Swellendam Garden Expo 2022

The Expo involves a whole weekend of gardens and events: 18 open gardens, town and country, showcasing Swellendam’s heritage (est. 1743); a garden-themed market; garden-themed talks and demos; auction of winning scarecrows and more at the opening function on 4 November.

Tickets available on the day at Drostdy Museum Schuur Information:

• R200 per person for 2 days
• R120 per person for 1 day
• Children under 16 free
• Opening function – R80 per person

Events/opening function must be pre-booked prior to arrival.
Enquiries: Email: swellendamgardenexpo@gmail.com, Whatsapp: 083 560 4998
Bookings online: www.swellendamgardenexpo.co.za

The Mayville Rose Garden

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

C/o Swellengrebel and Hermanus Steyn Streets

No visit to Swellendam’s gardens is complete without a stroll through this historic rose garden. Created by the doyenne of Cape roses, Gwen Fagan, the garden is the legacy of sisters Nita and Nina Steyn. Sit a while on a Victorian bench and contemplate the austere cypresses, planted in remembrance of the two sisters. Heritage roses are presented in severely formal style, contrasting with the exuberance of their blooms. The surrounding beds contain old varieties of flowering perennials and herbs to complete the picture. Top off your ramble with a visit to the Mayville Museum.

Bukkenberg

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

David Schlapobersky and Felicity Potter, 8 Hermanus Steyn Street

A delightful Victorian home invites you into the expansive informal country-style garden. It is a true paradise for birds and small creatures and a haven for chameleons. The informal beds are filled with riotous plantings of all your old-fashioned colourful garden favourites, set amongst wonderful ceramic features, the product of Bukkenburg Pottery. The Studio and Bukkenburg house are open to visitors.

The Hideaway

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Stephen and Jacqui Young, 10 Hermanus Steyn Street

Enter from Bukkenburg and stroll beneath the rose arches towards the natural swimming pool, sensitively planted with hundreds of roses and agapanthus. Soak in the soothing sounds of the stream as you admire the view from the pool pavilion and the beautiful flower water colours by a local artist. Head through the arch laden with Rosa Alberic Barbiere to the colourful plantings of the lower garden, where the modern lines of steel and glass blend with the mountain view.

The Coachman

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Judie Smit, 14 Drostdy Street

Massed red roses and tall hedges hint at the hidden beauty within The Coachman. This sensitively restored heritage home dating back to the late 18th century is enhanced by its formal European-style setting. Restrained plantings in shades of green complement the hard landscaping, making easy use of the sloping site and incorporate a tranquil water feature and spectacular 21st century pool. Wander along the richly planted shaded areas and linger under the creeper-clad gazebo, appreciating the beauty of the gardener’s art.

Dave and Hanlie Guy

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

2 Moller Street

Warm and friendly hosts will help you navigate this nostalgic, level garden at the top of the town. It offers an abundance of flowering shrubs in a pleasing configuration of well-sculpted beds. Admire the mature, lichen-draped trees in which you may spot the resident owls and other plentiful birdlife. You may even make a wish in the decorative wishing well!

The Wellspring

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Penny Pistorius, 60 Berg Street

Breaking the mould on traditional gardening, The Wellspring places a light hand on Nature. Grown using permaculture principles and natural construction, what comes from the garden stays in the garden. Originally a donkey paddock and established in 1976, the name will not disappoint as it uses the original leiwater slote and dams for irrigation. A haven for birds, this mature, treed property features an amazing diversity of form and texture. Amble along the rustic pathways and spot Penny amongst the bonsais and veggies.

Riversong

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Cathy van Niekerk, 5 Quaelberg Street

Beautiful views of the Langeberg’s Tienuur Kop showcase sweeping formal and informal plantings in this landscaped riverside garden. Planted from scratch, it offers a diversity of colour, form and texture. Enjoy a leisurely stroll around the different garden ‘windows’ including raised English country beds made of packed stone from the Klein Karoo, a woodland walk with an ornamental fish pond, a French herb potager garden and a botanical ode to Shakespeare.

Annemarie Pelser

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

14 Quaelberg Street

This beautifully maintained private garden has lushly planted beds providing focal points where shade-loving annuals and a variety of flowering shrubs cluster. Edgings and groundcovers are creatively used and other features include a fruit and vegetable garden and several interesting art and water features, cleverly placed to delight the visitor. Thoughtful design demarcates areas for children to play and adults to entertain.

