Location: St. James

Rodwell House is a historical landmark home built originally for a gold mining magnate and set on the hillside above the famous tidal pool at St James beach.  It has magnificent views out across False Bay, but the garden had been neglected for some years prior to the current client purchasing the property to develop it as a 5 Star Boutique Hotel.

 

Existing elements in the garden that were retained include a shady pergola walk to the Main Road access gate, a small circular water fountain and some large mature trees.  The main alterations and additions to the garden included a new flat under a 6 bay car parking deck, a boule court, a swimming pool and associated sunbathing lawns, a patio and covered arbor walkway, a braai terrace and pond, an underground reservoir for mountain water to be stored and used for irrigation, a terraced kitchen garden and a Moroccan style courtyard.

 

The garden makes use of the rock found on site to create natural stone walks and terracing and some of the existing plants were bagged and reused as ground covers and filler plants.  The clients' brief was for a colourful, Mediterranean style garden using mainly indigenous plant material and the request that, if possible, the nieghbouring properties should be screened out to create more privacy and seclustion in the garden.  The project was phased over about 2 years to tie in with the extensive building renovations and the planting has only started to settle in and mature.