Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2014 i SA Garden and Home

I’m writing this on a fortunately fully charged laptop during one of the many power outages experienced in Johannesburg this month. Providing light is one of the most useful gifts I’ve received recently – an emergency light which can be charged electrically or by placing its small solar panel in sunlight or, if you’re really desperate (and I soon might be), by rapidly turning a small handle on the front. It’s either feast or famine in my neighbourhood. There’s either no power or huge power surges that blow the lights, appliances, gate motors and other essentials (and then you have to battle with an insurance company that insists on an expert damage report but doesn’t have an expert to assess your damage and can’t recommend one, but that’s another story).…

What inspires you? Mood. Light. Magic. Intrigue. Images that tell a story and leave a little for your own imagination. A fleeting glimpse, a moment in time, a distant memory. The way we feel and interpret things. I travel a lot, I’m naturally curious and love to explore, so my art really is a reflection of who I am. You studied for three years at the Pretoria Art College and then spent a year abroad to further your studies. What did this time in France teach you? A love for the French Impressionists and all that followed them. I’ve always felt a strong connection to France and Paris, and return there regularly to find new inspiration. You’re also an award-winning photographer and have guided groups through the Amazon and Antarctica.…

Get the look Inspired by his travels to Asia, interior designer Marius Hitge of Marius Hitge Consultants transformed his former office into a relaxing, opulent lounge with an indoor-outdoor feel. He shares his tips for creating this look: Offset textured wallpaper reminiscent of papyrus with a bold palette and unusual finishes. Create a feature floor with black and white chequerboard tiles and a vintage Persian rug. Incorporate a few oversized pieces, such as the sofa, mirror and black hurricane-style pendant lamp. Mix luxurious textures like silk, glass, crystal, metal, wood and bronze. Include one quirky feature so the room isn’t too serious. Here, a bust adds a playful element. A large mirror is a must-have to reflect dramatic displays and striking light fittings. Asian-inspired accessories pull the look together: bird…

It’s all about that fine balance between crafting a home to suit your lifestyle... and making solid, wise decisions, largely unaffected by fads, whims or emotion. Your home needs careful financial management just as much as your retirement or other portfolios. Will you recoup the money spent on that wet room, will it add real value, or is it purely a nice-to-have while you live there, and a delightful element which enchants buyers? We spoke to experts to find out what, in their experience, added rand value to a home; which elements were worth investing in, either to recoup the money spent, or add rands and cents when you come to sell. They were in agreement on most elements, and drew clear lines between making a home more saleable and…

“MY ENTRANCE HALL, WHICH DOUBLES UP AS A HOME OFFICE, WAS so dull and uninviting that I was spending less and less time here,” says the owner. HOW THIS ROOM WENT FROM DARK AND DATED TO LIGHT AND AIRY “As the very first room guests see when they arrive, the entrance hall should be a welcoming space,” says the owner, who asked interior designer Kimberley Richmond of Beautiful Spaces to revamp the room without buying new furniture. Kimberley started out by having the wooden doors and floors lime-washed. “Lime-washing totally transforms older homes as it makes the interiors much lighter,” she explains. “The owner and I decided on red and fuchsia accents, but the whole scheme had to work around a classic wingback chair that she inherited from her mother,”…

TREND 1: SENSE OF ENCLOSURE Many of the gardens at this year’s show inspired a sense of cocooning through the clever use of design elements like pleached trees, free-standing vertical elements and sunken seating areas. The Help for Heroes garden designed by Matt Keightley (main photograph) featured fastigiate Hornbeam trees that created the impression of entering an enclosed space. First-time Chelsea designers Auderset-Fischer used a striking contemporary pine pergola (right) to create the feeling of an outdoor room – a great idea for small gardens. TREND 2: JEWEL-HUED PLANTING PALETTES Many gardens featured plants in deep, rich jewelled tones that rose above softer foliage and grasses for a splendid display like a gardener’s Aladdin’s Cave. Cerise circium, royal-blue anchusa, topaz iris (right) and the purple spikes of Salvia ‘Caradonna’ and…

