Innholdsfortegnelse for May- June 2020 i SA Garden and Home

As I’m writing this, it’s still not clear whether we’ll be returning to work as normal at the end of the month. Although, will anything be quite normal again? Everyone has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting global economic downturn. We apologise for the absence of our May issue. In order to keep the printing and distribution staff out of harm’s way, Caxton Magazines decided not to print it. But we hope that our free digital mini-magazines made up for this in some small way. However, the lockdown has had a few benefits. Most of us have had to master new computer skills in order to communicate, especially those of us working remotely. And I discovered that you have to be aware of what you’re doing and…

Tell us about your artistic background. I’ve always wanted to be an artist, so every decision in my life has led to becoming one. While raising my four children, art was mostly on the side. I used it as a way to illustrate the songs I sang to my children or poems and stories I wrote. I quit my job in May last year to paint full time and haven’t looked back. Describe your style. It’s exploratory and unhibited. I don’t like to be precious about it; I have let go of the pressure to create ‘great’ art, allowing myself freedom and experimentation. I use pen and ink, as well as oil paint, which I use in thin layers called ‘washes’, building up in stages until I’ve achieved the effect…

Tricia Guild OBE, founder and creative director of Designers Guild, has these tips for using wallpaper murals Always balance bold colours and prints with white. In my view, highly decorated walls require masses of white and neutrals throughout the room. Use a clean-lined, white sofa to add modernity. The large white expanse allows the pattern and the palette to sing and balances richness perfectly. Identify your favourite colours in the wallpaper and use these as counterpoints in the room. Shades should dance off one another in a variety of textures, patterns and plains. If you are wary of large-scale prints and patterns, I suggest a design that isn’t completely plain, but mimics texture with beautiful washes of tonal colour, like our hand-painted Suisai design. This features open skies with rich…

WHO LIVES HERE Chris and Jean Larsen and their daughter, Samantha, who lives in the studio apartment. THE HOUSE On the ground floor, the open-plan living spaces lead onto a covered patio and swimming pool with a firepit. On the same floor, there is also a separate dining room, study and scullery. Upstairs are the bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a TV lounge. The studio apartment is accessed via a staircase inside the house. When Chris and Jean Larsen first walked into this house with its airy feel, abundant natural light and views onto a greenbelt, they fell in love with it. “The beautiful wooden floors and folding glass doors emphasised these elements and we immediately knew we’d be very happy here,” they recall. To help them furnish the…

New order With a practical, restructured layout, this kitchen has become the social heart of this home THE PROBLEM “The kitchen was dark with dated cabinets and granite countertops and the position of the sink wasn’t practical,” recall the owners of this Jo’burg house. “The kitchen also led onto a dining room that we never used.” THE SOLUTION As they wanted a kitchen that opened onto the living area, they asked designer Candice Koller of CW Interiors & Kitchens to assist them. The kitchen was gutted and the wall separating the kitchen from the living room was removed, leaving narrow sections on either side. “These help to partially conceal the stove and prep areas from view,” says Candice, who designed a small counter for casual dining. The scullery was positioned…

The notion that some plants eat flesh has intrigued humans since scientists discovered this fact some 200 years ago. Charles Darwin was fascinated with the Venus flytrap and science fiction writers have exploited these abilities over the years. In reality, carnivorous plants are unique, beautiful and bizarre, making excellent pets – or should that be house plants? While they won’t exactly rid your home of flies and cockroaches, they’ll reward you with hours of entertainment. Carnivorous plants have a bad and generally undeserved reputation of being difficult to keep alive. “Just remember that these plants have gone to great lengths to evolve specific survival techniques,” explains breeder Renee Mendelow of Jozi Carnivores. “All you need to do is to mimic these conditions as best you can and your plants will…

