The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 13 Winter 2015 Low res | Page 18

The Zimbabwean Gardener
How does one describe a garden like this
when it leaves you, not breathless, but
totally speechless? This show stopper of a
garden, which belongs to the MacDonald
family, won the NAGC Garden of the year for
the category: two acres and more garden.
Kim Macdonald, a carpenter by trade and a creative and
fun man by nature, has only recently become a gardening
addict and is especially hooked on aloes, succulents and
bromeliads. Unbelievably, he has turned around this garden
in 14 months, yes just 14 months! Now I feel neither the
beginner nor the green fingered gardeners have any excuses
in achieving the dream garden. Admittedly, there was a good
basic foundation to the garden before he started. However,
when the Aloe and Cactus Society visited his garden 14
months ago, they came armed with a variety of plants, which
kick-started his enthusiasm for gardening. Since then, he has
nearly bought out every Aloe and Cactus Society sale, every
bromeliad seller and much more to create an exuberant,
lush and intriguing tropical garden.
With all his enthusiasm and creativity, he has designed the
ideal garden, which is full of different nooks and crannies.
Every little space has its own character, accessible via the
countless paths that lead you across bridges, over the raised
delicious monster walk way, past a waterfall streaming down
a proud granite rock and even up to his small recreation of
The Great Zimbabwe ruins hidden very majestically at the
back of his house. I walked around his garden three or four
times to make sure I had taken every path, examined every
view, yet there was always something new to discover.
With wonderful towering trees, Kim has used a lush
collection of shade-loving exotic plants beneath them
adding to the wonderful jungle-like feel. You really feel as
though you are on an expedition. After trekking through
the jungle, you come out to an opening of a large granite
rock, which Kim calls the drier side and has used beautiful
aloes and succulents to adorn it. Walking up the slight hill,
alongside the rock, you are welcomed by the miniature
version of Great Zimbabwe – a great way to end the
expedition! Besides using aloes as architectural features,
he has left this place very natural as it fits in so well with the
surrounding granite rocks, making it feel like this is the real
thing.
One feature that complimented everything was the colour of
the exterior of their house: cement. I don’t think this would
work for any old house, but it has for the Macdonald’s as it
blends in with the surrounding granite rocks. Kim has used
his carpentry skills to embellish the house with beautiful
wooden windows. But above all, as the house melts into the
background, the garden becomes the hero, and I can’t think
of a more perfect way to end this story!
Congratulations to the MacDonalds for your much deserved
win and thank you for letting us view your wonderful garden.
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