Riverside ROMANCE

Like many gardeners, the Watkinses believe there’s a sense of poetry in the landscape in which they live

- ANNE SCHAUFFER

I still remember the excitement when Alan brought me here to look at the property 17 years ago,” says Maryanne Watkins. “It was grazing land, quite wild, and the steeper portion had been previously under timber. Alan cut through a hedge of bramble and grass, and there was the Umzimkulu​ River, with a magnificent view through the valley towards Rhino Peak and the surrounding mountains – we were sold! Alan was adamant the house should be close to the river, with no garden in front, and he was right.”

The Watkinses used a backend loader to dig large holes for trees on the road boundary, and – once they’d decided on the garden’s position – dug more for the perimeter trees. They collected a truckload of manure from a dairy farmer, tons of compost, and planted the biggest trees their budget would allow.

As the house neared completion, they rotovated the garden, planned the shape of the beds around the trees, chose plant material, and got started. “The children spread the lawn seed, and we soon had a lush green lawn… to the delight of my daughters, who were rearing two hanslammetjies at the time,” says Maryanne. “The one request from the entire family was a large lawn area – no flower beds – for Frisbee and cricket, so that’s exactly what I gave them.”

Maryanne found the planning a bit daunting: “I’d decided to use the natural boundaries and landscape.” On the far boundary, the Watkinses retained the existing large pine trees to balance the height of the house and oldwood (leucosidea), as well as a stream. They were determined to keep the natural elements, but also wanted to include the roses and English country garden look that Maryanne loves.