Dreamy Nooks And Pretty - Knick - Knacks

Hanniki Bruère of Riebeek-Kasteel has a talent for turning discarded items – even tea sets – into eye-catching garden décor!

- Marié Esterhuyse

When we visited Hanniki Bruère to photograph her beautiful home and guesthouse – The Victorian Cow in Riebeek-Kasteel – in October 2014, we made a mental note: her garden was definitely worth sharing with our readers too – it just needed some time to grow.

Today, it’s more gorgeous than ever, and it’s not just the plants that make this garden so lovely: repurposed vintage prams, baby baths, broken chairs and even an old road sign have all found a spot here.

“I love decorating and collecting pretty things,” Hanniki says. “In my garden, every nook must look special. Even the back garden has been adorned with sentimental items. One of them is a pink polka-dot cup that contains a little plant my grandson Ethan chose for me when he was seven years old.”

When Hanniki moved in six years ago, there wasn’t much in the garden – only an impressive oak tree, a giant eucalyptus, a few neglected shrubs, a syringa tree and a wild olive. With a clear vision in mind, Hanniki set about designing her garden. Because she didn’t own a lawnmower, planting grass wasn’t an option – instead, she wanted beds for more flowers and nooks for knick-knacks. The wild olive was removed because it hindered her view of the Kasteelberg mountains and the oak tree became the focal point in her garden. The wild olive was replaced by a cement table and it is here that Hanniki sets out her tea cups.