Groundcovers work in two ways: they protect the ground from losing moisture, and if you pop them underneath other plants, like roses for example, the roses will need slightly less water as a result of having this blanket around their feet. But take care when combining groundcovers with other plants. Some require a lot of sun and a plant casting a big shadow over them will inevitably kill the groundcover. The same applies if you plant a water-wise groundcover in a bed together with thirsty plants; these plants will deprive it of water resulting in dehydration. 1. GAZANIAS Gazanias are a great example of water-wise groundcovers that can stand completely on their own, needing no companions to make a visual statement. Available in a variety of vivid colours, their large,…

10 must dos this month Contributing Garden Editor Marianne Alexander’s handy checklist of essential chores to do in August 1 Jazz up your garden with dependable spring bedding plants like primulas, pansies, calendulas, dianthus and snapdragons which can all still be planted. Feed bedding plants fortnightly with 3:1:5 or 2:3:4 fertiliser. 2 Feed spring bulbs with 3:1:5 or 2:3:4 fertiliser even after the flowers have faded. Leave the foliage to die back naturally, and if unsightly, try rolling it loosely into bundles (left); don’t cut it off while the leaves are still green. Feed winter-flowering plants like camellias and azaleas with a light application of a high-nitrogen fertiliser and water in. 3 Tidy up groundcovers . Low growers can even be trimmed using the mower on its highest setting. Sprinkle…

Why should I use fertiliser? Won’t compost or manure achieve the same results? Fertilisers are a quick, convenient and reliable way to add nutrients to your soil. According to Jenny Slabber of Talborne Organics, “Compost and manure seldom contain sufficient nutrient levels to stimulate vigorous plant growth in low-nutrient soils, and plants won’t thrive if they’re undernourished in even one of the micronutrients, for example, iron. Compost improves water retention and soil structure, adds necessary carbon and supplies humic acid to the soil, which is good for the soil’s own ecosystem. Compost, and to a lesser extent, well-composted manure, should be used together with fertilisers for best results.” WAYS TO APPLY FERTILISERS Top dressing: Apply to the soil surface around plants to stimulate growth at the start of the growing…

My cooking style is voluptuous and slightly ostentatious and definitely extravagant. More is more – I always over cater. I’d rather have enough for suppers the next week. No dinner party is complete without something chocolatey. The kitchen gadget I couldn’t live without is my Furi knife. If I had just one recipe book, it would be Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse (Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse) by Richard, Mouse, Donna and Tasha Poynton. My store cupboard staple is many slabs of good dark chocolate. My favourite comfort food is a homemade tomato and bread soup. If I was stuck on a desert island with a celebrity chef it would be Gino D’Acampo, Curtis Stone or Georgio Locatelli – I couldn’t choose! When it comes to food my family is always hungry.…

London is famous for its gardens: the formal layout of Regent’s Park and the meadowlands and lakes of Hyde Park, while Kew Gardens is justifiably one of the world’s finest botanical gardens. But what about the others I wondered, as I left Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and headed into the city? What about those green spaces on Google Maps that don’t have ticket prices attached, where a creaking iron gate reveals a secret garden known only to savvy locals? Which of those have their own stories to tell? And it didn’t take me long to find my first one. With bags unpacked in my room at The Rubens Hotel, a short walk from Victoria station and overlooking the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, all I had to do was look up.…

These keen Cape Town bottle collectors have helped preserve local history through their research and books TEXT DIANA WEMYSS PHOTOGRAPHS PETER RIMELL “When Ethleen and I married in Canada in the late 1960s we lived on a tiny income. Digging for old bottles appealed to us because it was an enjoyable, inexpensive pastime that we could do together,” says Al, a retired professor from UCT’s Medical School, explaining their interest and passion. Together they scoured rural Ontario in Al’s home country, Canada, looking for rubbish dumps left by farming communities in the 19th century. “The colour and shape of the glass and pottery bottles we found and the stories behind them fascinated us, and so our life-long interest was sparked,” explains Al. In 1972 the couple moved to Cape Town…

