Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is a unique botanical garden in Cape Town, South Africa showcasing five of the six distinctive biomes in the region—including savanna, fynbos, and karoo. When the garden was founded in 1913, it became the only botanical garden with the ethos of preserving the nation’s flora, though others have since followed this model. While the park was not founded until the early 20^th century, sections of it date back to 1660 when a hedge of wild almond and brambles was planted as a natural protective barrier for the Dutch colony. Some of the hedges still exist within Kirstenbosch as a Provincial Heritage Site.

Garden History

The land where Kirstenbosch now lies has passed through many hands, and it was bequeathed to the nation in 1902 by Cecil Rhodes. The founder of Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Henry Harold Pearson, was the first director of the garden, taking the position without pay. When he died in 1916, he was buried within the grounds.

Indigenous Plant Cultivation

Kirstenbosch is famous for its exclusive cultivation of indigenous plant life, which gained recent international recognition in 2008 at the Chelsea Flower Show with an exhibit entitled The Heat Is On featuring a quiver tree. Overall, the botanical garden has won 29 gold medals in 33 appearances at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Stone Sculpture Exhibits

In addition to the natural plant life of South Africa, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden features regular exhibits of Zimbabwean stone sculptures from artists associated with the Chapungu Sculpture Park.

While you discover your inspiration for your home landscaping through some of the world’s most famous gardens, Santa Rita Landscaping can provide you with the technical expertise and residential landscaping services you need to bring your vision to life. To contact us for landscaping services in Tucson, call (520) 623-0421.

The Butchart Gardens of Brentwood Bay, British Columbia showcase several distinctive floral displays that attract nearly one million visitors each year. The gardens were built on the property of Robert Pim Butchart and his wife, Jennie, who owned a limestone quarry where the gardens now lie. The gardens are a National Historic Site of Canada, and they have continued to evolve through their century-long history.

Butchart History

As the Butcharts settled into their sprawling property in Brentwood Bay, they commissioned Japanese garden designer, Isaburo Kishida, to build a garden on their estate. Following the creation of this garden, Jennie Butchart converted the exhausted quarry into the Sunken Garden, which was completed in 1921. The tennis courts of the property were later transformed into an Italian garden, and the kitchen vegetable garden was converted to a large rose garden. Through generations, gardens have been passed down through the Butchart family, and they are now owned by the Butcharts’ great-granddaughter, Robin-Lee Clarke.

Garden Collections

Along with the unique gardens of the property, Butchart Gardens features collections of bronze statues, which have been installed to commemorate moments in the gardens’ history. The Ross Fountain in the lower reservoir was installed in 1964 to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Butchart Gardens. The entirety of the gardens is served by miles of underground wiring, which illuminates the gardens at night. Butchart Gardens is open to the public all year, and it is particularly beautiful in the autumn when the colors of fall create a vivid canopy in the treetops.

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Shalimar Bagh is a garden that is arguably one of the most beautiful public parks in the world, and undoubtedly one of the oldest and most cherished. Shalimar Bagh dates back to 1619 when it was built by Mughal Emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan. It is considered the peak of Mughal horticulture, and it covers 12.4 hectares along the shores of Dal Lake in the Kashmir region of India. The park is actually connected to the lake through a channel that carries water through the elaborate landscape.

Garden History

Throughout its history, Shalimar Bagh has undergone many extensions and taken a number of different names, though Shalimar Bagh remains the most common. During much of the 17^th century, much of the garden was only accessible to noblemen and guests of the court.

Islamic garden layout

The garden is designed as an adaptation of an Islamic garden layout called the Persian gardens. The main axis of the rectangular garden is the Shah Nahar, which is a channel that runs through the three terraces of the garden, each serving a distinctive purpose.

Terrace architecture

There is elaborate detailing in each of the garden’s three terraces, though some of the structures originally on the grounds are now derelict. The first terrace has always served as a public garden featuring a public audience hall with a black marble thrown installed over a waterfall. The second terrace once housed the hall of private audience, which was reserved for European guests and noblemen. In the third terrace, water flows through the Zenana garden with a baradari of black marble at the center, surrounded by a fountain pool. The whole of the gardens are known for arched niches behind garden waterfalls, which feature flower pots that reflect their colors in the water.

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Anyone living in Tucson knows that rain does not come often in the southwest, but when it rains, it pours. During these times of winter storms and monsoons, homeowners and businesses may take advantage of the downpour with rainwater harvesting systems that can reduce your high water bills in the harsh desert landscape. Even if you maintain a landscape primarily of native plants, you will still need irrigation and watering systems for your residential yard or corporate property. With rainwater harvesting, you can reduce waste in watering and add more sustainability to your landscape while enjoying the benefits detailed below.

Minimal Infrastructure

Since most rooftops already feature drainage systems, they are suitable as catchment areas that can be easily attached to harvesting systems. This can keep the cost of installation down, which will optimize the financial benefits of a rainwater harvesting system.

Reduced Need for Ground Water

Rainwater harvesting can help you reduce your household’s impact on ground water depletion, which is a big concern for residents in the Southern Arizona region.

Lower Soil Erosion Rates

With an effective rainwater harvesting system in place, you can store water that may otherwise cause flooding in low lying areas on your property. By minimizing floods, you can reduce soil erosion and ground water contamination from pesticides and fertilizers that may be on the surface of the soil.

Diverse Uses around the House

Harvested rainwater may be useful in more areas than the garden. You might use it to wash your car or connect to your plumbing so that you preserve more ground water and further reduce your environmental impact. Because rainwater is free of chemicals that may be found in ground water, it is actually a favorable substitute for applications like watering plants.

If you are considering rainwater harvesting for your sustainable landscape design in Tucson, call Santa Rita Landscaping at (520) 623-0421 to explore your options. Our custom commercial and residential landscaping solutions will help you increase the value of your home and create a beautiful, welcoming space to enjoy the Arizona sunshine.