A lead cistern crafted by sculptor David Tomlinson makes a strong statement at the entrance to the house. The sound of softly spilling water and the sweet fragrance of star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) makes for a welcoming ambience. It is an ideal creeper for smaller spaces. The base of the cistern is generously filled with white begonias.
The garden is understated, centred around an uncluttered and perfectly manicured lawn. Wide, sweeping borders filled with Liz’s favourite plants have softly curved edges that draw the eye to the perimeter. The sunny beds are always full of colour. ‘I love roses,’ says Liz, ‘Roberto Capucci being my favourite. Roses do so well in Johannesburg, and we can have four flushes a year. Also in these beds are many varieties of iris, alstroemeria, shasta daisies and seasonal annuals.’
(above) Late winter-flowering sweet peas, with their soft perfume and pastel shades, make good companions to other spring-flowering plants and bulbs, while (above) a white clematis trails and climbs up a trellis framing the edge of the house.
The north-facing garden has both sun and shade beds. Under the trees Liz has planted a large variety of plants such as Hydrangea quercifolia, Mackaya bella, Viburnum tinus ‘Lucidum’, brillantaisia, fuchsias and azaleas. These are underplanted with a variety of ground covers such as plectranthus, clivias, irises, myosotis, trachelospermum and mixed ferns.
The cool, covered verandah with its cushions that echo the colours of the foliage leads onto the lawn. The pool has a wavy surround, so there are no hard lines to break the visual flow.
Liz Steyn grew up on a 100-acre sheep farm near Nottingham Road in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. One of the four charming Campbell sisters, she inherited her love of gardens from her parents, who made a magnificent, showpiece garden around the farmhouse.
Now Liz and her husband, Richard, live in a period house on half an acre in Parkview, one of Johannesburg’s older suburbs. The glorious old trees, both indigenous and exotic, attracted them to the area and give them complete privacy. They also influenced the layout of the garden. Two huge jacarandas take pride of place and when in flower, the mauve palette reflected in the pool adds another dimension.
Liz turned her gardening hobby into a career some 20 years ago when she volunteered to work for Anne Lorentz, one of Johannesburg’s best-known landscape gardeners. The greatest lesson she learnt from Anne was that you have to love your garden. ‘So my clients need to love their gardens. Only then will they care for them.’’
Both Liz and her husband lead busy lives, describing their home as their sanctuary, a place they find their peace, tending the vegetables and nurturing the plants. Their son, Tim, has joined his mother’s business, so she has the joy of knowing that her garden legacy will continue.
‘In such a wooded garden we have many birds that come and go with the seasons. A pair of paradise flycatchers have been resident for the last few years, which is very special. I love the seasons, and have tried to get the best of each,’ comments Liz.
A white-beaded goat – a happy reminder to Liz of the tame goats on the family farm during her childhood.
‘A garden is not a once-off; it’s a living space, growing, flowering and resting … to be fed, watered and occasionally disciplined.’