Page 15 - IFV Issue 11 December 2024

Estate News

A centenary Belhambra tree

Flowering perennials in the gardens include Alstroemerias, Foxgloves, Watsonias The maze garden with clipped Buxus and centre piece
and colourful bedding plants fountain

Victorian tea pavilion The Baynes homestead Victorian farm cottage

Maze and rose garden pioneering agriculturist who built the compassion, understanding and the
The maze garden is charming, with neatly first cattle dip in the country to combat liberalisation of race relations towards
clipped Buxus and a centre piece fountain tick-borne diseases, set the bacon non-white groups. Baynesfield Estate and
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looking onto the borrowed landscape curing industry on a sound footing, and heritage gardens bear lasting testimony to
of the surrounding farmlands. The rose established the dairy industry in the his achievements.
garden is spaciously laid out and filled province. He was also a member of the
with Old World roses underplanted Natal Government, Minister of Land Affairs For further information visit
with colourful Alyssum, Dianthus and for a brief period and was instrumental https://baynesfield.co.za/
Verbena. Walking through these gardens, in managing the draining of Congella
one has a palpable sense of what life on swamps to develop Maydon Wharf at About the author
the farm was like all those years ago. the Durban harbour, thus increasing Dr Jonathan Foley is a landscape designer,
its shipping capacity. His public and writer and consultant. He may be contacted
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An outstanding legacy personal record shows that he was a on Groundlevellandscapes5@gmail.com or
Joseph Baynes made his mark as a man way ahead of his time in espousing 083 320 4335.

The Villager • Issue 11 2024 • 13