NEW HEIGHTS

Situated on a vertiginous mountain slope, this rambling garden was given a radical makeover resulting in cohesion and a restored sense of grandeur 

- NATALIE BORUVKA

My client bought this property having fallen in love with its spectacular forest setting. But both the house and the garden were in a sorry state after years of neglect, and she felt overwhelmed by the enormity of it all,' says landscaper Kathryn Phillips, recalling their first meeting. The site, located in Constantia on the eastern slope of Table Mountain bordering Cecilia Forest, was thoroughly overgrown making access to its multiple levels difficult. The aim was to make better use of the extent of the garden and in doing so create what the owner envisioned as a space that would leave a legacy.

One of Kathryn's first suggestions was boldly practical: establishing a new driveway meandering up to the house from the lower garden at street level to create a separate entrance and large parking area. Later this evolved to replace the existing entrance, a panhandle that left little space for parking. With an application for access at the provisional road level and council approval in mind, Kathryn approached landscape architect Rose Buchanan to assist with the initial design.