Neighbourhood 9 FEBRUARY 2020
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
At the heart of it all Wondering where to take that special someone during the month of love? We point out a few options to bring out the romantic in you, page 2
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GETAWAY NEWS: ENJOY SOME DOWNTIME
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PROPERTY NEWS
9 FEBRUARY 2020
Neighbourhood
On the road
Summer loving Getting away from life’s routines and distractions and making time for some fun and quality time with a special person in an interesting environment or quiet place can do wonders for your body, mind and soul – and the relationship WORDS: BETSIE LOOCK-VAN DER MERWE IMAGES: BETSIE LOOCK-VAN DER MERWE & SHUTTERSTOCK
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retoria and surrounds offer several lovely getaway regions and towns that are easily accessible within less than an hour’s drive from the big city. This way you don’t have to spend most of your downtime on the road. Here are a few bucket-list places for romantic travellers, adventure-seeking couples, or city-tired residents needing a quiet break.
Cullinan
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he historic little mining town of Cullinan 45km east of Pretoria claimed fame in 1898 when Sir Thomas Cullinan discovered diamonds on the farm. Little did he know that the real fame would come seven years later in 1905 when the world’s largest gem-quality rough diamond ever, the 3,100ct Cullinan diamond, was unearthed. This diamond later became part of the British crown jewels.
What makes it special?
A great deal of the town’s historic character and romantic appeal of the Victorian/Edwardian era has been conserved, and there are quite a few gems waiting to be dug up by visitors to the town.
When to go
All year is good. If you want to see the streets covered in purple jacaranda blooms, plan your visit for October. Weekends can be vibey and some places are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. EDITORIAL TEAM:
PUBLISHED BY TIMES MEDIA PROPERTY PUBLISHING
Group Editor: Carla Redelinghuys carla@yourneighbourhood.co.za Senior Sub-Editor: Marana Brand Designers: Anja Bramley & Samantha Durand Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za
Must-do…
• A drink at the old railway station buildings – relive the 1900s in a bar next to the railway line. • A stroll through all the interesting shops at Cullinan Junction – across from the station cafe – where one can buy anything from lovely vintage and antique pieces, to ginger beer and arts and crafts. • B ook a surface or underground tour of the mine at Cullinan Tours. • Spend that quality time in the lovely Oak Avenue with its quaint shops, historic homes and charming restaurants in a beautiful old-street setting. • If you love the outdoors, don’t drive past Adventure Zone Cullinan. The Zipp-line is a must and other activities offered are quad biking, archery, abseiling, horse-riding and many more. • Staying over: there’s a variety of romantic overnight lodges and game lodges dotted in the countryside around Cullinan.
ADVERTISING SALES: Call us for advertising opportunities on 087 828 0423 Production: Lucea Goosen pretoria@yourneighbourhood.co.za Online coordinator: Chantelle Balsdon chantelle@augmentcreative.com
9 FEBRUARY 2020
Neighbourhood
PROPERTY NEWS
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Dinokeng
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inokeng Game Reserve is situated approximately 45km north of Pretoria and claims to be unique in the sense that it’s the only residential Big Five game reserve worldwide located within the boundaries of a metro city and just half an hour from the city.
What makes it special?
Dinokeng offers Gauteng’s city dwellers an African bushveld experience on their doorsteps. Once visitors enter the gates of this 19,000ha reserve, city lights, traffic queues and skyscrapers are exchanged for spectacular bush sunsets, campfires and wide-open star-spangled skies. The reserve comprises several private game farms and lodges offering accommodation varying from close-to-nature campsites and bungalows, to romantic glamping tented camps and luxuriant safari lodges with beautiful suites. Most of
these also offer delectable cuisine, swimming pools, and game drives while some offer spa experiences. There are self-drive routes, romantic picnic spots and bird hides, balloon safaris, and guided walks and hikes can be booked. Dinokeng offers the ideal bush break and balances rest and activities well. In addition to the Big Five, the area is home to cheetah, brown hyena, giraffe, zebra, buck and leopard, and it’s wellknown for its prolific birdlife as well, including the endangered blue crane and a breeding pair of martial eagles.
When to go
It’s a year-round destination that’s busy during peak seasons. If you prefer fewer visitors, lower season prices and relatively warm and dry weather, the best time to visit is from March to May and September to November.
Hartbeespoort
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he renowned Hartbeespoort Dam was built farmland, once owned by the Boer General Hendrik Schoeman. After his death the farm and adjacent land were acquired by government, through the facilitation of Schoeman’s son. After many setbacks the dam was finally completed in 1923, and the rest is history.
What makes it special?
Hartbeespoort is located about 50km west of Pretoria and has over the years become popular and known as a weekend destination for Gauteng’s city residents. Its picturesque setting at the foothills of the Magaliesberg mountain range overlooking the Hartbeespoort Dam offered the perfect setting for a resort town and playground for water-sports lovers. In addition, many landowners around the dam ventured into the tourist market and today this area isn’t only booming as a holiday destination, but also as a permanent place of residence for many. Harties has enough to keep you
busy with activities and sightseeing but there are also several romantic venues, guest farms and bush lodges in the surrounding areas perfect for that special quiet romantic weekend getaway. Things to do in the area include the Aerial Cable Way, Bush Babies Monkey Sanctuary, Elephant Sanctuary, Harties Horse Trail Safaris, Harties Boat Cruise, Chameleon Village, Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre, Harties Dam Snake and Animal Park, picnicking on a cheese farm, strawberry picking, hot air ballooning, and enjoying the abundance of fine art on display. Harties and surrounds are also popular for its dining options – and the sky is the limit – braai restaurants with live entertainment, romantic candle-lit dinners, vibey pizza and pasta places, buffets… you won’t go hungry.