“I love books and I love reading. I also really love the tactile nature of used things – I feel that used items carry something of the people who loved them, so all the paper I use is salvaged from the recycling pile,” explains Keri, who started her design company, Simple Intrigue, in 2011. The inspiration for her unique, exciting designs is just as varied as her creations, and when asked where this comes from, she says, “Daydreaming, walking in the forest and the mountains, talking to people and just watching the world go by.” She’s really excited about her most recent projects, the I Love Books and the Giant Africa (Reinvented) pieces. “I love to make large-scale installations, so I approached The Book Lounge to do something for the…

winning letter LEMON AID I recently started buying Garden and Home , and have enjoyed your recipes, decorating ideas and garden tips so much that I now keep all my magazines as references. My sister-in-law gave me a potted lemon tree in remembrance of my mother’s death. It was growing so well, but the leaves started turning yellow. The feature on growing lemons by Jane Griffiths in your July issue helped me solve the problem and it’s now doing better than ever. As we live on the Garden Route, we want to redecorate our dining room in white. We would love it if you could give us some ideas. Louise Jones, via e-mail Louise, visit our website at gardenandhome.co.za and click on the image gallery. There are loads of different…

Who lives here An ex-banker and his head-hunter wife with their three young sons, a cat and a six-month-old Ridgeback. The house An L-shaped house in Bryanston, Jo’burg, with a steeply pitched metal roof, positioned on an expansive terraced site. “With three young boys, a moody cat, a boisterous puppy and lots of family and friends who regularly visit, it went without saying that we needed a house with lots of space,” recall the owners of this Johannesburg home. The property they discovered in Bryanston couldn’t have been better suited to their needs. In addition to the lovely, airy house, it had a spacious terraced garden where children and pets could run riot. What clinched it for the couple was that the design by architect Charles Marinier leaned towards a…

RETURN TO SPLENDOUR Its exceptional durability makes velvet ideal for upholstery, particularly deep-buttoned items. Here, a bedroom by interior designer Tessa Proudfoot is given a double-dose of glamour with both the floor-to-ceiling headboard and the ottomans covered in velvet. “Consider which type of velvet is most suitable for the piece of furniture you have in mind,” advises Tessa. “While cotton and silk are the softest, most tactile and get a wonderful patina as time goes by, they’re not the easiest to clean. On the other hand, acrylic blends can be spot-cleaned but don’t have quite the same look.” VISIT OUR ONLINE GALLERY gardenandhome.co.za to see more photographs of luxe bedrooms. SOFT TOUCH An effective way to introduce a sumptuous velvet without blowing the budget is to make up a small…

Little luxury If you want to add glamour to your home, then a powder room is the place to start. As it’s small, you can splurge on luxury finishes like wallpaper and marble tiles without necessarily breaking the bank. As you don’t spend much time in a powder room, you can use colours and patterns you wouldn’t necessarily use in the rest of the house. Paint it a moody shade, go bold with a dramatic black-and-white wallpaper or fill the walls with a collection of mirrors. Wallpaper is a great way to disguise the awkward angles often found in guest loos. As powder rooms don’t have a shower to make the room steamy, you can bring in a luxurious light fitting like a chandelier or a striking pendant. Include lighting…

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: An old door Annie Sloan Chalk Paint› in Old White and Provence Paint brushes Annie Sloan Soft Wax in Clear and Dark Cloth, mutton cloth or an old T-shirt that doesn’t shed Scraper 80-grit sandpaper A hairdryer Mirror, cut to size Silicone and silicone gun HOW TO DO IT: 1 Prepare the door by removing any glass or burglar bars. Wipe it down and remove any peeling paint or prominent splinters from the surface. When using Chalk Paint›, there’s no need to sand or prime. 2 Paint a thick coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint› in Old White. Vary the direction of your strokes to create an uneven surface and give the paint finish an almost patchy look. Dry the paint with a hairdryer. 3 Once completely…

Hot trend A firepit is a great way to turn an empty corner of your garden into an entertaining space that can be used all year round. In addition to being protected from the wind, a firepit in a secluded area surrounded by trees and shrubs will make you feel like you’re out in the bush. To achieve an even more intimate feel, sink the firepit below ground level and use gravel or paving for the floor. As you want your guests to linger, ensure that the seating is constructed at a comfortable height – between 450–500mm – and provide lots of cushions. “As this firepit is situated just off the homeowners’ patio, the custom-made circular seats and scatter cushions were made up in fabrics that carry through the decor…

