As we head into the warmer months and spend more time outdoors, we are reminded of the importance of putting careful thought and planning into our gardens. Award-winning Elaleni Coastal Forest Estate landscape architect Lucas Uys shares some advice.
What are some of the current landscaping trends on the North Coast?
After Covid, the biggest trend that has emerged seems to be people wanting to ‘ground’ or connect to real elements within their landscape. It’s all about germinating seeds, growing plants and producing food. People have felt the urge to get off the grid, harvest water and become more sustainable. There is a definite shift towards going totally natural.
What about colours, shapes and plants?
You have two totally different trends and schools of thought at the moment – those who support ‘over-regulated’ environmental control in some estates without trend or movement, and those who want to brighten up their lives with flowering orchids and large monstera plant leaves and textures. In terms of colour, it’s mostly green. Vertical herb gardens and the use of special LED lighting are also very popular.
What are your top three tips for first-time home builders with regards to landscaping?
* Resolve your earthworks, terraces and stormwater management;
* Spend money on durable hardscape – paving and vertical walls;
* Plant the correct tree frame/screen planting to have a long-term privacy solution.
Advice for gardening in the summer months?
It’s not too late to prune trees and cut shrubs back if overgrown. Carry on mulching to keep moisture in during hot summer days and stimulate micro-organisms – after some years your garden will smell like a wet forest floor! Make sure your stormwater management is sorted (even for a 1:200-year flood). Control garden bugs in the friendliest possible manner and remember to service your irrigation system to prevent water loss and align spray heads.
About Lucas Uys
Award-winning Elaleni Estate landscape architect Lucas Uys is the talented and creative hand behind the growing trend that has gripped the North Coast, of a natural, living landscape within Elaleni in Sheffield Beach. Highly qualified and experienced, Uys has been involved in more than 4 000 design projects in his career, and some of the other memorable projects he has worked on include Silverhurst in Constantia, the Mormon temples in Africa, and numerous palace gardens in the UAE (where he also managed their endangered wildlife programme and is currently involved in designing new zoos, lodges and estates). Details: www.elaleni.co.za, [email protected]
