Customised landscaping takes over

RECYCLING water-wise, container planting and succulents are the new trends gardeners follow to preserve water.

These words came from Sunridge Park resident Sue Odendaal, 67, who for 30 years has been maintaining, reforming and re-potting her own garden.

Odendaal, who takes pride in how she managed to transform an outdoor living space into a medium-sized garden haven, said by scavenging all over the Bay she found and bought old, different and unique pieces to incorporate into her garden.

"After moving to this house in the '80s I had a small flower garden and just before moving our business situated in Newton Park to the house, my husband did a completely new layout of the garden," she said.

"Because of water restrictions we had to scale down the garden to a smaller space, and that meant we had to get rid of most of my beautiful flowers, it was sad but worth it in the end.

Odendaal, who grew up on a farm in Paterson, has been surrounded by natural soil from the beginning, therefore, being in her garden and practising her crafting is when she's in her element and at her happiest.

She said after years of purchasing plants from flower boutiques, she decided to make her own compost soil and put a hold on buying plants.

"You can always implement something new into your garden, to allow it to suit your style and when it grows you can always re-pot and divide them.

"In my garden I created a still life, not like a still life in a painting but those that grow. It's so beautiful to enter your garden during the week and see a new growth. So this is definitely an ongoing still life."

Odendaal , who has a gardener assisting her once a week said her garden is always tidy and because it is not large in size, it is quite easy to maintain.

"We all take turns to help out in the garden and it's such a joy to us. I speak to my plants often and the good thing is that they cannot respond.

"My garden is a story that I tell to my grandchildren, and show them the importance of having a garden in Africa," Odendaal said. - Chanice Koopman