The Sunday Mail
Andrew Mangwarara
IF you have ever visited the tropical jungle of East Africa or, better still, the Eastern Highlands in Zimbabwe, you will definitely want to visit Amanzi Restaurant in Highlands, on Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road (formerly Enterprise Road).
The eatery is also known as Khaya Nyama Wombles.
You will be amazed by this 20-year-old garden in Harare.
Giant old palms like the fish tail palm (caryota mitis), which has leaves shaped like fish fins; the king palm (roystonea regia); and the queen palm (arecastrum romanzoffianum) will leave you in awe.
The sound of a waterfall adjacent to the restaurant’s veranda is soul soothing.
Equally, it is the sight of plants such as sword ferns (nephrolepsis exaltata), the tree philonderon (philonderon selloum), the painter’s palette (anthurium andreanum), the corn plant (dracaena fragrans) and the black stem elephant ear (alocasia macrorrhiza) that will take your breath away.
The Japanese sago palm (cycas revoluta) and the gorongo cycad (encepharlartos manikensis) enhance the tropical feel to the place.
One can safely say this is where fresh ideas can be birthed, as water lilies (nymphaea spp.) generally inspire new thoughts.
Great specimens of delicious monsters (monsters delicious) can also be found in the garden. This exotic plant produces edible banana-like fruits.
The monster part comes from the tiny stinging hairs on the outer portion of the fruit, which gives it that tangy after-taste. However, it is worth the try.
The greening is marked by many ancient plant specimens, giving the visitor a memorable experience. Of note is the staghorn fern (platycerium birfucatum), which attaches itself onto tree barks. What a sight!
The pony tail palm or elephant foot (beaucarnea recurvata) produces a protruding bulb-like trunk, with its grass-like leaves invoking the image of all things ancient.
Walking in the maze of pathways, you will come across an indigenous orchid of the cymbidium family, with its gorgeous purple flowers in bloom.
Though it is an evergreen tropical garden, the landscaper, Andrew Mama, included notable succulents, namely, the tree aloe (aloe excelsa), the candelabra tree (aloe arborescens), the Madagascar palm (pachypodium lamerei) and the candelabra tree (euphorbia ingens), just to mention a few. Oh, yes, the ornamental banana (ensete ventricosum) leaves one thinking of paradise because of its maroon-coloured speckled leaves.
The garden also has dwarf bamboos that help conceal taps that do not need to be seen.
The variegated dracaena deremensis “warnekii” breaks the greenness of foliage with a touch of white and green.
The overall layout of the garden, from the entrance to the yard, is excellent.
Nothing is out of place.
There is also the Ti plant (cordyline terminalis) positioned in the braai area — named the Gilly’s Corner — where customers can sit privately.
The Ti plant is considered to have mystical or spiritual powers in various Austronesian cultures.
It is also used for medicine, food, dye and ornamentation.
There is also the Amanzi plant nursery, which sells a number of plants.
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