History Revisited

I came across a journal I started in 1991 and realise that it was actually the first blog about the garden. It is in Afrikaans but I thought it should be part of this blog.

"23 Februarie 1991

Bonnievale is groen en rooi, groen wingerde, rooi kannas, rooi rose en rooi Bouganvillas.
Die tuin van 25 Kerkstraat is ongeorganiseerd en ek twyfel of die ooit kon mooi wees selfs toe daarna gekyk is. Dit is te onbeplan, ongekoordineerd en te veel vetplante. Botterbome (masief) , plakkies en aalwyne.
Die vrugtebome het droogte gely. Ek het altyd van bloureën gehou maar ek het my bedenkinge nou. Die bome is oud en ek wens dat ek van hulle kon laat agterbly maar geen boom is eintik die soort boom wat jy by ‘n Kaaps Hollandse huis sou kry nie. Maksimum benutting van die grond gaan baie beplanning kos. Die tuin is wild en onvriendelik of miskien is dit net bang.  Ek oorweeg dit om die tuin om die bestaande bome te beplan miskien  verander ek weer van plan.

3 Maart 1991

My ma, Keith en ek gaan deur die tuin, my ma sê die vrugtebome is nie so oud nie maar die grond is uitgeput. Sien ‘n enkele Maartlelie blom, die eerste vriendelike  teken van die tuin. Ek moet probeer om die bolle te  behou.

Besluit om alle plante op die erf te laat uithaal, daarna moet die grond ‘n vrag kraalmis kry en omgeploeg word.

 23 Maart 1991

Die bome word met wortel en tak uitgehaal."

I am only publishing snippets of the much longer journal. Reading it now  I realise I might have been too harsh in my judgement and overlooked the charm of that type of garden but it never fitted in with our vision.

But looking at photos taken in 1991 I realise it was quite a challenge.

Front of the main house 1991

Looking at the house from Church Street through the old orchard

The Cottage in 1991

 

I also found my original plan for the garden and realise we hardly deviated from it.The idea was to create an authentic garden that compliments the house and its  historical landscape.

The original Garden Plan Circa 1991

The orchard is to the right of the picture with a rosarium spanning the length of the property bordering the canal. On the old outspan between the house and the cottage we would keep the big open feel with oaks and a lawn.

Next to the cottage we laid out the 12 vegetable beds bordered by vines and citrus trees. In front of the cottage is the four herb beds shielded from the lawn by a quince hedge.

A 1942 aerial maps shows some interesting buildings on the property before subdivision.

1942 aerial photo

This property has been a labour of love that has kept us busy for over 23 years and the end is not in sight.