Who lives here JanHarm Vorster (left) owner of quirky function venue Janharmsgat se Agterplaas and his life partner Pieter Vosloo (right) who runs the vintage shop Rust in White. The garden This 12-year-old, one-hectare farm garden is situated just outside Cullinan, the historical diamond-mine village and features a series of outdoor rooms linked by pathways. JanHarm Vorster and Pieter Vosloo have definitely made their mark on the historic diamond-mining town of Cullinan in Gauteng. Their unique style of rustic shabby-chic interior decorating flows naturally from their shop and farmhouse into their garden. Here they’ve created quirky outdoor rooms where they can relax under the trees with their friends. Pieter has strong organic gardening principles and believes that all gardeners should add to a garden rather than take from it. Over…

WHY CONTAINERS? They’re easier to access. It’s easy to fertilise and protect plants from pests. There’s a reduction in soil-borne diseases as the soil is confined. You can move them to take advantage of the sun and personalise them to enhance your existing gardening decor. You can plant an entire edible garden in a large container, giving you everything you need in one spot. CHOOSING A THEME With so many vegetables and herbs to choose from, selecting a theme for each container will help focus your planting, adding fun and interest to your culinary garden. Colour, taste, scent and cuisine all influence the choice. The first thing to consider is what you and your family eat. It might be a great idea to plant a hot-flavoured Mexican garden – but…

VIVE LA REVOLUTION Prof. Tim Noakes, along with Sally-Ann Creed, Jonno Proudfoot and David Grier, has changed the way we think about food. Their cookbook The Real Meal Revolution, Changing the World One Meal at a Time (Quivertree Publications), R229, is full of info and recipes for those who want to eat healthily or lose weight. Find the recipe for this scrumptious Chicken Tikka Masala at gardenandhome.co.za For genuine stainless steel cookware, look out for this logo: Cabernet KINGS Full bodied with great texture and savoury undertones Cabernets make the perfect winter wine. The Oldenburg Cabernet Franc 2011 , R200, with touches of green olive and red berries complements a slow-roasted lamb tagine. The Bartinney Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 , R139, from Stellenbosch is taut and elegant. Pair it with…

GETTING THERE: British Airways flies daily from Jo’burg and Cape Town to London. Visit ba.com or call 011 441 8600. VISAS: South African passport holders require a visa to enter the United Kingdom. Visit visa4uk.fco.gov.uk to begin your online application. WHERE TO STAY: Rubens at the Palace Hotel is an elegant option just minutes from Buckingham Palace and close to public transport. A range of rooms and suites is offered, along with fully-serviced apartments for longer stays. Visit rubenshotel.com TIME ZONE: GMT. Depending on the time of year, London is one or two hours behind South Africa.…

FIND OF THE MONTH M y husband' s father brought this lamp to South Africa from Birmingham, England, we think in the 1940s. It's an original gas lamp (which is now converted to electric) and the lantern is copper. We would love to know its value. Joan Hardy, via e-mail Vicky Bell of On Site Gallery, a company dealing in architectural salvage says, "This is a lovely example of a Victorian-style street light. Gas street lighting was widely used in Britain from the mid-19th century, and in the late 1930s, almost half the street lamps in London still used gas. At this stage they were slowly being converted to electricity. “The original versions were manufactured from cast iron, copper and glass. From the late 1930s, streetlights were normally made from…

100% Design South Africa, a curated showcase of the best furniture, lighting, interiors, fabric and product design, will take place alongside Decorex Joburg this year. It’s on at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand from 6 – 10 August 2014. Visit decorex.co.za SOURCES 100% Design South Africa 100percentdesign.co.za Entrepo entrepo.co.za Ligne Roset ligne-roset.com Limeline limeline.co.za Maldini maldini.co.za Mezzanine Interiors mezzanineinteriors.co.za Tonic Design tonicdesign.co.za Wiid Design wiiddesign.com…

