It is hard to believe that what was once barren farmland has blossomed into an oasis of biodiversity and tranquillity thanks to the vision and dedication of Derryn and Malcolm Searle.
Drawn by the allure of the burnt orange hues of the Karoo earth, a cob kraal and the tranquil embrace of rural life, the Searles embarked on a transformative journey. Taking a conscious decision to ‘let nature in’, they breathed life into the arid landscape and fostered a haven where flora and fauna intertwine in a delicate dance.
The Kraal Garden is divided into two distinct sections: The Formal Garden (the top garden) and The Wild Garden (the bottom garden). These are then further divided into complimentary rooms.
Malcolm was inspired to develop the Formal Garden by Monty Don’s Italian Renaissance Gardens videos and a visit to Babylonstoren.
The formal geometry and burnt earth texture of the cob kraal and the underlying shallow rock influenced the design and layout direction of the Formal Garden. Low walls and pergolas border many of the garden rooms, with their favourite being the top room, the Om Garden, shaped in the Sanskrit symbol Om, a sacred sound.
A stone path is etched into the middle of the block to honour his wife, Derryn, a yoga teacher who runs the Karoo Yoga School in the studio on the property. The Om Garden’s stone path is surrounded by the karoo shrub, Pteronia incana (wild lavender) which attracts bees with its abundant display of yellow flowers.
As the garden flourished, it beckoned the expertise of kindred spirits and visionaries who shared the Searles’ reverence for nature’s bounty. Enter Franchesca Watson, acclaimed landscaper and Sue Milton-Dean, esteemed plant ecologist and co-architect of the Kraal Garden’s metamorphosis.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July/August 2024 من The Gardener.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July/August 2024 من The Gardener.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
FIRE AND Feathers!
On a dreary winter's day, a screen of fiery and feathery leaves puts up a fight against dullness!
GET THE ladies in!
At this time of year, early-flowering shrubs vie with each other to get the most attention. We say: Trust those with female names for frills and butterflies. They go the extra mile to flower their hearts out.
Vegetable Soups and dumplings
Vegetables make the most delicious soups and classic combinations are always a winner.
Yummy sweet potatoes for your good health
Boiled, baked or braaied, sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are a delicious and healthy winter comfort food. Just a dollop of butter, a little seasoning and you are good to go.
Pretty and functional
If cooking is your main thing, you would probably be more interested in the culinary value of the three herbs and some of their varieties we are describing.
Dried Seedheads & Pods
Autumn and winter are the best times to see what flowers produce the best seedheads that can be left on the plants to feed the birds and bugs and for harvesting for dried arrangements.
SO MANY FACES and so many choices...
Whoever associated a Cotyledon orbiculata (pig's ear) with the ear of a pig obviously did not know about all the varieties and cultivars this species in the genus Cotyledon has.
COLOURFUL Cold Weather WINNERS!
If it comes to a vote, these dependable shrubs will be the top candidates for prime performance in winter and in other seasons...
What makes a garden sustainable?
It is interesting to note that the United Nations defines sustainable development as: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Nurturing NATURE-The Story of Kraal Garden's Transformation
Nestled within Prince Albert's rustic embrace lies a gem that is a testament to the transformative power of human vision and nature's bounty.
