This project involved the landscape design and implementation within specified areas of the newly constructed Nuform office block, in Quarry Road, Uvongo, KwaZulu Natal South Coast. The total area to be landscaped equated to 1366 sq m, which included: road side beds adjacent to the premises boundary wall; the main office park entrance; beds alongside the visitors parking bay; rockery feature beds; and feature beds at main entrance doors and alongside office windows.
The landscaping was designed only using waterwise and attractive indigenous species, which are drought tolerant, require low maintenance, and are free flowering. Species selected varied from larger trees and lower growing shrubs to succulent groundcovers. The main aim was for the landscaping to tie in with the neat and modern architectural design theme that the client created.
Indigenous Species Used:
Road side areas outside the premises boundary wall:
Mass planted entire area with Dietes grandiflora (Wild iris) and placed Aloidendron barberea (Tree aloe) at focal spots in amongst Dietes.
Main office park entrance:
The vision was to create a colourfull entrance using feature trees such as Aloidendron barberea (tree aloe) with Aloe ferox and Gazania regins used as a ground cover amongst large rock features. Other species included:
- Aloe arborescens
- Strelitzia reginae
- Bulbine latifolia
Beds alongside the visitors parking bay:
We continued with the theme created on the roadside to inside premises adjacent to the parking bays where Aloidendron bareberea were placed in two groups. Dietes grandiflora were also utilized here as they are hardy and free flowering.
Rockery feature beds:
A variety of hardy drought resistant rockery type plants and the use of vygies as ground cover and tree aloes for sculpture. Crushed natural rock was placed in between ground covers. Main species included:
- Portulacaria afra nana
- Bulbine latifolia
- Albuca bracteata
- Stapelia gigantea
- Rock roses
- Kalanchoe longiflora
- Kleinia petraea
- Aloe vanbalenii
Feature beds at main entrance doors and alongside office windows:
Two Acacia xanthophloea (Fever trees) planted at the entrance to office reception as part of the circular fountain feature.
Uniform frontal beds were created using tree aloes, aloes and the vygie groundcover was planted out in colour belts. Rocks were placed strategically in front of tree aloes and feature aloes, making the beds aesthetically pleasing.
Other sections adjacent to the office walls and windows were planted with:
- Strelitzia reginae
- Bulbine natalensis
- Aloe ferox
- Portulacaria afra
- Strelizia juncea
- Chlorophytum saundersae
- Bulbine latifolia
- Agapanthus praecox
- Albuca bracteata
- Senecio azoides
- Crassula obovata
