Interested in landscapes? Visit the ‘Gardens of the Golden City’ – Summer Open Gardens, Gauteng, South Africa.
Attend an open garden and raise funds for charity. Visit open gardens in Westcliff, Randburg and Hyde Park.
Weekend of 6 – 7 April, 2019: 10am – 4pm
Heritage Garden, 19 Pallinghurst Drive, Westcliff, Johannesburg, Gauteng South Africa
In November 2013, the owners started rejuvenating this Old World Garden as they wanted to bring it back to its former glory.
The approach was to create light by pruning the old trees enough to create filtered sun as many of the beds were in deep shade.
Once that had been achieved the beds needed trenching and feeding with tonnes of compost and organic fertilizer.
Here is a mix of roses, Buddleja ‘Buzz’, penstemons, mixed salvia and cascading convolvulus interspersed with annuals for the season.
A touch of old fashioned herbs like achillea have worked to bring seasonal colour.
The shade gardens have a mix of plectranthus, impatiens, arums,and hydrangeas. Forest bell bush (Mackaya bella) is often used in the shade beds to close back ground walls.
The edges of the beds gravel driveways have been defined by the natural rock boarders, so typical of Westcliff.
Tea Garden
Contact: Margreet 072 400 1559 or Lynne 082 689 0930
Entrance: R50 per person Children under 12 free
Weekend of 5, 6 & 7 April, 2019 (3 DAYS): 10am – 4pm
Beechwood Garden, 25 Christopherson Rd, Hyde Park
Beechwood Garden together with Shari Dickinson’s Easter Market will be open.
This classical landscaped 3.5 acre garden was designed by pioneer landscape architect Joane Pim and redesigned by the current owners. The garden surrounds a magnificent old-world house, designed by Steffen Ahrends. An interesting garden feature is a forest setting with pathways leading to an English styled rose garden where several ponds provide perfect examples of water-garden planting. A magnificent sunken kitchen garden will give you inspiration for your own vegetable garden.
The garden which has heritage status well worth a visit. It is accessible by wheel chair and has smooth pathways for people with limited mobility.
Entrance: R50 (Children under 12 free).
Contact Margreet: 072 400 1559 or Helena: 083 267 1661
Weekend of 25-26 May, 2019: 10am – 4pm
ALOE Ridge
303C Olievenhout Avenue, Northriding
‘Aloe Ridge’ is a 6700m indigenous garden is set in the North Riding Agricultural Holdings Valley just below the Northgate Dome.
There are over 300 planted South African indigenous tree species growing amongst the original Ancient African Olives, Mountain Karee, Bushman’s Poison, Common Hook Thorn, Red leaf Rock Fig and Rock Elder clusters located in the area.
There are roughly 600 aloes dispersed throughout the garden in sandstone rockeries along with shrubs, bulbs and indigenous grasses. Under the shade of the trees are dense patches of Plectanthus (spurflowers) and other indigenous shade plants creating a forest floor effect under the tree canopies.
As most of the trees and shrubs are not labelled, it is advisable to bring a tree spotting book such as Sappi Tree Spotting for the Highveld.
Entrance R30 (Children under 12 free). Tea Garden.
Contact Margreet 072 400 1559 or Helena 083 267 1661
SALI thanks the member garden clubs of the Gardens of the Golden City for their charity initiatives.
All Seasons Garden Club – Annette Bohler 082 879 8962
Bedfordview Garden Club – Pam Heller-Stern 083 496 4756
Country Garden Club – Cecile Price 084 819 9085
Johannesburg Garden Club – Helena Mitchell 083 267 1661
Randburg Horticultural Society – Lynne Ludolph 082 689 0930
Shady Ladies – Nikki Ireland 082 902 9106
The Horticultural Society – Glynne Case 082 663 8498
Thirty Something Garden Club – Barbara Wassenaar 072 234 4120
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Past Open Gardens (… hope you enjoyed them … )
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Weekend of 23/24 February 2019 (10am-5pm)
‘Aloe Ridge’, 303C Olievenhout Avenue, North Riding AH, Roodepoort, 2169
Google Map with directions.
About the garden: Aloe Ridge a 6700 m indigenous garden is set in the North Riding Agricultural Holdings Valley just below the Northgate Dome. There are over 300 planted South African indigenous tree species growing amongst the original Ancient African Olives, Mountain Karee, Bushman’s Poison, Common Hook Thorn, Red leaf Rock Fig and Rock Elder clusters located in the area.
There are roughly 600 aloes dispersed throughout the garden in sandstone rockeries along with shrubs, bulbs and indigenous grasses. Under the shade of the trees are dense patches of Plectanthus (spurflowers) and other indigenous shade plants creating a forest floor effect under the tree canopies.
Saturday, 23 February (14h00)
Talk: ‘Indigenous Plants and your Garden’ by Malcolm Hepplewhite.
Venue: Bea Thompson Hall, Witkoppen Wildflower Nursery, Aloe Ridge 303C Olievenhout Avenue, Northriding, Randburg.
A look at what an indigenous plant is…
Why we should be planting indigenous plants…
Tips on how to make indigenous gardening easier and successful.
Sunday, 24 February (11h00)
Talk: ‘Shady Gardening Issues’ by Malcolm Hepplewhite.
Venue: Bea Thompson Hall, Witkoppen Wildflower Nursery, Aloe Ridge 303C Olievenhout Avenue, Northriding, Randburg.
A look at the two main sources of shade in gardens and how to approach gardening in each type.
We also look at some indigenous garden plants that happily grow in shade.
As the show garden is quite shady the talk ‘Shady Affairs’ will be quite appropriate. So you can have a look at the garden, enjoy a cup of tea and cake at the show garden, listen to the talk at the NURSERY and, as long as you keep the ticket, come back again and have a second look at the garden with a different view.
Entrance: R50.00 inclusive of a talk by Malcolm Hepplewhite at the Witkoppen Wildflower Nursery which is about 100m from the show garden.
When you present your ticket from the garden, the talk is for free and you get 10% discount on all plants. Children under 12 are free. Entrance to only the talk – R50.00.
Contact: Margreet 072 400 1559 Helena 083 267 1661
Please visit the Tea Garden at the show garden.
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9/10 March 2019 (10am-5pm)
CHOC House, 16 Eastwold Way, Saxonwold, Johannesburg.
Google Map with Directions
As CHOC is celebrating its 40th birthday this year we are delighted that we have the opportunity to open the garden for you to enjoy.
The garden provides a peaceful and healing retreat for the families of children fighting cancer and is maintained with love by the “Garden Fairies” from the Country Garden Club.
It shows off a wide diversity of plants and huge trees provide a welcome shade in the play area so the children can play happily.
A magnificent vegetable garden provides fresh vegetables for the children to have a healthy meal.
By visiting the CHOC garden you support such a worthwhile , deserving and needy cause.
Contact: Margreet – 072 400 1559 Helena – 083 267 1661
Tea Garden
Entrance: R50 Children under 12 years free.
