Working And Playing With Nature

In an era where small gardens are the norm and our footprint has an impact on the planet, there is a lot to think about when designing a garden. The topics at the top of the list are water scarcity, food security and destruction of habitats – all big deals if we want to exist in harmony with our world.

The landscape design students of the Lifestyle College are taught these important things along with more practical design elements. They are then tasked with showcasing what they have learnt in the Lifestyle Garden Design Show, which runs from March until the end of May at the Lifestyle Home Garden in Randburg.

This year, despite all the obstacles we are currently facing with the pandemic, the students have risen to the challenge and produced some amazing gardens with lots to see. Here is a glimpse of what’s on show for 2021:

WORKER BEE

1. Who says you can’t have it all? The ‘Worker Bee’ garden combines patio living and working from home with exotic pots of plants placed alongside an indigenous, wildlife-friendly garden featuring bat and owl boxes, bug hotels and nesting boxes. This is a multi-faceted garden that is suited to this modern age.

2. The backdrop to this patio office is perfect for video conferencing. A simple wooden structure was made from stacked wooden planters and decorated with moss mats and tillandsia baubles. The Johannesburg skyline image places it squarely in the city.

3. The wild side of this garden has all the elements to attract birds, butterflies, bees and other wildlife. Indigenous plants such as buddlejas and restios are planted thickly in a small space, as nature intended, but next to contemporary elements in the form of the water feature and the feeders for a thoroughly modern design.

REWILDING