1 Maintain your fortnightly feeding programme using a balanced 2:3:4 granular fertiliser, or an organic foliar feed for bedding plants and bulbs. 2 Mow lawns as and when needed. To turn brown, frosted lawns green in frosty areas, oversow with a cool-season grass seed. 3 Prepare pruning equipment for the big cutback. Use a scouring pad to clean off dirt, plant resin and any other residue from the blades and apply a few drops of penetrating oil to moving parts. Replace worn blades. 4 Pick sweet peas and flowers like Iceland poppies, violas and pansies to encourage reblooming; deadhead every few days. Sow sweet pea seeds in frost-prone areas. 5 Take hardwood cuttings of mature wood from shrubs and trees. Cut the upper end of each piece at an angle…

When Yoliswa Gumede embarked on a plant-based diet, it was an experiment. “I was interested to see if cutting out meat and most dairy would give me more energy and reduce some of the joint pain I was experiencing. I decided to try it for a few months and see,” she says. “That was two years ago and I’ve never looked back.” She soon converted her husband, Xolani, and children, Melusi and Neo, who now all enjoy a predominantly plant-based diet. “The kids are both away at university and say they miss my cooking,” Yoliswa says. It’s not surprising as the pantry staples she mentions all sound delicious: home-made hummus flavoured with ingredients like spring onion, chipotle and coriander, a variety of pickled vegetables that she always has in the…

TOMATO AND ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP (Serves 4–6) 5ml + 30ml olive oil 2 red peppers 2 red onions, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 stalk celery, roughly sliced 10ml smoked paprika 3ml cayenne pepper 2 tins whole peeled tomatoes 6 sundried tomatoes, softened in warm water 500ml vegetable or chicken stock salt and milled black pepper, to taste TO SERVE olive oil, to drizzle green pesto (basil or coriander) reserved roasted peppers, if desired flatbreads/seed crackers 1 . Preheat the oven to grill. 2 . Rub 5ml olive oil all over the red peppers. Place them on a baking tray and grill for 2–3 minutes a side, turning frequently until the skin blisters and is charred. 3 . Transfer the…

One never knows which telephone to answer when you’re in the Pinetown home of this collector of all things vintage and retro. “I bought my first vintage phone, a black Bakelite ‘cheese dish’ phone about 19 years ago when my husband and I started restoring this house. It’s old with high ceilings and wooden floors and I thought it would be lovely to have the same phone my grandmother had in her home. I found one at a local antiques market and arranged for an experienced technician to install it,” says Charmaine. “When it rang for the first time it was music to my ears and all the wonderful memories of my grandmother flooded back.” Since then Charmaine has amassed a splendid collection of rare and fabulous telephones, which she…

Dust phones regularly and clean with a damp cloth and mild detergent when necessary. Don’t submerge in water. To avoid scratching, don’t use abrasive cleaners to clean ABS plastics and Bakelite. You can restore the lustre of a phone with a silicon-based restorer or baby oil. Most vintage dial phones will work on the Telkom landline network, but may interfere with Internet connections if you are receiving them through the same line. To protect them, install a surge protector on your phone line and unplug the phone during lightning storms.…

EVERY MONTH we give away a *prize for the most valuable or interesting item sent in. This month Justine Brink has won 12 bottles of Van Loveren’s Perlé de Jean. This dry rosé wine, with its beautiful rose petal hue and slight sparkle, is the ideal companion to your favourite prawn dish. The Van Loveren estate, a family-friendly destination offers lunches, hiking, mountain biking and guided garden tours. Visit vanloveren.co.za E-mail clear photographs and relevant information about your collectable item to gardenhome@caxton.co.za with Treasure Chest in the subject line. Due to the volume of mail, we are unable to respond personally. Pictures must be sent as separate attachments at a size between 1MB and 2MB. For guidelines on the best way to take your photos for Treasure Chest, visit gardenandhome.co.za…

LIGHT FANTASTIC Online store Modern Gesture’s contemporary light fittings mix timber, metal and woven threads in standout pieces that add a touch of modern African style. Their new range of wall lights are ideal for a study or reading corner and double as art.moderngesture.co.za DESIGN Icon The new Signature II wallpaper collection epitomises GP & J Baker’s rich design heritage. Take the archival Chifu ‒ inspired by an 18th-century dragon robe. This statement design is offset by gorgeous ikats, trellis patterns and stunning florals. See the range at St Leger & Viney.stleger.co.za I’ll meet you in SEVILLE Capturing all the ebullience of southern Spain, Cole & Son’s Seville wallcoverings are a sheer delight. From flamenco fans and Mudéjar architecture to tile motifs and vibrant botanicals, each detailed design creates a…

