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PROJECT

URBAN GREENING AT VICTORIA

YARDS

Victoria Yards in Lorentzville,
Johannesburg, is an urban
regeneration hub aimed
at job creation, income
generating opportunities,
and the upliftment of
local communities. The
project is the brainchild of
property developer Brian
Green, who several years
ago launched a similar
undertaking, 44 on Stanley A hoop tunnel with bird net over it, with Swiss chard and Cleome gynandra
in Auckland Park. (spider flower) growing underneath

n the case of Victoria Yards, he re- gration were important elements to green spaces to accommodate herbs,
worked derelict warehouses, factories create jobs and develop skills sets vegetables, fruit trees and edible garden
Iand industrial buildings, while retaining within the local community. plants. Watson acted as the horticultural
some of their original structural and advisor for the project, establishing a
aesthetic elements such as bare, exposed Green explains that the emphasis was framework for the green spaces and
brick walls and stonework. on edible food gardens in order to show their positioning in between pedestrian
the public that “a vegetable garden is paving and warehouse plots. Watson says
At the start of the project, Green more than just growing peas!” The food he recommended flowering varieties for
identified the following as high gardens are a vital part of the overall companion planting, attracting insects
priority aspects: skills upliftment programme and the idea and the creation of “a botanical garden of
behind the urban agriculture project is edible plants.” He specified a wide diversity
• The development had to be an anchor to associate Victoria Yards with farms in of plant material, which was continued
for small business creation and the the area such as Siyakhana, in order to and added to by Tony Bensusan, an
renting of office space; establish a vegetable market and facilitate organic farming specialist from KZN.
• Food security was a primary concern, agricultural education. (The Siyakhana
leading to the establishment of gardens initiative, founded by Prof. Michael Bensusan explained that the soil on site
containing edible flowers, vegetables, Rudolph, was featured in the July/August was initially of a very poor quality and
fruits and herbs. These help to cool down 2016 edition of Landscape SA). practically “devoid of life. We did a lot of
and soften the urban environment, at work to introduce bacteria and fungi into
the same time encouraging the sale Green also wanted to include the use of it, which together with quality compost,
of fresh produce to residents of the edible flowers and to this end, enlisted which we make ourselves, is the start
surrounding areas; the help of landscape architect Patrick of creating a living soil. It is an ongoing
• Community involvement and inte- Watson, briefing him to design the process to ensure its fertility and health

The signage sets the tone for the project, which has
retained original structural elements such as bare brick
walls and stonework

8 Landscape SA • Issue 93 2020