The SA Landscapers Institute (Sali) annual awards of excellence were presented at the recent SA Green Industries Council Convention.
The country’s top commercial projects demonstrate to local gardeners what is possible to achieve.
Gold medals were awarded to 57 projects and 12 trophies honoured outstanding projects.
Fifteen of the gold medals and seven of the trophies went to Cape landscapers.
Two of the trophies, including the coveted Sali Shield, the industry’s highest national honour, went to Glenn Norrie of Capescapes for his landscape installation and a rooftop garden at the Life Science Faculty, University of the Western Cape.
Rooftop garden
Based outside Malmesbury, Capescapes was responsible for installing and planting a landscape designed by Cape Town landscape architects OvP Associates. The project comprised paved and planted areas surrounding the new building, as well as a non-accessible roof garden above lecture rooms.
Particular difficulties of the site included working with the poor-quality soils that occur in the area, strong prevailing winds, and a sloping roof area. The soil in which hydroseeding was done (this was in the nature area only) had to be rendered more binding so that it would not simply blow away before germination had occurred.
The university is next to the Cape Flats Nature Reserve, so it was essential that the plantings harmonised with the natural vegetation. For this purpose, and with the help of the university’s horticultural department, attractive local indigenous plants were identified. These made up the bulk of the plant material.
A particular advantage of these local plants is that they are adapted to survive the harsh conditions of the area.
Nevertheless, it takes superb design skills to map out an attractive landscape with a limited palette of plants.
All material for the roof garden was transferred by crane. A specially prepared soil mix that would not slide downwards and could not be blown away was placed on the slightly sloping site. It remained in place long enough for plants to establish themselves. The plants selected for the roof garden have soil-binding roots.
The plants are predominantly low-growing indigenous groundcovers and small shrubs. This “green” roof helps to keep the building cool during the hot Cape summers. It is probably the largest roof garden in southern Africa.
The roof garden can be viewed only from neighbouring buildings. Air vents are used as focal points and add a decorative path to create visual interest. Drip irrigation is used throughout the landscape.
The Sali judges were particularly impressed with the soil preparation for this windy site. They regarded the landscaping as exceptionally attractive, given the demands and limitations of the site.
Berg River Dam
Two Sali trophies were awarded to Deon van Eeden of Vula Environmental Services for a huge, water-wise re-vegetation project at the Berg River Dam.
Vula Environmental Services spent five years re-vegetating the dam wall and adjacent area as part of the rehabilitation of the dam. The area beneath the wall, where the construction team was based, was subject to massive earthworks, and there was huge disturbance to, and destruction of, the natural vegetation.
Maintaining the stability of the steeply sloping dam wall was an ongoing process. Planting and hydroseeding with a wide diversity of indigenous plants was done from May to July over a three-year period to take advantage of the winter rainfall.
Each planting hole contained a moisture-retaining product and no additional irrigation is required on the site.
The regional judges deemed this five-year project an unqualified success that demonstrated outstanding knowledge of the mountain fynbos ecosystem.
Trophy winners
The Cape-based winners of the prestigious trophies at the Sali Awards were:
* The Sali Shield for Excellence in Landscaping (overall best award): Capescapes for the University of the Western Cape’s Life Science Faculty.
* Best Landscape Construction with Design by Others: Capescapes for the University of the Western Cape’s Life Sciences Faculty.
* Rand Water Trophy for the Best Water-Wise Entry: Vula Environmental Services for the Berg River Dam Environmental Rehabilitation.
* Best Environmental Landscape Work: Vula Environmental Services for the Berg River Dam Environmental Rehabilitation.
* Best Specialised Landscape Construction: Top Turf Group for the 2010 Fifa World Cup Hospitality Project.
* Efekto Trophy for the Best Landscape Construction with In-House Design: Roomtogrow Gardens for House Hodgson.
* Evergreen Turf Trophy for the Best Novice Entry: Cape Contours Landscapes for the Rodwell House Hotel.
* MayFord Trophy for the Best use of Colour in the Landscape: GvH Landscapes for House Coronna.
See www.sali.co.za
GARDENING TIPS
* If you have any sunny rocky outcrops, banks or rockeries that need brightening, plant mesembryanthemums. These drought-resistant plants will quickly spread flowering carpets and mounds of magenta and pink, orange, yellow and purple.
* Sprinkle seed of quick-growing linaria among bulbs to hide yellowing foliage. Even though leaves of bulbs are dying back, these should not be removed as they provide nutrients for next year’s flowers.
* Spring-flowering reticulata camellias with their beautiful saucer-size blooms, azalea, mock orange (philadelphus) and deutzia need regular watering to prevent bud drop. Conserve moisture in the soil by spreading a thick layer of mulch around shrubs, leaving a space around stems.
* Spring- and summer-flowering perennials will be showing new growth. Cut back any dead leaves to allow water and light to reach the crown. Work compost and a sprinkling of a general fertiliser into the soil and water well. Dig up and split perennials that are overcrowded and were not divided in autumn and replant outer new growths in enriched soil.
* Newly planted trees and shrubs that have not had time to establish a firm root system need to be well staked to avoid being rocked by wind.
* Now is the time to make the first plantings of bush beans, runner beans, beetroot, aubergine (brinjal), carrot, lettuce, spinach and cabbage. - Weekend Argus