‘This Is My Happy Place'

Helen Muir designed her own beautiful outdoor entertainment nook – and also assisted with the construction.

- Marie Opperman

Twenty years ago, in 1999, Helen Muir bought a 1-hectare property in Poortview, Roodepoort near the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden. A year later, she started a nursery there. It was shortly after her husband Samuel’s death, and today she describes it as “a leap of faith”.

The following year, she helped to design and build her house on the same property. However, a section on the south-facing side, between the house and a 35m-long retaining wall that separated it from the backyard, was never developed.

The problem

“It was ugly and neglected,” recalls Helen. “The ground sloped and was uneven, weed-ridden and littered with debris. There were two water tanks, as well as a bay and lemon tree. I didn’t have the funds to create a braai area, so I simply used a drum braai.”

This unsightly part of the garden always bothered her. “Our clothesline was there and every time I hung up the washing, I knew I had to do something about it.”

The turning point came in 2018 when Helen created an aloe garden in the rocky backyard, with a wooden deck for bird-watching (photo opposite). “It was so tranquil there that I yearned to spend more time outdoors.”

Not long afterwards, Helen started building her entertainment area. “It took meticulous planning, plenty of hard work and quite a few sore muscles to get it done,” she says. “But I’m used to accomplishing things on my own. I was determined to succeed.”

Plant list

Lush plants for pots and hanging baskets: