Page 14 - IFV Issue 11 December 2024

Estate News

BAYNESFIELD ESTATE MUSEUM:

WHERE FARMING HISTORY COMES TO LIFE

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DR JONATHAN FOLEY, GROUND LEVEL LANDSCAPES
idden in the rolling hills of
the Umlaas Valley between
HRichmond and Pietermaritzburg
lies the pristine farmland of the Baynesfield
Estate. It was here that Joseph Baynes
arrived as a boy of eight from England
in 1850. By the time he was 26, he was
buying up available Voortrekker farmland
and by the time he died at 83 without
an heir, he left his estate in trust for the
benefit of all South Africans.
The Voortrekker farm ‘Nels Rust’ that he
purchased was renamed Baynesfield after
his death in 1925. The estate is managed
by a Board of Trustees and hosts open
days, fairs and guided tours on request.

Baynesfield estate and heritage An agricultural museum from the Victorian farming era of colonial Natal
garden
Today Baynesfield Estate is a working root systems. The Belhambra trees are semi-shade areas, Foxgloves, Rudbeckia,
farm producing avocados, beef and underplanted with shade loving Walking Shasta daisies, Watsonias, Bearded Iris,
soya. Driving into it, a cooling avenue of Stick lillies (Neomarica gracilis) and Hen Lambs Ear, Madeira daisy and many more
London plane trees greets the visitor. At and Chickens (Chlorophytum comosum in the full sun.
the original homestead of Baynes House, ‘Vittatum’). Two apple trees planted by The beds are laid out in generous
one steps back in time into the charming Joseph Baynes survive in the gardens, sweeping curves and are beautifully
Victorian farming era of colonial Natal. as do established Bristle oaks (Quercus layered, often as an underplanting for
Here history and agriculture come alive in acutissima), Jacarandas and Hollies. smaller trees such as the oval leaved
a range of museums, all housed in historic privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium ‘Aureum’).
buildings surrounded by a stunning five Victorian perennials and bedding Focal points are carefully placed in the
hectare garden. An authentic vintage plants landscape, benches for resting, vintage
experience is presented, preserving and At the entrance to Baynes House, a bed farm implements, arches with creepers,
showcasing woodcraft, blacksmithing of colourful Violas in orange, purple and small statuary and potted flowers, all of
tools, communication equipment, canary yellow bask beneath a soaring which add to the overall charm of this
tractors, farm machinery, and butter and solitary fan palm. Around the homestead, heritage garden.
dairy implements. the Victorian planting theme is extended New areas in the garden have been
with glossy green Acanthus, yellow developed around the workshops of the
Centenary trees Phormium, clipped white Spirea and vintage tractor club, where a working
The generous lawns are studded with Sweet Flag. London double decker bus is housed.
grand trees, including a spectacular Lisa Thompson is responsible for This imposing relic provides rides around
Yellow wood (Afrocarpus falcatus) by the developing and preserving the gardens the farm on the fair days when all the
homestead and two massive Belhambra and her brief was to ‘rhyme the garden’ with museums and gardens are open to the
shade trees (Phytolacca dioica) from the past, integrating the Victorian love of public. Here, in the filtered shade of
Mexico. These exotic trees were planted sometimes garish colour with the existing Celtis trees, one can pause and enjoy
in the drylands of South America and are garden features and filling the beds with a the beds of flowering Clivia, Camellia,
able to survive prolongued droughts due visual feast of flowering perennials. These Azaleas and indigenous Plectranthus
to their pithy, fibrous stems and extended include Alstroemerias, Heliotropes in and Mackaya.

12 • Issue 11 2024 • The Villager