Moira Odendaal

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

1 Shand Street

You cannot miss this garden, the home of ‘Miss Ruby’ where a majestic spreading oak tree guards the entrance to the red house. Spend some contemplative moments in the small labyrinth and winding paths with their tinkling fountains and coy cupids. Good use has been made of hardscaping to designate areas for entertaining, for which Moira is justly famous. Quirky and theatrical, this garden is a true reflection of its owner’s personality.

De Kloof Estate

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Marjolien van Mourik Borrias, Off Weltevreden Street

One of Swellendam’s best kept secrets, De Kloof is a heritage estate established in 1801 and offers Cape Dutch style with a modern vision. Both house and gardens have been updated into a blend of old and new. The hard landscaping is at once striking yet restrained and the garden showcases old roses, vegetables and herbs. Wander at leisure and discover the Koi pond and fountain, the dam with geese and the resident owls in the stately entrance trees.

Anika and Johan Badenhorst

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

1A Veldkornet Street

There is an abundance of riches to be found in this well-loved mature garden which is host to many indigenous species endemic to the region. Anika and Johan have spent more than 20 years cultivating a densely planted, rustic garden, much of it from slips and self-propagation. Special features include the wide verge, much admired by locals, and the unusual focal points throughout the garden.

Vanessa and Carl Pfotenhauer

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

1 Aanhuizen Street

Shaded by large trees, this is an eco-paradise for birds, including their own flock of laying hens. Three different methods of  composting ensure health of soils and plants. Follow the paths down this sloping site to take in the mountain views and many features, including an atrium garden and intimate pool area. The mixed beddings and many trees meld seamlessly into the woodland setting.

The Leeskamer

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Adriaan Mocke, 7 Moolman Street

In traditional Cape style and framed by the Leeskamer with its Gothic windows and the vernacular cottage, here is an abundance of herbs and vegetables with many garden-favourite flowers frothing amongst them. Enjoy the unusual and quirky memorial features in the front garden. To the rear, find the productive vegetable and fruit garden which supplies the kitchens of the nearby college using eco principles and companion plantings. Here too, find unusual fruit trees and vegetables from days gone by.

Chelmers

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Dr Rob and Dee Hazell, 171D Voortrek Street

An unusual specialist garden displaying an eclectic collection of rare and exotic species making imaginative and creative use of a small space. A special feature is the ‘Black’ garden, almost solely propagated in containers and watered in unique fashion. Rob will entertain you with his knowledge of bromeliads and his vast experience of plant life which has been honed as a set constructor for the SA exhibit at Chelsea. He grows much of his own stock and is a proponent of organic methods.

Clarina October

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

12 Rothman Street

Rina’s interesting garden is an object lesson in gardening on a shoestring. Set just over the Rothman Street drift from Voortrek Street, enter past a long colourful street border and find the most extensive and quirky use of resources. The main garden is an exciting mix of succulents and other perennials, and you can also walk the short riverside trail. This beautiful, successful garden is a tribute to Rina’s gardening vision and imagination.

Klipperivier

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Hanneke Dippenaar, Voorhuis Road

A stately oak tree perfectly frames this beautiful Cape homestead set in relaxed sweeping lawns. Colourful beds of flowering perennials and roses guard the traditional stoep with views back over the dam. The pool area and cottages sit within modern hardscape ‘rooms’ that show off their surrounding romantic lavender and roses, and there is a special picking garden producing masses of blooms for the house in season. The newest feature is a planting of nearly 200 young trees incorporating a water feature.

Eenuur Kop

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Tersia Puren, R60 towards Ashton

This expansive established farm garden laps lovingly around the restored barn-style home and shows Tersia’s artist’s eye for plant combinations. Trees are the stars here, with a mix of indigenous and exotics including the palms with special family stories attached. The peaceful mountain views and many surprising vistas encourage quiet reflection and unwinding. A garden for all ages with open flow and naturalistic plantings and features. Don’t miss the children’s forest!

Neville Eden and Val Glass

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Plot 4477, Hermitage Road North

Invisible from the road, Val and Neville’s garden is a wonderful surprise. Formerly covered in wattles, 10 years of hard work have produced this colourful indigenous jewel. Set firmly in its mountain habitat, meandering gravel paths take advantage of the slopes to easily direct you to the natural pond and deck with stunning views. All this beauty uses only rainwater. Their plants are for sale at the market with proceeds going to the SPCA.