When to go
All year round is good. Weekends and especially public holidays are extremely busy.
WHERE TO GO FOR A DATE NIGHT IN PRETORIA • Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient Hotel: award-winning South African chef Chantel Dartnall will make your culinary fantasies come true • Castello di Monte: offers the full five-star dining experience in a five-star luxury hotel setting • Old Town Italy Menlyn Maine: as Italian as it gets • Lombardy Boutique Hotel and Spa: fine dining, tranquil setting in lush gardens • Kievits Kroon Country Estate: offering a journey of romance and pure indulgence
DON’T MISS… • 12 February: Vietnamese Fun Cooking at Steyns Culinary School • 14 February: Valentine’s Night Market in the Botanical Gardens Pretoria • 14 February: Valentine’s Moonlight Movie Night at the Kleinkaap Boutique Hotel • 16 February: Valentine’s Hike@Hennops, Hennopspark • 20 February: Good Mood Market in the Irene Village Mall
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PROPERTY NEWS
9 FEBRUARY 2020
Neighbourhood
How does my garden grow? South Africa has a small selection of shade-loving climbers and creepers, but the few we have really cover the bases WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK
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here are numerous reasons to employ climbers or creepers, but whether you want to soften a harsh surface, create a pretty scented arch through which to walk, or design a pattern for a wall, put in some homework to prevent heartache. “You’d be well advised to understand the plant and its needs,” says Carol Reid of Garden Green. “Ideally talk to your local nursery or garden guru about your specific area and what grows best there. Try to recreate its ideal environment.” Shade-loving climbers are somewhat limited in our sun-drenched country, but there are a handful which work well. “The word shade isn’t quite specific enough though,” says Reid, “because some creepers will grow in light or partial shade – so, they’re shade tolerant rather than loving – but prefer partial sun. Few are happy in dense shade, so if you’re keen to plant a creeper there, try to cut back trees or whatever is blocking the light, and you’re far more likely to have a healthy plant.” These are a few creepers and climbers which Reid suggests:
Jasmine
There are a number of different jasmine creepers, all scented and pretty, but some aren’t frost hardy, others prefer more sun. Star jasmine ( jasminum multipartitum) and South African jasmine ( jasminum angulare) flower intermittently throughout the year. Confederate jasmine or star jasmine (trachelospermum jasminoides), with its beautiful dark green leaves and scented white flowers, is now available in a variegated, more low-growing variety. Reid favours jasminum angulare (wild jasmine), a hardy, evergreen, drought resistant climber with glossy, dark leaves – it does best in frostfree regions, and it’s happy in light shade. This is quite a delicate climber, happy to climb over arches and along fences and walls. It performs best in fertile, loamy, well-composted soil, and performs better with a little watering during spring and summer.
Tickey creeper/ficus/ fig creeper/kruipvy or ficus pimula
This perennial, evergreen creeper climbs about 9m to 12m vertically, and 30m2 to 40m2 horizontally. It attaches itself to the wall or any porous surface, so bear that in mind… it’s a tenacious sucker, and if you choose to remove it, you’ll have your work cut out for you removing the vestiges of this creeper. It produces heart-shaped
leaves of varying colours, and it’s dense enough to completely conceal an ugly surface. It can take a little time to get going, but once it does, it grows fast.
Thunbergia alata (black-eyed Susan)
This evergreen shrub is frost resistant, water wise and fast growing in the sun or semi-shade. The orange flowers occur all year and attract insect eating birds. It’s ideal for small gardens – it grows well on a trellis to act as a screen.
Cyphostemma lanigerum (wildedruif)
This deciduous shrub/scrambler grows to 2m tall. As it is deciduous, it’s frost resistant. It’s also drought resistant and grows in the semi-shade. The yellow flowers open in spring and the bright orange/red berries attract birds. It occurs naturally on the Highveld and is a worthwhile addition to a bird garden. It can be grown over rocks as a creeper.
Clematis
There are numerous different forms of clematis, but our deciduous South African clematis bractiata will grow in light shade, and can reach a height of 5m if left unchecked. It can, however, easily be trained into a more formal growth on a trellis, and bears masses of dainty, scented, creamy white flowers during late summer and autumn. The flowers are followed by large, decorative seed heads. It’s commonly known as traveller’s friend.
WALL ART There’s no limit to the designs you can create, by either affixing 2D metal shapes like different sized rounds, or single strands, slightly proud of your wall. The more attention you’re prepared to pay the creeper, the more intricate the design you can achieve. The traditional criss-cross trellis shape – large or small – is easy to fit to the wall, and with not too much attention, creepers like jasmine follow the line. Just twist them round the wire every now and again to keep them neat. Evenly or unevenly spaced vertical lines – also work well, and if you play with colour, texture or patterns on the wall behind, interesting effects can result. If you enjoy a formal look, oversized pots in a row against a wall, can each contain their own creeper – affix a rectangular/round metal or wooden trellis, so you create a panelled effect.
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Selling price R 14 500 000
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031 566 1230 | africarising@vodamail.co.za | www.africarisinggroup.co.za