Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2016 i SA Garden and Home

Those of us who live in the city often dream of escaping to the country. As the world becomes more frenetic, the idea of getting in touch with nature and enjoying a slower pace of life is very attractive. But with city-based careers and families, this isn’t always an option, except on the odd weekend. The answer is to incorporate the relaxed atmosphere that makes country style so appealing into your home. No longer twee, the new look of country is clean lined and blends rustic and industrial elements. Wood plays a big role, often combined with metal, shapes are bold, and patterns, although frequently nature inspired, are more dramatic. The houses in this issue all feature aspects of this new incarnation of country. In the home of a young…

What is your background? I’ve always loved art and used to colour in for hours as a child, so studying it was a given. I did graphic design and photography at Stellenbosch University, followed by an honours majoring in ceramics in Pietermaritzburg. Have you always used watercolour? I used to work in oils and acrylics until I tried watercolours. They allow for such depth and variation in hue and tone; the paint almost speaks for itself. What are your favourite subjects? They’re usually nature inspired – plants, fish, birds and even seaweed. I live on a farm and am constantly stimulated by the beauty around me. My work isn’t symbolic; I paint things because I find them appealing. How would you describe your style? It’s not totally realistic. It’s more…

GET THE LOOK Barbara Neisius, owner of antiques and collectables shop Brocante Society in Wynberg, Cape Town, has the following advice: Keep the overall effect simple, aiming for pared down with a hint of the past. It should look curated rather than cluttered. Group your heirloom pieces for impact. A collection of old and new jugs makes a lovely display as does a stack of wooden boards and tea towels. Include something fresh like a bunch of herbs in a silverware vessel. Stick to a colour palette. White cabinetry with grey and white marble and wood tones is always classic, and then bring in modern stainless steel, black industrial chairs and grey screeding to bring it up-to-date. You can never have enough white crockery. Choose interesting shapes and mix with…

Who lives here Marc Armstrong, a businessman who travels frequently. The house A 238m2 two-bedroom apartment in a secure development in the heart of Pretoria. When businessman and frequent traveller Marc Armstrong bought a Brooklyn, Pretoria apartment for his South African base, he asked his friend and colleague, interior designer Tanja Beyers of Profurn Contracts, to decorate it. The catch was that she had one week in which to do everything from design to installation. “Marc and I have worked together over the past 12 years on projects both here and overseas, so I know his taste and his clear, concise brief definitely helped,” says Tanja. Fortunately the apartment, which consists of a large open-plan living, dining and kitchen area leading onto a covered patio, didn’t need any structural changes.…

Modern talking “Our kitchen was easy to work in and had an efficient, practical layout, but my wife Claire and I were tired of its 1980s cream tiles and laminated countertops,” says Jo’burg photographer Christoph Hoffmann. As Christoph spends most of his days snapping pictures of beautiful homes, he’s regularly exposed to great design ideas. Being a fairly accomplished DIYer, he decided to tackle most of the renovation himself. To cut costs, Christoph drew up his own plans for the kitchen. “I also tackled the simple plumbing and wiring changes and did all the necessary painting.” The Hoffmanns decided to leave the layout mostly as is, and work with the existing space, but repositioned the appliances and replaced the wall-mounted cabinets with floating shelves which provide ample storage space and…

EXPERT ADVICE Jo’burg interior decorator, Joanne Roelofsz has these practical tips for a stylish courtyard Select furniture that’ll withstand the elements. Materials such as wrought iron, galvanised mild steel, stone and wood are durable and practical. Make sure the furniture fits the space and allows enough room for movement around the seating area. Find a floor tile that enhances the style of the area and is easy to maintain. Add planters to soften walls and paving and choose plants suited to the light conditions. If space is limited, opt for plants with height and add colour with annuals. Add interest to bare walls by mounting decorative objects on them. Light fittings such as wall-mounted sconces allow you to enjoy the courtyard in the evenings. SOURCES Hope Garden Furniture hopegf.com Joanne…