SOURCES @home home.co.za Classic Revivals classicrevivals.co.za Coricraft coricraft.co.za Kando French Furniture kandojhb.com LIM lim.co.za Mr Price Home mrphome.com SHF (Sutherlands) shf.co.za Sofaworx sofaworx.co.za Trade Secret trade-secret.co.za Wetherlys wetherlys.co.za…

LOOKING AFTER WOOD Frikkie Greeff, managing director and CEO of Woodoc, gives the following advice: For wood used outdoors use tinted rather than clear sealers. These help to even out the appearance of outdoor wood and make damage less conspicuous. Tinted sealers also improve the already high UV exclusion factor. Outdoor sealers penetrate aggressively into wood and then build up on the surface, rather than merely clinging to it. This is why they’re better than ordinary surface coatings which can peel making it necessary to remove the entire surface coating and start again. Oiling outdoor wood isn’t recommended as you have to redo it frequently. DESIGNING A CONTEMPORARY COURTYARD “We designed this private courtyard (pictured opposite) as a natural extension of the living areas of this house in Simbithi on…

1 EUPHORBIA TIRUCALLI ‘FIRESTICKS’ This red form of the indigenous euphorbia with its many branched cylindrical, finger-like stems looks like an eye-catching cluster of coral. A succulent shrub with few leaves, its colour is best in winter and spring, although it’s still impressive in summer when it fades to yellow. Size: 3–5m x 2m. MAKE THE MOST OF IT: Use this striking plant to liven up other water-wise plants, between aloes for all-year colour, or place it in front of a piece of driftwood or a craggy rock. It looks dramatic in a pot and makes a good hedging plant in dry regions. GROWING TIPS: ‘Firesticks’ shows its true colours when grown in full sun. It’s drought tolerant and dislikes wet feet in winter. It prefers warm regions but tolerates…

Ornamental grasses are valuable assets in the garden, adding movement, height and seasonal colour. They’re also easy to care for needing little more than watering and the occasional feed. To groom them, comb out old leaves throughout the year when necessary. Trim back dead leaves in early spring and cut off the dead leaves of deciduous grasses like miscanthus and panicum once they’ve died back in winter. However they do need dividing every 3–6 years as do evergreen clump-forming grasses like festuca, carex and stipa. WHY DO THIS? To prevent loss of vigour, reduce the size of the clump, rejuvenate them or to propagate more plants. WHEN TO DO IT When plants become overcrowded. When they run out of steam and develop bald patches in the centre. You want to…

MENU SPANISH CREAM OF ALMOND SOUP CHICKEN FATTEE MIXED-LEAF, AVOCADO AND GOATS’ CHEESE SALAD WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING FRANGIPANE APPLE TART SERVED WITH THICK CREAM MINI SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TARTS “As a farm girl from KZN my life revolves around food,” says Theresa Rattray who lives in Monzi near St Lucia. “My family all love to eat, but with four figure-conscious daughters we have to eat healthy, fresh food and nothing too fattening. We often cheat though and my daughters have a saying that goes: ‘Is it worth the fat, Mom?’ and of course it always is.” Unsurprisingly, Theresa also loves to entertain and always sets the table with her old family silver. Living in the country there’s a limited supply of ingredients and she adjusts her recipes accordingly. “I…

BIRCHER MUESLI WITH DRIED FIGS (Serves 4–6) 2 apples 15ml lemon juice 5 dried Turkish apricots, chopped 25g dried cranberries 25g sultanas and/or raisins 6 dried figs, chopped 80ml apple juice 90g rolled oats 200g thick Greek-style yoghurt 30g shelled pistachio nuts, chopped 30g walnuts, chopped 20g flaked almonds, toasted 10g coconut shavings, toasted 80ml cream, whipped 2ml ground cinnamon 1ml ground nutmeg TO SERVE (OPTIONAL) : fresh berries or a few dried fruits like Turkish apricots, cranberries, sultanas and figs honey 1. Core and coarsely chop the apples. Place them in a mixing bowl and stir in the lemon juice to prevent browning. 2. Add the apricots, cranberries, sultanas or raisins and figs and cover with the apple juice. Mix well. Add the rolled oats and yoghurt and combine.…