House McKune

House McKune is a wonderful expression of a home set in the heart of the Lake Michelle eco-estate. A bare sandy erf was transformed into a beautiful home where the garden was purposefully designed by greencube to blend into the surrounding wetland landscape quite naturally.

The owners wish for an instant and private garden was realised through the introduction of a series of large semi mature specimen trees. Yellowwood ( Podocarpus latifolius ), milkwood ( Sideroxylon inerme ) and wild camphor trees (Tarchonanthus camphoratis ) as well as Cape beech and Keurboom ( Virgilia oroboides ) specimens form part of the specified tree collection.

In order to anchor the house into this landscape large quantities of soil were imported to create a series of naturalistic dunes which further add to the wild and natural theme. greencube hunted far and wide for a beautiful multi-stemmed white stinkwood ( Celtis African ) which is the heart of the swimming pool courtyard and provides dappled shade when required in the summer months and allows sunlight to stream in over the winter period. Milkwoods and wild olives ( Olea Africana ) specimens  screen the property from neighours across the water while drifting in a mass of Elegia tectorum “fishoek” restio’s punctuated with watsonia meriana and arum’s (Zantedeschia aethiopica) specimens amongst.

A tranquil entrance courtyard with a linear pool of water draws one across a hardwood decking pathway to the front door. Another white stinkwood greats you in this charming space under-planted with ferns (Rhumorha adiantiformis) Bladdernut ( Diospyros wheyteana ) and Plectranthus species and a wall of fragrant star jasmine ( Trachelospermum jasminoides offers balance and fragrance. A formal clipped key-hole designed potager framed with Rhus crenata provides structure where it counts in one of the courtyards linking the architectural form to the natural. Attached are a series of images illustrating the evolution of this unique garden.

[smartslider2 slider=”2″]