MENU ANGELFISH WITH NORI-SESAME CRISPS STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST WRAPPED IN MOROGO WITH PEARL ONIONS DECONSTRUCTED TIRAMISU “Iknew I wanted to be a chef from a tiny tot,” says Jackie Cameron. “My sister and I often spent holidays with our grandparents and both my grandmothers cooked – one, traditional roasts and all the trimmings, and the other, baked goods – and I was cooking with them from the age of three.” This love of food continued into her school days where Jackie excelled at Home Economics to the point that the external examiner of her Matric exam proclaimed that there was nowhere else for her but Christina Martin School of Food and Wine. “I was as intrigued by Christina’s business mind as much as her skill in the kitchen,” recalls Jackie…

• 24 months just R384 • 12 months just R250 • 6 months just R125 Wine lovers, particularly the eco-conscious, will find Van Loveren’s great tasting range of Tangled Tree wines hard to resist. With a choice of five wines, the Green Range not only pays tribute to the colourful history of this family-owned winery, it comes in fully recyclable PET bottles. Look for its signature tangled tree logo inspired by Jean Retief’s planting of a Rhus lancea tree in 1941, beginning a family tradition of planting trees to mark significant events. The Tangled Tree range includes: Tropical Sauvignon Blanc which has abundant tropical fruit fragrance and a crisp finish, Butterscotch Chardonnay with expressive aromas of crème brûlée and citrus, Moscato Rosé with upfront muscat and rose petal flavours, Chocolate Cabernet Sauvignon…

winning letter FOND memories I’m always excited to buy the latest Garden and Home , and read it cover to cover. Imagine my surprise when I opened your January issue and saw the article on Guernsey, which is where my daughter lives with her family. It’s a beautiful place to be, full of wonderful people. When my grandson passed away a few years ago, the community came together and gave my family amazing support. I have experienced so much kindness on the island and can proudly say that I have many friends there. Thank you for this article that brought back so many memories. Laureen Cook, via e-mail Helpful hints I so enjoyed reading the articles ‘Gardening problems solved’ and ‘Walking wonders’ in your January issue. We recently moved into…

AT A GLANCE THE ARCHITECT: Tracy Levinson of LevEco Architects (pictured). THE CLIENTS: A married couple in their 30s with two children aged four and two. THE BRIEF: A contemporary, open-plan home that blends in with the surroundings. THE HOUSE: A three-bedroom home on Simbithi Eco-Estate with an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, as well as a large covered patio. “We chose this site as it overlooks a dam, wasn’t too steep for the single-storey house we had in mind and is adjacent to a greenbelt where no one can build,” recall the owners. “The estate has an eco-friendly ethos, and it was important that our house form part of the landscape and not stand out. We wanted loads of glass to let light in, but also enough wall…

1. Keep it simple “Be careful not to overdo the rustic elements when creating a modern country look,” advises interior decorator Evi Elsner of Home Concept. “Simple is best. In this kitchen, the whitewashed brick wall and wooden dining room furniture form the ideal backdrop for a few black accents in the form of a wire pendant, table lamp and star ornament.” Dining room table from Now and Then Vintage, wire pendant from Weylandts. 2. Good wood “Timber plays an essential role in the new look of country style,” says designer Pim Verdoorn of Leon at CCXIX in Cape Town. “However, too much raw wood can look dull, so for this living and dining setting I chose pieces that have painted sections, such as the coffee table and a dining…

“ALTHOUGH OUR KITCHEN WAS quite new with granite tops and cherrywood cupboards, it was completely separate from the living rooms, which didn’t suit our lifestyle,” recall Mike and Lucinda Waller of Fourways Gardens, Jo’burg. “We love to entertain, but didn’t like being away from our guests for long stretches of time.” HOW THIS SPACE WENT FROM DRAB TO FAB The Wallers asked Kathy Moodley of Easylife Kitchens to reconfigure the rooms to create a kitchen ideal for easy entertaining. The first step was to remove the walls separating the kitchen, living room and dining room, and open up the ceiling to reveal the trusses, which were then painted white. Double doors connect the kitchen to the outdoor courtyard making it a great space for year-round entertaining. Given a spacious new…

