Caxton magazines staffBe inspired by this small, low-maintenance garden which packs in loads of cleverly designed, built-in features that make having friends around a breeze
This cleverly designed garden incorporates all the elements of the bushveld, sans the wild animals, in a very small space
Escaping to the bush and into nature is a luxury that many of us don’t get to enjoy too often. This amazing show garden at Plantland, Cornwall Hill, Gauteng brings the bushveld to us and shows just how easy it is to create this space in your own backyard.
This garden was designed by Amanda Kleynhans, Leslie de Vries and Rina Jones from the Irene School of Garden Design and features a number of cost-effective ideas, allowing you to create an affordable outdoor space where you can enjoy the tranquillity of nature without having to travel from home.
The decking was made using recycled wooden pallets, an old disc plough is used as a firepit and basic wooden crates make the seating. The plants are all water wise which means you save on that as well.
The selection of plants, from wild olive trees (Olea europaea subsp. africana), Nandina domestica to Cape thatching reed (Elegia tectorum), creates privacy and the sense of a secluded outdoor room.
Plants with different leaf textures, such as aloes, agaves and liriope, were chosen to bring the garden to life and their ultimate mature size was also considered. “This is essential in a small space to prevent plants overwhelming the rest of the design,” explain the designers.
“We envisaged this garden as being the ideal spot for greeting the day with morning tea or for experiencing the magical African sunset and stars around a campfire,” explains Amanda.
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