The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 10 Spring 2014 | Page 14

Art in the garden Regardless of the type of soil you have or the amount of water available, gardening should be fun! “It’s been fun!” says Maria, as we walk around her garden reflecting on all the hard work she has put into it over the past ten years. “And I’ll be doing it again” she says with a smile on her face, as in a couple of months, they will be moving to a new home. Having grown up with Maria’s three sons, I have always admired her cheerful, energetic and positive outlook on life, as much ‘flack’ as those boys give her, it is all fun and laughter. “It’s been fun!” Bringing her fun side into the garden, Maria and her gardener, Raffi, have brought her garden to life with African animals and other artefacts made from wire and clay; Duranta bushes have also been shaped (pruned) into birds. The wonderful aspect of these alluring and fun focal points is that they start right at the doorstep, which makes you want to get up out of the chair on the verandah and explore. The fascinating creatures are placed very strategically, drawing you up and around the pool and into the rest of the garden. 14 Around her house, she has kept the planting and style of plants very similar – by using cacti, succulents and grasses – all very water wise and easy to grow and maintain. Unfortunately, in other areas of her garden Maria hasn’t had the easiest time with her soil but with lots (and lots) of cow manure, constant mulching and perseverance, she has slowly won the battle. Using art in the garden can create interest and enhance your existing landscape design – we are fortunate enough that our water wise succulents and cacti complement our creative African art. If you are thinking about adding art into your garden, start by thinking about the style of your garden, and select art that will complement it. For those who are struggling with water and have to start redesigning your garden, take some inspiration from Maria’s: Water wise tips • • Compost and mulch... and never stop! Choose a variety of water wise plants such as cacti, succulents and grasses – all of which are available in nurseries around Zimbabwe. art in the garden • • • • When placing art in the garden, pay attention to scale and contrast and avoid scattering small individual objects throughout the garden. It is better to group small objects together, like the family of frogs perched on the rocks, and put bigger more distinctive pieces on their own, like the crocodile swimming in the Mondo grass. Create a scene to capture your visitors’ imagination. Fill the art with plants; it makes them fit into the garden more naturally. Don’t go overboard by using too many scultures - position the art so that it can draw your eye to specific areas of the garden! Fun, fun, fun! Finally, have fun – gardening is there to be enjoyed, let your creative side go wild. Thank you to Maria and her family, for letting us view their wonderfully creative garden.