Ivor Markman
Artists have the habit of popping up at the most unusual and unexpected places and time.
During a trip up the Baviaans River Valley I met Gill Pringle, a graphic designer who qualified at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town.
Originally from Johannesburg, she spent 18 months in London after graduating where she worked selling newspaper advertising.
On her return to South Africa to spend Christmas with her family in the Eastern Cape, she met her future husband, farmer, Will Pringle.
After marrying Will, she moved to Fairholt, located in a rather barren part of the Eastern Cape, and set about bringing colour into their lives.
She spoke about the 41 years it took for her garden to reach a level which can only be described as inspirational.
The house they moved to had been husband Will’s parents' home which had been closed since his parents moved to another house on the farm.
“We started changing the house when we got engaged. That took about two months,” she said.
All semblances Gill had of a garden to start with was a gravel drive without a lawn and a few half dead trees.
She immediately set about landscaping the area and convinced Will to bring in truckloads of soil to raise the garden to the level of the old stoep.
“It took ages and ages. There used to be a little stoep with steps going down,” said Gill as she looked over what is now a gently sloping garden.
“I didn't know anything about plants really, (but) one soon learns,” she said.
It was difficult for the young couple to find ready cash to splurge on new plants.
“We just begged, borrowed and stole from as many friends as one could.
"Then I was able to slip things,” said Gill.
As their finances improved, she was able to choose what she wanted from the nurseries.
“I’m a gardener, more by the creative side. What I really like are the lines, the shapes, the colours and things like that,” she said.
Gill has always been interested in gardening.
“My grandfather was very interested (in gardening), so, as a child, I used to watch him garden and chat to him while he was working.
“He brought hellebores seeds out from England, and propagated them in Johannesburg,” she said.
Hellebores carry flowers of varying colours, from deep purple through to white and even green.
Some petals are speckled while others are plain.
A beautiful plant in any inland garden, they don’t require a lot of maintenance provided the soil is adequately prepared with deep beds to provide their roots with plenty of growing room.
Even though they grow in a variety of soil conditions, they do better in well-drained soil with plenty organic matter.
Fairholt
GPS: 32°29’28” S 25°57’52” E
LANDSCAPED GARDEN: The garden of the farmhouse at Fairholt, in the Baviaans River Valley, was raised with truckloads of topsoil to the level of the previously raised stoep, the stoep wall was removed, and a lush garden planted.
ENJOYING THE GARDEN: Gill Pringle tends to the plants in the garden at Fairholt farm in the Baviaans River Valley. Conditions are very tough and gardening is difficult.
STUDY ENVIRONMENT: Daughter Caitlin loves sitting amongst the flowers whilst studying at home.
POTTED PLANTS: A pathway leads to a lovely protected courtyard in the house.
HANGING ABOUT: Caitlin and Gill Pringle water the orange diascia, violas and blue lobelia in the hanging baskets in the courtyard of their home in the Baviaans River Valley.
FLOWER POTS: Some of the potted plants in the courtyard include clipped myrtle, lobelia, a benjamina ficus starlight standard, alyssum, myrtle, petunias and pansies and a miniature rose.
Once established, they stand up well in drought conditions and can survive in less than ideal conditions.
Although they love the sun, they also do well in shady conditions.
“I propagated them and gave them to all my friends.
"Now they are to be found in abundance all over Bedford.
"The plants thrive on cold and frost, but they don't like it at the sea,” said Gill.
A focal point of the garden is the small courtyard with a hanging garden and pots, created during one of the house extension phases.
The house has been extended a number of times.
“As we had more children we added on completely new sections.
We have four children, Lisa, Roger, Denham, and Caitlin,” she said.
Pergolas were put up and ornamental vines planted over them.
Over 28 years the vines have grown and the courtyard is now completely covered.
However, because the soil has very high clay content, the roots tend to become waterlogged and some of the vines have died.
“I've now planted one outside and trailed it into the courtyard as a backup. It's doing much better.
"They’re non-bearing grapevines, purposely, because birds make such a mess.
"It's just an ornamental vine.
"It gets gorgeous autumn colours,” she said.
Underneath the vine Gill has hung hanging baskets and pots of varied shapes and sizes, filled with beautifully coloured blooms.
“I just loved the idea of hanging baskets, introducing colour and a nice mood in a courtyard,” said Gill.
“I love lobelias, I love the blue tinged colour - they are so striking, you can get them in white and deep blue as well.
Lobelia erinus, a South African annual, do well in beds, large pots, window boxes and hanging baskets.
The plants do better when kept out of scorching sun, in soils that retain moisture.
As a herbal remedy, lobelia has been used to treat asthma and food poisoning, and sometimes on smoking cessation programs.
It is a physical relaxant, easing tension and panic.
Other colourful plants adding to the relaxing ambience of the courtyard include petunias, ivy-leafed geraniums, violas, and peace-in-the-home.
EXOTIC TASTE: The last thing one would expect in the Baviaans River Valley is a woman who collects Meditteranean style beads and silver items, but the artist in Gill, who studied at Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town, is not restricted to flowers.
LUSH GROWTH: The view from the back courtyard is one of cool, lush vegetation, sorely needed on those hot summer's days.