SOURCES Cécile & Boyd cecileandboyds.com KARE kare-design.com La Grange Interiors lagrangeinteriors.co.za SHF shf.co.za St Leger & Viney stleger.co.za Weylandts weylandts.co.za…

Back in the ’70s, you couldn’t swing a lazy Susan without hitting a pine-clad kitchen complete with lashings of faux wood grain, marbled laminate and the obligatory presence of orange. But wood has re-emerged as the material of the moment, looking fresh, contemporary and suited to every budget. SCANDI NOIR Cool, calm and collected, this kitchen artfully marries clean-lined timber with chic black highlights. DESIGN NOTES The kitchen cabinetry in sustainable elm wood is a configuration of units chosen from the Sine Tempore collection by Valcucine. The work surfaces, a customised addition, are granite. The presence of black as an accent colour defines the decorative atmosphere, lending the space a sense of depth and urban sophistication. It’s found in the Shadows Suspension Lamps by Czech lighting studio Brokis, the powder-coated…

MAKE IT MODERN Think matt finishes and a minimal aesthetic BOHO BEAUTIFUL Just about anything goes, so have fun and be bold BACK TO THE CLASSICS Make choices that will never go out of style CALIFORNIA COOL Bright and breezy, this is easy living at its best SOURCES 8° South eightdegreessouth.com Block & Chisel blockandchisel.co.za Builders builders.co.za Decor Handles decorhandles.co.za Esque esque.co.za Hirsch’s hirschs.co.za KNUS knus.co Mavromac & Gatehouse mavromacandthegatehouse.co.za MRP Home mrphome.com Superbalist superbalist.com SHF shf.co.za The Lighting Warehouse lightingwarehouse.coza Weylandts weylandts.co.za Yuppiechef yuppiechef.com…

EXPERT TIPS Alon Sachs, co-founder of Mobelli Furniture + Living has these tips for choosing an outdoor rug Look for rugs that are specifically intended for outdoor use. Most of these are made from 100% polypropylene like the ones available from Mobelli, which are durable, resistant to UV as well as mould and mildew. They’re easy to clean, maintain and can stay outside in any weather. Use outdoor rugs to give outside spaces a unique personality as well as to designate particular areas such as dining or lounging. While most outdoor furnishings are in neutral shades for long-lasting style, you can give them a trendy update without spending a fortune by introducing a new colourful or patterned rug. SOURCES Airloom airloom.co.za Dear Zania Interiors dearzania.co.za FabHabitat fabhabitat.co.za Hertex hertex.co.za India Ink indiaink.co.za Mobelli Furniture +…

Lack of time is a common complaint, especially when it comes to gardening. The solution is to introduce hard landscaping elements that add to the appeal of your garden, but don’t need much attention. This way, it will look good all year round without too much effort or water. Here are some ideas to consider. BUILD TERRACES AND STEPS Slopes are difficult and time consuming to mow. Eliminate them and minimise erosion with levelled terraces connected by steps. “These can be built in creative ways with garden slabs, stone or timber decking so that they become a feature,” says landscape designer Deidre Causton of Inspirations. Depending on the steepness or the size of your garden, they can be one continuous staircase leading to a destination, or placed intermittently as part…

Plant in a mineral-free, nutrient-deficient, acidic soil mix comprising sphagnum peat and perlite. Plants should have at least four or more hours of direct sun daily, with as much indirect light as possible. Strong light creates compact growth and good colouration. Less light results in scrawny foliage and lack of pigmentation. The position varies a little according to the species: Venus flytraps, trumpet pitchers and sundews need full sun or strongly lit areas. Tropical pitcher plants like Nepenthes prefer indirect, dappled sunlight. Stand Venus flytraps, trumpet pitchers and sundews in a shallow tray of water. Fill the tray every second day in summer and about twice a week in winter. Water tropical pitcher plants from the top and allow the water to drain out the bottom of the pot. Water…

