An Eclectic Highveld Garden

ABOVE The distinctive silver-white trunks of Betula alba frame the vista of the swimming pool. Rich siltstone displays prominently on the boundary walls that are planted with Buddleja saligna and Clivia miniata.

OPPOSITE TOP A flowering Buddleja saligna frames the swarthy entrance doors.

OPPOSITE MAIN The dramatic backdrop to the grey pool features inlays of timber sleepers with studded detail. An eclectic mix of furnishings adorns the poolside deck.

This garden was commissioned by the developer of the complex and, at the time, there

was no specific client brief. Jan did a playful take on Highveld gardening, using an eclectic

mix of plants that work surprisingly well together, such as the dramatic silver birch tree,

Betula alba, which thrives in this hot summer/cold winter climate, and a selection of sub-

tropical perennials.

Playful or not, when it came to the design, Jan’s expert eye took stock of the fact that

this is a relatively narrow garden. He divided it into three separate areas of functionality to

give it a sense of space.

Unlike the other homes in the complex, this one does not have a gazebo as its main

focus. Instead, a dramatic feature wall is the perfect backdrop to the swimming pool. Two

recesses were created in this sandstone-clad wall, with a central alcove from which water

splashes teasingly into the pool. Each recess is inlaid with original timber railway sleepers

and, to contrast with the smoothness of the timber, the alcove is adorned with pressed

pebble detail.

A hardwood surface leads from the covered verandah to the pool. To the right of this

deck there is a tranquil grove of Betula alba, while, to the left, the same tree forms an avenue

that leads back to the intimate patio off the study.

ABOVE AND OPPOSITE TOP LEFT The plant-covered patio is the perfect location for a clay urn. An avenue of Betula alba opens onto this sunny planting of Dietes bicolor, underplanted with tufted Carex morrowii ‘Variegata’. Fragrant Trachelospermum jasminoides will soon cover the pergola. A delightfully eclectic mix of furnishings decorates the poolside. Oversized daybeds, bold

clay urns and a carved dugout lend an East African atmosphere to the space, complemented

by the oriental furnishings on the covered verandah.

RIGHT Soft underplantings frame the lush lawn. The taller Nandina domestica towers over its smaller cousin, Nandina domestica ‘pygmaea’. Sculptural Aloe ferox contrast with the softer Liriope muscari and Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’.