Be inspired by colour, recycling and edible gardening.
This garden, featured in the annual Garden World Garden Design Show 2017, drew inspiration from the show’s theme of ‘colour my world’, as well as the idea of reinventing an old space into something completely different, while retaining as much of the original as possible.
It’s a small courtyard garden that fulfils the aspirations of an outdoor living room – the ideal place to showcase the theme. I wanted to encourage people to enjoy the outdoor living a patio affords them, and that includes using the herbs and vegetables that grow there. I know that most people would enjoy the idea of sitting amongst the flowers, herbs and vegetables while having a braai and a crisp glass of wine. To bring in more colour and to make the change of seasons more evident, I made very specific plant choices.
When you reinvent something old, the canvas is different every time and your work can never be repeated. I used the ‘old’ as the backbone of the design, transforming the bottom two tiers of an old water feature into planter boxes. This was replicated in the quadrants on either side of the water feature. The quadrants were divided by slasto stairs and columns on either side, leading to the centre stage where old beams were used to create a pergola. A Weber braai was painted and sits on a purpose-built shelf, a pop of colour against the wall. I cut slasto paving up for the stairs, and also used it for crazy paving. The original pavers were cut and used as coping for the columns. Figs were painted on an old door above the braai table, reinforcing the food element and the use of recycled materials.
I loved using old square wooden beams to create the illusion of a ceiling, and the holes in the beams gave the opportunity to bring in some old railway bolts as hooks for accessories.
This story is from the November 2017 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2017 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Touch of Class
A cut above the rest and attractive enough to fill all the spaces you can see in your garden or in pots...
Bordering on food aggression!
The economy, fires, drought, Russians, fuel prices, and politicians, dictated what we ate in my youth. The only exception was that Eskom worked...
Quarantining new koi fish
Give your new koi the best start
Big deal GLADIOLI
To get balance in a flower bed, we rely on tall flowering plants to provide height and show off amazing blooms. One of our favourites to plant are gladioli. They might look impressive, come in some gorgeous colours, and are great for a vase, but they are also easy to grow with a few golden rules.
PRETTY FILLER Scabiosa
There are over 70 varieties of Scabiosa (pincushion flower) in both the annuals and perennials categories with arguably some of the best ones local to our country, and excellent pollinator attractors too.
TRIPLE treat
A floral combo that's bursting with colour
CHLOROSIS how to fix it
Chlorosis is not a death sentence for your plants. With prompt identification and the right interventions, you can restore your plants to their lush, vibrant selves.
COREOPSIS 'UpTick'
For an easy-to-grow, tough perennial, with masses of pretty blooms, plant Coreopsis hybrids and watch the bees and butterflies come into your garden.
Decorative Dahlias
With a little basic care, you can grow these showstopping plants in your own backyard with minimal effort.
The beauty of BEGONIAS
For endless colour and a garden that looks vibrant throughout the seasons, these are your go-to choices.