Unusual ideas and items create interesting features

WITH more and more people opting to go green, a real tribute to the recycle or reclaim way of life can be found in the Summerstrand garden of Hennie and Renette van As, where use is made as much as possible of unwanted goods – some of the features have even been rescued from tips!

Here they share the secrets behind the creation of an unusual and interesting garden:

1 – What type of items have you recycled, where did you get them from and how are they used? Old wood, shoes, stones, rocks, planks, plants. We pick things up on the beach, in the veld and sometimes at the transfer station.

2 – Where does the interest in recycling come from?

A lot of people tend to abandon things too quickly. Instead of throwing a plank away, I paint something on it and put it in the garden.

3 – What's the most interesting discarded item that you have found and where did you use it?

Rusted metal birds and an old door. We put the door up against a wall and write things on it.

5 - What makes your garden so special?

We think it is very tidy, with lots of small interesting features.

6 - Who designed the garden?

We had someone who initially designed a section, but we ended up following our own ideas.

7 - Who is responsible for its upkeep?

The two of us and Kopsie Moyeni, who has been with us for a long time.

8 - What is your favourite feature?

A little bench among the plants.

9 - What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a garden?

A good foundation – the soil. We were fortunate to receive 30 tons of silt which would have been dumped somewhere when we started. And then we also make compost.