A Riot Of Colour

In early spring, this colourful farm garden in KZN becomes a showcase for the many different clivias the owners are passionate about

- Lolly Stuart

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Although this garden in Weenen, KZN, is over 44 years old, the owners Heinrich and Annaleen Heine still regard it as a work in progress. “I’m the third generation to farm here, and when I took over, the garden consisted of two palm trees and a couple of pines,” recalls

Heinrich. Since then he and Annaleen have become passionate gardeners and landscapers, which is clearly evident in the magnificent garden they’ve created. “We started off by bringing in 350 trailer loads of good soil from the lands to build up the beds. Many of the plants were given to us by friends or grown from slips. I remember when we started planting trees, they cost less than R2,50 each,” laughs Heinrich. Varieties he’s planted include camphor, Celtis Africana, kapoks, and Natal bottlebrushes. “I always plant trees in groups of three, as I like the balance,” he says. Together with the tree ferns, these trees help to moderate the extreme conditions in the area. In winter, the temperature often drops to freezing point and below, while in summer, 40°C and over isn’t uncommon. “We’ve had to plant a screen of trees and shrubs down the south side to shelter us from the icy winter winds.”