My cooking style is influenced by the seasons. In summer, I love cold crunchy dishes with lots of texture, and in cooler months, dinner might be a rich lentil and sweet potato stew. My pantry staples are smoked paprika, ground cumin, onion powder and garlic powder. If I had only one recipe book it would be any vegan dessert cookbook. I have my eyes set on Let Them Eat Cake by Gesine Bullock-Prado. Desserts are my guilty pleasure. My family’s favourite meal is butter chickpea curry. No dinner party is complete without a well-presented starter with a dipping sauce. There’s something about people dipping their fingers into something tasty that gets the conversation flowing. The kitchen gadgets I can’t live without are a salad spinner – very handy for drying…

The first electric telephone was invented by Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. The first commercial exchange, with 12 users, was opened in 1878 in Connecticut in the US. In 1889, convinced that the Bell central exchange was diverting his incoming calls to a rival, Almon Brown Strowger, an undertaker, invented the automatic, rotary dial switchboard system. It was first installed in 1892 in LaPorte, Indiana. The first long-distance call placed from San Francisco to New York City was in 1915. Intercontinental, underwater telephony cables were installed in the 1950s. In 1962, the Satellite Act was passed and telephone calls were directed via satellites. Touch-tone/push button dialling was introduced in 1963. Ending the fixed-line era was the first cellphone network introduced in Japan in 1979.…

FIND OF THE MONTH I’d love to know more about this grandfather clock I inherited and its value. Inside, it’s marked with a gold emblem and the word Kobold. Justine Brink Justin Kerrod of Kerrod Antiques, specialist dealer in ceramics and mid-century modern furniture says, “Because of its small size, this clock is probably a 1930’s granddaughter clock rather than a grandfather clock. Granddaughter clocks were introduced around that time and were made with a plywood base and veneered with oak, walnut or mahogany, as this one appears to be, judging by the state of the base. It should sell on auction for about R3 000 – R5 000.” THANKS TO OUR SPECIALISTS Ingrid Aron Kalk Bay Antiques Centre ingridaron89@gmail.com Justin Kerrod Kerrod Antiques kerrodantiques.co.za Clyde Terry Clyde on 4th Antiques 011…

Mafikeng-born Patrick Stout-Sheard spent his early twenties in Durban at the height of the city’s fashion boom in the late 1990s. “My room-mates were designers and models. It was an exciting, innovative environment, which sparked my love of design,” he reveals. While working as a manager for a leading furniture company in Jo’burg, Patrick discovered a passion for furnishings and interior design. This led to similar positions at other decorating emporiums in Cape Town. “I learnt that the way a store is presented has enormous influence on how customers spend. I love creating settings in which every element has to look just right.” A stint working for a designer on a luxury residential project enabled Patrick to put his creativity and knowhow into practice, and he also gained valuable project…

SOURCES Bespoke Home bespokehome.co.za Designers Guild designersguild.com Home Fabrics homefabrics.co.za KARE kare-design.com KNUS knus.co Mwanzo Lifestyle mwanzolifestyle.com SHF shf.co.za The Lighting Warehouse lightingwarehouse.co.za Volpes volpes.co.za WIN! We’re giving away a copy of Out of the Blue, Fifty Years of Designers Guild. To enter, visit gardenandhome.co.za and click on WIN.…

WHO LIVES HERE Interior designer Sarah Ord and her two children, Charlie and Sam. THE HOUSE A three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Claremont, Cape Town, with an open-plan kitchen and dining area and separate living room. “I sound like the Mad Hatter, but I’m actually not that crazy,” laughs Sarah Ord, as she tries to make sense of the melange of furniture, artworks, heirlooms and quirky curiosities filling her Cape Town home. Last year, Sarah moved from a small house in the city centre to the family home her mother was previously living in, in the leafy suburb of Claremont. The reason for the move was to gain more space and a garden for four-year-old Charlie and baby Sam to play in. It had been an exhausting four years for the…

