A Whiter Shade

After a trip to Europe, this Jo’burg gardener was inspired to create her own classical garden.

- Connall Oosterbroek

When Magriet Herr and her husband, Charles, moved into their Parktown North home 45 years ago, there wasn’t much garden to speak of, just a few shrubs and some lawn. And it stayed that way for a while. “When our children were small, I didn’t have time for gardening and there didn’t seem much point as there was always a soccer or tennis ball flying around and into the plants,” recalls Magriet.

Then, a decade or so later, the Herrs renovated their house extensively, and to complement it, Magriet planted a few accent plants, including some palm trees. Only a few of these remain around the pool from that short foray into gardening. “However, it still wasn’t a garden,” she admits. “I didn’t have the inspiration, and if I’m totally honest, at that stage, I thought gardening was for old ladies.”