Posted in Garden & Home
Change is in the Air

Even though it’s still chilly, the heady scent of jasmine that greets me when I come home in the evenings is a sure sign that spring is almost here. And after this long, cold winter I can’t wait for evenings when I can walk around the garden and admire the daffodils and sweetpeas.
If you’re wanting to shake off the dust of winter and give your home a fresh new look for spring, you’ve come to the right place. This issue is packed with loads of stunning ideas. All the houses are wonderfully inspiring with great features to copy. I adore the guest room in the Jonases’ house near Paarl on page 28. Who would have thought that yellow damask and navy stripes would look so chic? I was also inspired by Jeanine Weyer’s all-white kitchen in her house in Kloof. It’s a look you can easily create in your own home by painting cabinets and tiles white and installing fabulous industrial-looking pendant lights. The outdoor dining area in the Cape beach house on page 44 has me lusting after long lunches around a rustic timber table. In addition, on page 56 you’ll find 20 easy ways to give your home a revamp without spending a fortune.
Like kitchens, bathrooms are becoming the new living areas with features that promote pampering and wellbeing. If a new bathroom is on your wish list then our expert tips and inspiring bathrooms on page 64 will have you planning and dreaming. But if retail therapy is more your thing, stylist Monica Mtshemla has sourced some fun yet practical buys on page 74 that’ll brighten up your bathroom in an instant.
This issue also has plenty of gardening inspiration, from Sue Deale’s structured city garden to Gaël Nel’s English country-style garden in the Cape. I’m definitely going to follow Gaël’s mother Mary Ross’s advice and widen the beds in my garden and plant more boldly. If you’ve always wanted to grow clematis but thought it was too difficult, Debby Tenquist and Martine de la Harpe’s expert tips on page 92 will change your mind. I’m so pleased that old-fashioned Chinese lanterns are back in vogue. I remember being fascinated by the ones growing in my grandmother’s garden. Find out about some of the new hybrids on page 100. Included in this issue is a 16-page guide to the 21st World Orchid Conference being held in Johannesburg in September. It’s not only a great honour for South Africa to host this prestigious event, it’s also an opportunity to view the amazing displays of these exotic specimens as well as some of our indigenous plants.
Mary Jane

Home front – Our pick of this month’s highlights, from things to do and seasonal shopping to decor news and the best places to visit

Two Worlds Collide
Fine Living in Parkmore is a bold new venture by interior designer David Muirhead. On the one hand it’s a decor showroom filled with gorgeous furniture and accessories. On the other, a versatile events venue that caters for private board meetings, bespoke weddings and launches – all with David’s trademark glamour and attention to detail. Parkmore Square, corner Olympia Avenue and 12th Street, Parkmore, Jo’burg. Call 011 784 5555 or visit davidmuirhead.com

Reference: Garden & Home | September 2014
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