Unaware that these Jacarandas would one day be listed as aliens, Joane Pim chose these amethyst-flowering trees for the structure of their branches as well as their beautiful blooms. She was able to visualise, without the modern-day aid of computer graphics, exactly how the ‘bones’ of her gardens would look four decades on. Fortunately, established aliens do not need to be felled, and Chris decided to work around them.
‘The garden and water garden are Chris’s pride and joy,’ remarks Susan. ‘He gets up with the birds every day to explore and check to see how every single plant is doing.’
No property on this scale is complete without a water garden. This one-metre-deep pond, designed by the owners, consists of a series of five different pools. The solid, natural sandstone boulders were brought in from the Delmas district. Natural moss and ferns love to cling to these boulders. Chris does not hesitate to explain that this would not happen if they were synthetic – his special loathing.
A passion for bog plants such as bulrushes, water irises, gunnera and water lilies encourage the bird life. ‘Black duck, an egret, green pigeons and black sparrow-hawks all visit us,’ says Chris proudly. Frogs have also introduced themselves into the new ecosystem.
Falling jacaranda blossoms can be toxic to fish, so the Greigs were advised not to build the pond under the jacaranda trees. However, it seemed the perfect spot, so skimming these off first thing every day in flowering season is a daily ritual for Clever Chinyanga.
Another talented member of the family, Italia Greig, sculpted this purple goliath heron in bronze especially for the garden.
A paved platform was created to elevate the wooden bench. When seated, one looks down on the pond, rather than across it.
One of Sue’s specialties, a traditional Italian Colombo cake, stands impressively under a copper beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Cuprea’). The leaves of this tree change colour throughout the year from coppery amber to emerald greens, and at the end of summer to shades of black diamond.
A family of three flowering cherry trees encircled by white begonias.
Rusted-iron Italian urns on cement plinths define the edges of the ‘blue’ garden on one side. The urns are planted with box hedge (Buxus sempervirens), while the beds in this section of the garden are filled with tall campanula bells, purple delphinium ‘Pacific giants’, white flowering tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) and other blue-and-white plants.
This white-painted teak bench was custom-made to balance the width of the pool.
Massed potted plants provide a visual link to the garden beyond.
Wide beds with a variety of plants, such as perennial petunia, Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria), helichrysum and begonia fill up the garden space with colour and texture throughout the year.
The doyenne of the grandest of Johannesburg gardens, the late Joane Pim, was responsible for the basic structure of this jewel-like garden, which was first laid out in the 1970s. Miss Pim, as she was always addressed, began by positioning the small saplings that would grow into massive trees. She had a faultless eye and her trees, some half-a-century later, set the framework for what has always been a lovely garden.
The almost two-hectare property now belongs to Chris and Sue Greig, a highly talented and motivated couple. Chris is the creative designer of the family-owned fine jewellery business and Sue is a cook of note, who has completed courses in some of the finest kitchens of the world. Both are passionate gardeners, and have worked tirelessly since taking ownership of the property to update and transform it into a spectacular contemporary garden, which is also a botanist’s delight.
Debbie Tenquist and Martine de la Harpe, who have an encyclopaedic knowledge of rare plants and where to source them, made recommendations and Chris introduced a variety of species that add a special touch.
Bronze frog amongst the bog plants by Christopher’s brother, sculptor Donald Greig.
‘It was a misty day when we first went to view this property. We couldn’t even see to the bottom of the garden, but we knew we had to have it …’