Next Generation

This terraced garden in Johannesburg is steeped in history yet continues to evolve alongside its young owners.

- Tess Paterson

There’s something almost absurdly lovely about a stone house standing sentinel over a long-established garden. Shaded by a vast pin oak, this beautifully proportioned 1906 home is serenely inviting. The property lies in the lee of another head-turner – the renowned Northwards mansion, perched high on the ridge behind it. With its string of heritage-listed houses, this street has long been sought after for its breathtaking gardens and heady views: the urban forest that is Joburg unfurls towards the Magaliesberg, skimming over the Johannesburg Zoo and the hills of Westcliff.

The present owners have lived here for five years – a busy young family that continues to place its stamp on the garden. Like all properties with a history, it’s undergone a series of transitions, evolving from a state of rambling, genteel chaos to a rose-centric spectacle under the guardianship of landscaper Elizabeth Steyn. The current owner envisaged an ‘edible farm’ – integrating herbs, fruit and vegetables with the established trees and plants. Underpinning it all is Steyn’s design, in collaboration with the architectural team, that takes the form of a series of stone terraces descending to an orchard below.