Ornamental grasses include both true grasses and plants with a grass-like appearance such as indigenous restios, water-loving sedges (cyperus) and rushes (juncus), plants in the lily family like Ophiopogon spp. (better known as mondo grass) and Liriope spp. Most are perennial and either clump or spread. Clumping grasses gradually increase in diameter and are easy to contain while creeping grasses spread by means of rhizomes. Vigorous varieties should be kept under control by planting them in containers sunk in the ground – or just cut back when necessary. Whichever type you prefer, grasses will give your garden a lush, textured feel. WHY PLANT THEM They’re versatile, grow virtually anywhere and are suited to all types of landscapes including cottage, water-wise and contemporary surroundings. They’re a quick and easy way to…

10 must dos this month Contributing garden editor Marianne Alexander’s handy checklist of essential chores to do in March 1 Pull out tatty summer annuals and add to the compost heap. Prepare empty beds for spring annuals and bulbs by loosening the soil to a depth of 30cm, turning in compost, superphosphate, (a good fistful to each square metre) and a sprinkle of hoof and horn (slow-release nitrogen) and bonemeal (phosphate). 2 Start cutting the lawn shorter as temperatures drop and the days shorten at the end of the month. Feed with 2:3:4 or 3:1:5 fertiliser. If your lawn was infested with winter grass (Poa annua) last year, spray with Kerb, a pre-emergence seed inhibiter. 3 Sow sweet pea seeds in deeply dug, well-composted beds, trenches or containers, and for…

ACANTHUS (ACANTHUS MOLLIS) Acanthus is an old-fashioned perennial and one of nature’s tried-and-tested wound-healing plants. GROWING Reaching up to 1m high, acanthus thrives in shady areas in rich, deeply dug soil. I use a mix of half topsoil and half compost and add bonemeal and rock dust (volcanic ash), one cup per hole, sprinkled around and dug in. Water the plant deeply twice a week in summer and once a week or less in winter. Plant three plants together in one hole, spaced in rows 30cm apart. They become almost dormant in cold winter areas and need to be cut back. Give them a dressing of compost and rock dust to encourage new growth. PROPAGATION Acanthus establishes itself easily, self-seeding readily in cool, shady places. HARVESTING Pick the leaves throughout…

GRILLED ASPARAGUS WITH A CREAMY CAMEMBERT SAUCE 1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook 500g asparagus for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh in a bowl of ice water. 2. Cut the skin from 1 x 125g Président Camembert and place in the microwave for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. 3. Melt 15g Président Salted Butter in a frying pan, add 80ml white wine and reduce by half, then add 60ml cream and the melted Président Camembert. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. 4. Cut 60g cold Président Salted Butter into cubes and add 1 cube at a time to the sauce while whisking. Whisk the mixture until all the butter is used up and the sauce starts to thicken. Set aside.…

TOMATO TARTE TARTIN (Serves 4) 25g sugar80ml water30ml red wine vinegar30g butter500g vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved50g sundried tomatoes, chopped45ml pesto*5ml fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped30g anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)salt and milled black pepper1 sheet defrosted, quality puff pastry,about 400g TO SERVE few micro leaves basil leaves 1 . Preheat the oven to 190°C. 2 . Place the sugar and water in a shallow, heavy-based, ovenproof 20–25cm pan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 3 . Stop stirring and heat until the mixture turns a golden caramel colour. 4 . Remove from the heat and carefully add the vinegar and butter. Swirl the pan to distribute the mixture evenly. 5 . Place the tomato halves cut side up over the base of the pan, fill in the gaps with the chopped sundried…

Although he was born in 1983, in the digital age of iPhones and Internet music, airline pilot Nik Kopfer is hooked on spinning his collection of more than 12 000 vinyl discs on his turntables. At 15, he started DJ’ing at weekends and inherited his father Ben’s record collection. “My father has great taste in music,” he says. “He had recordings by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen and Dire Straits. “Back then DJs were the only ones collecting records,” he says. “I didn’t do much about my collection until about 10 years later when I had my father’s old turntable fixed. Once you have a good turntable your collection can take off. “I got lucky when a record shop in Muizenberg closed down and I bought the whole stock of…

SOURCES Babatunde babatunde.co.za Coricraft coricraft.co.za Italtile italtile.co.za SHF shf.co.za Superbalist.com superbalist.com Weylandts weylandts.co.za Woolworths woolworths.co.za…

