Your garden is a very personal space and you should only do as little or as much in it as makes you happy. – Peter
Early years
From the get-go, Peter planted more trees and then planned the garden around them. When he developed the property, he created a variety of small spaces that can be discovered as you stroll through the garden. The pond is one such space. “We wanted the sound of water in the garden and to also attract frogs, insects and birds,” says Peter. The pond, surrounded by a gravel path, is now the focal point of the front garden. And because all the boundary walls are hidden behind trees and shrubs, the garden seems larger than it really is.
“I’ve never drawn a plan of the garden, it’s all in my head. I get an idea and go with it. If it doesn’t work out, I try something else. At the moment I’m attempting to make it a lot more waterwise and I’m planning to remove what little grass we have. In its place I want to grow more hardy, waterwise plants, put in a few olive trees for shade, and add gravel pathways and metal art and sculptures as focal points.”
Although there is currently a mix of indigenous and exotic plants in Peter’s flowerbeds, he’s now focusing mainly on indigenous plants. “I experiment constantly and if a plant doesn’t thrive, I move it to another spot. Throughout my years of gardening, I’ve noticed that indigenous plants are incredibly rewarding and need the least attention. Last summer, when water restrictions were imposed in the Western Cape, the plants had to take care of themselves. The indigenous ones handled it much better by far.” >>