GRASSLAND GARDEN
attenuation pond , covered by 300mm of soil , from which the water is gravity fed to the lowest point of the property and out onto the grassland pavement garden . The only criticism by the SALI judges who considered this a very impressive project overall was that a water harvesting system for irrigation purposes would have been an appropriate addition .
Landscape contractor Oscar Lockwood of Life Landscapes explained that the objective of the lower level lawn ( boma ) area , other than for water attenuation , was to enable the densely vegetated , rocky mounds with their acacias , veldgrass and grassland flowering species to create an ambience of being in the wild . The client wanted to sit and have sundowners around the boma , without being able to see cars on the driveway or an impeding view of the house , whilst relaxing and talking to friends . Large scattered trees , such as the quintessential African Acacia ( Vachellia ) sieberiana ( Paperbark Thorn ) of the savannahs and Dombeya rotundifolia ( Wild Pear ) of the grassland rock outcrops , form a backdrop to the mounding , adding to the feel of being in the ‘ bush ’.
Surrounded by large flowing mounds planted with grassland species , a carefully shaped lawn , lower than the house and other parts of the garden , acts as a catchment area for storm water . Excess surface water is directed onto the Cynodon lawn from all areas of the property and , as the lawn fills with water , it drains into an underground sump lined with stones . This serves as an
The grassland herbaceous species and grasses were largely sourced from specialist grower Johan Wentzel of Wildflower Nursery . He and Lockwood walked the nursery and chose the species , and each individual plant , with great care . The plants were predominantly 4L in size and densely planted on the mounding at two flowering plants per m 2 and nine grass plants per m 2 , on average . The choice of large
AFRICAN DESIGN MAGAZINE © | AUGUST 2018
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