Who lives here Durbanites Alan and Cindy Thornton and their children, Sarah, 18, and Mitchell, 15, spend weekends and holidays here. The house A four-bedroomed home on an estate near Hilton in the KZN Midlands with an open-plan living area, covered patio, TV lounge, scullery and separate guest suite. “It was the view that really sold us on this house,” recalls Cindy Thornton of the home she and her husband Alan bought near Hilton. “It’s located at the edge of the estate and we can’t get enough of the trees surrounding it. We love the Midlands and when our son Mitchell started school nearby, we decided it was the perfect time to buy a weekend home here.” The house needed a few updates, so they enlisted the services of the…

COIR To make coir flooring, coconut husks are soaked in water for a couple of months, then the softened raw fibres are beaten, washed and dried before being hand-spun into a strong, elastic yarn. The process results in uneven yarns that give coir its characteristic rustic appeal. APPLICATION Coir can be installed throughout the home and it’s hard-wearing, making it especially suited to stairways, passages and other high-traffic areas. PROS & CONS Resistant to mould, moisture and rot, it also offers excellent sound insulation. It’s hydroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture from the air which helps to maintain a low humidity. Coir is therefore warm underfoot in winter and pleasantly cool in summer. As it has similar properties to timber, coir will expand and contract depending on fluctuations in humidity,…

LIGHT WORK To find space for a desk for this family of five, Paige Waplington of Redesign Interiors made use of a narrow passage easily accessed from all three bedrooms. A two-tier desk provides plenty of work and storage space, plus built-in plug points. A collection of metallic pendant lights, designed by Redesign Interiors, highlight the desk and a trio of Perspex boxes mounted on the wall display collectables. PENCIL IT IN To reflect this teenager’s bright and energetic personality and make work fun, Rika Kellerman of Hocus Interior Design Studio in Cape Town created a desk of multicoloured pencils encased in a Perspex box. “It’s transformed what once was a dull niche,” she says. PRACTICAL MAGIC As her busy client is often on the run, designer Tanja Beyers of…

WHAT YOU’LL NEED Safety glovesA drillA 25mm drill bit5 Consol jars with screw-on lids5 light fittings5m of 8mm electrical cordCutterPiece of woodPencilJigsawAn 8mm drill bitNailsSturdy screws HOW TO DO IT 1 . Using a 25mm wood drill bit, make a hole in the centre of each lid big enough for the electrical light fitting to fit securely. Use a smaller drill bit to make small holes around the centre hole. These small holes allow hot air to escape when the lights are switched on. 2 . Attach the light fittings to each lid, taking care to tighten them properly. 3 . Cut the electrical cord into five equal pieces and attach them to the light fittings. 4 . With the jigsaw, cut a circle with a diameter of about 40cm…

As the days shorten and the temperatures start dropping, colours seem to intensify. There’s a subtle shift from the pastel pinks and blues to warmer fruity colours like apricot, peach and plum, as well as golds which blend in well with the shrubs and trees as they take on their autumn shades. Here’s a selection of annuals, perennials and subshrubs that’ll brighten gardens through to the first frosts – and even beyond in warm areas. Many are water wise and can survive dry periods. 1 SALVIA COCCINEA The vivid colour and vertical spires make this neat, fast-growing cultivar and the new cultivars of S. microphylla and S. greggii real showstoppers. Height: 30cm. GROWING TIPS Plant them in full sun or a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade in fertile…

When we moved into our house, there was a sparkling blue pool. After the first summer storm, it instantly turned green. So began an ongoing battle involving pool testers and endless visits to the pool shop to have the water assessed, which usually resulted in adding chemicals with scary warnings. When the pipes developed yet another leak, we covered it up and there it remained for three or four years. Until Tosca arrived. A cute bundle of white fur, who soon spotted the puppy-sized puddle in the middle of the pool covering. It took her about two seconds to bite her way through the netting to romp in the water. It was very cute while she was a pup – but 30kg of fully grown German shepherd began wearing the…