THINKING BIG In a large, high-ceilinged room, the sofa should be proportioned accordingly so that it doesn’t look lost. In the TV room of this Tokai home in Cape Town, a generous modular sofa lets the family get together in comfort. IT’S A COVERUP Slipcovered sofas are a boon in a home with children and pets as the covers can be popped in the wash when they start looking grubby. Just make sure that the fabric is preshrunk and washable. Slipcovers also make a formal room more inviting, as in this living room decorated by Studio Dylan Thomaz. AROUND THE CORNER If you’re looking for a sofa for a townhouse or apartment, a corner or L-shaped design will give you the maximum amount of seating. It can either be placed…

1 BACOPA MEGACOPA ‘PINK IMPROVED’ A better garden performer than the original pink, its larger, deep pink blooms cover the entire plant. It also has improved heat tolerance. Well branched, it forms a low mound of colour, with a spread of 30cm. It quickly fills containers and hanging baskets. Growing tips: Plant in full or morning sun in moist, well-composted soil, spacing plants 30–46cm apart. Water thoroughly to establish them then reduce the amount. Good drainage is essential. 2 ANTIRRHINUM ( SNAPDRAGON) SNAPSHOT ‘BURGUNDY BICOLOUR’ This is ideal for the winter flower garden as its deeper colours add richness to borders. The bushy, compact plants, 25cm high and wide, send up a profusion of dwarf spikes of fragrant flowers. For impact, plant them in swathes or pockets. They also perform…

ALOE there Aloes add colour to the winter garden, plus they’re hardy, water wise and have a long flowering season. Aloe hybrids are suitable for containers, thrive in sandy soil mixed with good quality compost, and need at least four hours of full sun every day. ‘BUSH BABY YELLOW’ (pictured above) is small and bushy with lovely, pale yellow flowers that can open as early as February and, depending on the size of the bush, still appear until the end of July. It does equally well in a pot up to 45cm in diameter. ‘CUPID’ This tiny gem produces pink flowers throughout the year and is suitable for pots (up to 20cm for singles, or larger for a group). Inflorescences appear one after the other. Allow two or three offshoots…

The GOOD LIFE Mindful Eating, Izelle Hoffman, R350, Penguin Random House, is full of nutritious recipes to get you eating the right foods. Think energising breakfasts, quick meals and family favourites. Find the recipe for this Creamy Garlic and Butterbean Soup with Chickpeas (pictured above) on our website, gardenandhome.co.za Salute! Not sure what to drink with Italian food? Try these SA wines made with traditional varietals. Du Toitskloof Cellar Nebbiolo 2014, R95, is divine with a juicy steak. Enjoy Fairview’s La Capra Sangiovese 2018, R64, with pizza and pasta. The Trizanne Signature Wines Barbera 2017, R250, from Darling, is a medium-bodied red, well suited to a lamb casserole. Doubly delicious A smooth blend of dairy and fruit juice, Clover’s Duo, R20,99 (1 litre), is a source of calcium…

WHEN TO GO We intercepted the migration as the animals moved through Serengeti in autumn rather than when they cross the Mara River in Kenya from July to October. GETTING THERE We travelled with ExplorePlus, who also got us discounts on our flights. exploreplus.co.za. Choose a fly-in safari or a road trip; the latter gives you a chance to see more of the landscape and the people. VISAS South African passport holders don’t require a visa for Kenya or Tanzania. NEED TO KNOW A yellow fever certificate is needed for Kenya. Ask your doctor or travel clinic for advice on malaria; it is prevalent in both Kenya and Tanzania. CURRENCY Most places accept US$, but make sure you have low denominations and the new notes.…

“There are many reproduction antique phones available on the market. It’s easy to tell the real from the fake. If it has any plastic parts, it’s fake – plastic was only invented in the 1950s,” says Reg Taylor of Skyscraper Cape Town. “Rare colours can command really high prices, like a few thousand rand for a red or green Bakelite phone. But, make sure it is not just a black phone that has been repainted,” he adds. “Condition is very important. Bakelite, the material used for early phones can’t be repaired once chipped or broken,” says Wim Castleman of Decade in Melville.…