The project
Our clients in Craighall Park consulted us to transform an old children's play area at the back of their garden into a new entertainment space, with the main focal point being a constructed boma/firepit.
The design
Grounded Landscaping began the design by evaluating the available space, and determining how much of it could be used for the firepit. This then dictated the size/amount of seating, as well as the proportions of the firepit and the floor area. In the end we decided to maximise as much of the space as possible, which turned the area into a major focal point of the garden. Elements such as the floor, the seating, and the lighting all needed to be taken into acount, as well as the surrounding planting scheme. Because of a significant amount of shade created by existing trees, the area afforded us the opportunity to use a number of indigenous shade plants, whilst the existing trees could be lit up with accent lights, thereby enhancing the ambience. An outdoor storage box/table added additional functionality, whilst a combination of curved and stright line seating broke up some of the formality. Built-in planter boxes, with shade aloes (Aloe dyeri), finished off the framework of the space.
The plants
Because of the aforementioned shade, Grounded Landscaping was able to incorporate a number of our favourite shade plants, including: Clivia minata, Crassula multicava, Aloe dyeri, Draceana aletrifomis, Setaria megaphylla, Scadoxus puniceus, Chlorophytum comosum, Asparagus densiflorus 'Meyersii', Justicia (=Duvernoia) adhatodoides, and Strelitzia reginae. Other species added to the more sunny areas of the garden included Heteropyxis natalensis, Kiggelaria africana, Vepris lanceolata, Pittosporum viridiflorum, Agapanthus, Arctotis, and Aristida junciformis.
The installation & completed garden
The installation took a total of five weeks, and involved clearing the old children's play equipment, preparing the ground and planting areas, and then getting to work on the construction. A number of material adjustments were made in consultation with the clients during the project, including the flagstone types and colours, the nature of the gravel floor, and the type of lighting. Finally the project was complete and the clients are now enjoying their new entertainment space with friends and family.