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FEATURE

ZIMBALI NURSERY WINS GOLD

McWades Landscapes received a SALI gold award for their creation of an
on-site nursery at Zimbali Estate, KZN. The project was entered in the category
of Specialised Construction, and McWades was responsible for design,
presentation, installation and handover.

The nursery was established to encourage Zimbali residents to take an active interest in their gardens. All plant material available is endemic and indigenous to KZN.

he establishment of a retail nursery • laying of cobble borders to edge off the mulching, rainwater harvesting, choice of
in 2022 was an idea proposed by walkways from the holding bays for the plant material and hydro-zoning, irrigation
Tresidents and the Zimbali Home plants; design elements, rain sensors, water
Owners Association. All plant material • erecting a wooden screen fence to storage, use of grey water and recycled
available is endemic and indigenous to KZN, separate the retail section from the water, moisture probes and monitoring of
as this is what homeowners are required growing area; water usage on the site.
to use in their gardens. There is a qualified • building bug houses that were mounted
horticultural manager and two assistants on onto a wooden fence put up to create a Zimbali Coastal Resort State of
site at the estate to provide help and advice. haven for creatures in the nursery; Environment Report 2022
Cylah Milton, McWades landscape • print-outs of alien invasive plants were After completion of the nursery, McWades
operations and design manager, explains mounted up as a reference for residents; compiled the above detailed report, covering
that there was an existing nursery on site • installation of raised, covered and various aspects of the project. Some of these
and the estate wanted to open this up to artificially heated beds to assist seedlings are given below:
residents to encourage them to plant and to grow faster, even in winter. 1. The number of plants sold since the
become involved in their gardens. “This was Milton explains that Brendan Smith, the opening of the nursery;
the first retail nursery we installed and a very environmental manager at Zimbali, wanted 2. Total revenue turnover since opening the
exciting project for us,” she says. the nursery to be “a space residents could nursery;
Work involved the following: come to and feel inspired to work in their 3. Total number of plants propagated in
• design of the new retail nursery; own gardens, at the same time learning 2022;
• installing overhead irrigation, an on- about the endemic plants they could use to 4. Total number of plants taken from the
site WiFi router and a smart irrigation create a more sustainable and eco-friendly nursery and planted by residents in 2022;
controller; environment for wildlife on the estate.” 5. Volume of green waste handled in the
• joining two existing JoJo tanks and McWades placed emphasis on the chipping yard and volume of chippings
installing an on-demand pump; following water conservation measures: created.

20 Landscape SA • Issue 130 2023