Page 18 - Landscape-Issue125

FEATURE

CHIVEVE RIVER PLANTING PLANS

The March 2023 edition of Landscape SA featured a detailed article on the Chiveve

River Urban Park in Beira, Mozambique. Johan Barnard of Newtown Landscape
Architects (NLA) was appointed to undertake a detailed design of the planting
plans for the project, explained in this article.

Landscape masterplan showing the three basins

hen we first met with the African plants but there were some Challenges
main contractor, CHICO difficulties in getting them across the Some of the challenges faced were the
“W(China Henan International border and into Mozambique, so other following:
Group Co), there was a preliminary plant local plants were considered. These were • any consignments of plants and trees
list in place and they were under the mostly indigenous to Africa, but some delivered from South Africa required
impression that we would do the actual exotics were used. Barnard mainly aimed certification and were held up at the
plant installation. We advised them that for what was available in Mozambique border;
a landscape contractor was needed and it was the responsibility of Justin • a few Kiggelaria africana trees struggled
and recommended Life Landscapes. Young of Life Landscapes to source with the transportation and intense
Working together with Deighton Clegg, the material from up and down the heat of Mozambique;
we amended and updated the plant list Mozambique coast. Barnard explains: • the initial nursery site established by
to ensure that all material used could “The end result was a combination of Life Landscapes was very exposed and
cope with the extremely saline water plants on the original master plan and windswept;
conditions of the site. Unsuitable plants what Justin was able to get. In addition, • the originally planned irrigation system
were removed from the list.” he had already undertaken a sample area was omitted;
Clegg wanted to include more South of Vetiver grasses, and we adopted this.” • the predominantly saline water

16 Landscape SA • Issue 125 2023