieces? Our refining process begins by manually dismantling the waste electronic products. All the components are then sent their separate ways for recycling. The circuit boards are run through a shredder before being fed into the furnace. This results in two materials, the slag which is a by-product (it gets a second life in the construction of roads) and a mixed metal mass. This mass is a combination of copper, gold, silver and, depending on the type of e-waste, a few other metals. Next, the most technically challenging aspect of the recycling process, the precious metals are separated out into solutions before being melted again in the final stage to ensure a pure, high quality material. The recycled gold and silver begin its new life in our Cape Town studio where it is alloyed and meticulously crafted into easy-wearing jewellery OUTSIDE&IN /

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F E AT U R E - F R O M T R A S H T O T R E A S U R E

using age old goldsmithing techniques.

Q: Who is part of the magic of your creative process? Do you collaborate with anyone? Over the years we have grown into a small team of passionate hands, both in the jewellery studio and within our partner refinery. We work closely with our refinery partner to ensure full traceability and transparency as well as high quality recycled metals. We believe that the quality of a piece lives not only in that piece itself but also in the quality of the lives of everyone involved in the process of creating it.

Q: Tell us a bit about the current AuTerra collections, do you create pieces for all genders, and occasions? Our collections consist of earrings, rings, bangles and necklaces. We make pieces for both men and women as well as many unisex pieces. All our pieces are designed to be easy wearing and timeless, just as suited for a day walking in the bush as for a night out with friends.

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek into what’s next for AuTerra? We have a few exciting new designs on the bench as we speak, all rings, but there are some real sparkling beauties amongst them. The prototyping stage is the most gratifying but also the most frustrating as every fraction of a millimetre needs to be considered (and reconsidered!) to get a design just right. The launch date isn’t set yet but keep an eye on our Instagram for details.

Q: Where can we find your stunning jewellery, both in store and online? Our physical store is attached to our studio at the Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town. Our online store ships worldwide and you can virtually pop in via www.auterra.co.za

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OUTSIDE&IN

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Wonder Garden Care

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Wondersol All Purpose Reg. No. K8556 I Contains: N 81,45 g/kg; P 17 g/kg; K 48 g/kg; Mg 1.11 mg/kg; S 0,32 mg/kg; Fe 23,01 mg/kg; Mn 43,05 mg/kg; Zn 124.16 mg/kg; Cu 27.81 mg/kg; B 422,19 mg/kg; Mo 261.59 mg/kg S.G 1.21 (20°) I Wonder Kelp Reg. No. L2812 N-AR0926 I Contains: Natural Auxins 2.2 mg/l; Cytokinins from Ecklonia maxima 0.0062 mg/l I Wonder Colour Boost Reg. No. K8552 N-F0625 I Contains: N 81,45 g/kg; P 17 g/kg; K 48 g/kg; Mg 1.11 mg/kg; S 0,32 mg/kg; Fe 23,01 mg/kg; Mn 43,05 mg/kg; Zn 124.16 mg/kg; Cu 27.81 mg/kg; B 422,19 mg/kg; Mo 261.59 mg/kg S.G 1.21 (20°) I Wonder Lawn & Leaf 7:1:3 (15) + C (8) SR Reg. No. K8299 N-F0580 I Contains: 95 g/kg N; 14 g/kg P; 41 g/kg K; 80 g/kg C I Wonder Organic Vita-Boost Vermicompost Reg. No. B5695 N-F1705 I Contains: 42,8 g/kg N; 88,6 g/kg Ca; 76,5 g/kg S; 9784 mg/kg Fe; 1190 mg/kg Mn; 5059 mg/kg Zn; 394 mg/kg B

Outside & In | Winter 2022

Articles inside

AuTerra

Meet 'lelive'

Fantastic Fungi

Open Seas

Life in Colour

If Walls Could Talk

To Infinity and Beyond

Light my Fire

I Think You’re Succulent

Babylonstoren’s Best

Let it Rain

Winter is for Dreaming up a Cut Flower Garden

Dig into Winter

Outdoor Oasis

Setting the Stage

Now is the Time for Action

Outside & In's 'Germination Station Staples'

Where to Find Us

You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile (and a plant)