Just one packet of seed can supply a season or more of vegetables, flowers or herbs,” says Marlaen Straathof of Kirchhoffs. “While it’s easy to pick up a tray or two of seedlings at the garden centre, there’s only one place to find something different like heirloom sweet peas, unusual veggies and old-fashioned flowers and that’s in seed packets.” CHOOSING THE RIGHT SOWING METHOD Seed varies considerably in size and this generally dictates the sowing method and the depth says Marlaen. “Basically, the sowing depth is the same as the size of the seed, which means, the finer the seed, the shallower it’s sown, with very fine seed simply being sprinkled on the surface of the soil and firmed down to prevent it being blown away by the wind.” GETTING…

20 PLUSH HOME CARE HAMPERS WORTH R800 EACH There’s no need to spend hours cleaning your windows when Plush Supreme Window Cleaner makes the task so much easier. At just R31,99 per 750ml bottle, it’s an affordable, easy solution for cleaning windows and almost any other shiny surface. The formula removes streaks and smudges while giving windows and glass a vibrant shine. The hamper includes Carpet Shampoo, Carpet Spot & Stain Remover, Floor & All-Purpose Cleaner, Multi-Surface Cleaner, Kitchen Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Liquid Wooden Floor Polish and a yellow duster. For more information and home care tips, join the conversation on Plush SA’s Facebook page or visit plush.co.za ENTRY CODE: PLUSH *TERMS AND CONDITIONS: 1. Standard terms and conditions apply. 2. An SMS costs R1,50. Errors will be billed and…

LOCAL Flair Discover recipes that capture the heart and essence of the Karoo in Beate Joubert’s cookbook, Taste the Little Karoo (Struik Lifestyle), R285. Find the recipe for this colourful Gruyère Salad on our website, gardenandhome.co.za A GOOD start Start the day on a healthy note with an oat, banana and fig breakfast smoothie. All you need are a couple of Jungle Oats products and a Russell Hobbs Smoothie Maker. This month, we’re giving away a Jungle Oats hamper as well as a Russell Hobbs Satin Smoothie Maker worth R1 500. To enter, SMS SMOOTHIE , your name and e-mail address to 48406. An SMS costs R1,50, errors will be billed and free SMSes don’t apply. For full Ts&Cs, see page 107. THE DAILY GRIND The best way to release…

The wooden boardwalk floating above turquoise water curved ahead of me. Feathery waterfalls, entwined with ferns and moss, trickled down a gnarled travertine bank. Above, limestone cliffs, framed by forests, arced into the sky. As I stopped to marvel at the reflections, the stillness was broken by a croak coming from the reeds. Although millions of people visit Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes every year, at that moment it was just me and a frog. Croatia lured us with brochures of beaches, yachts and island hopping across the Adriatic, but we discovered so much more. Although there’s evidence of the civil war that raged from 1991 to 1995, the country has made a remarkable recovery and its natural beauty remains unchanged. Plitvice Lakes National Park lies in a mountainous karst region of…

This plate belonged to my great grandmother. It’s in very good condition with no visible scratches or chips. The markings on the back are Wedgwood, Etruria, England, Made in England and the letters 5 and A7173. I would like to know its value. Robyn Osborn, via e-mail “The numbers are the codes for the decoration which would probably pinpoint the date of manufacture. Unfortunately plates are seldom used as decorative items these days, so there’s very little demand, even for pretty hand-painted ones such as yours,” says Clyde Terry of Clyde on 4th. “It’s worth about R495.” I bought this clock in the UK about 40 years ago. There’s no name on the face but there’s a horseshoe symbol on the mechanism with the letters ARTS and two crossed symbols…

Leon Roodt’s ambition was always to design and manufacture his own furniture. His first project was a disastrous attempt at an Imbuia desk for a varsity friend, who politely asked him to take it back and improve on the finish. “I definitely learnt from that experience and today I pride myself on the fact that I can make any one of our products myself – an important skill for a furniture designer as it teaches you what’s possible.” Twenty five years later, Ergoform has a passionate workforce of 48. The company takes pride in its clean-lined, comfortable designs and its ‘less is more’ philosophy, despite the fact that simple designs aren’t necessarily easy to produce. “But I believe that South African craftsmen have as much potential and skill as those…