The Sunday Mail
Andrew Mangwarara
A VISIT to the Action Properties’ office in Belgravia, Harare, brings one closer to nature, as there is a good selection of indigenous plants.
The place was opened in 1989.
However, when the property was later acquired, it was in a bad state.
It was then refurbished by a reputable nursery to offer clients and staff a restful place.
As you drive in, you notice that the car park has tall, impressive acacia trees, which provide shade for parked vehicles.
There is also a neat Durban lawn.
The pedestrian gate has close cousins on each side — the giant banana (strelitzia nicolai) and the bird of paradise (strelitzia reginae).
What a way to show their contrasting nature!
Behind the strelitzias, inside the gate, the bougainvillea, with its bright-red blooms, adds to the welcoming feeling.
Walking on the brick pathway, your attention is drawn to the two large Madagascar cycads that form a canopy as you enter the veranda.
This is a sheltered garden, as there are quite a number of shade indigenous trees such as the dark-leaved, evergreen Natal mahogany (trichelia emetica) — which is also fast growing, together with the Kenya croton (croton megalocarpon) that has different shaded leaves.
Entering the veranda area, the wooden trusses and furniture match with the design of the building, whilst pots arranged nicely give something to visually feast on as they are adorned with the famous delicious monster and philodendron imbe.
The veranda itself is full of surprises as it leads you to a secluded seating area, where the schefflera arboricola and cordyline terminalis are a pleasant feature.
The inspiration of the Hensons (Bob and Trish Henson) is noticeable in the way the garden was designed with a variety of trees to provide many seating areas.
Near the veranda, adjacent to a brick pathway, the mix of different New Zealand flax plants and dracaenas is quite a unique idea.
On one end, the Peruvian Lily, together with orange-coloured bougainvilleas, create their own screen hiding the backyard.
Under the shade of the camphor tree, on one side of the garden, a variety of shade shrubs like the iron plant (aspidistra elatior), the calatheas cordyline, the anthurium and chamaedorea elegans beautify their corner.
The bottle brush (callistemon viminalis), with its bright-red bottle-shaped blooms, is also a pleasant addition to an already well-designed garden.
The green lawn provides a tranquil setting that is fit for any type of creative work.
When leaving the premises, one is inspired by their unique selection of plants and arrangement, which form a tropical savanna type of garden.
If you would like to be featured in our green-up campaign, contact us on the number above. Feedback: [email protected] or [email protected]
