Page 20 - Landscape-Issue151

COMPANY PROFILE

TIERRA LANDSCAPES

Billy Blackbeard, founder of Tierra Landscapes, grew up on the KZN north coast and
spent many holidays at Peace Cottage, fishing and camping under the majestic
Red Milkwood trees. The coastal forest biome is his home, and his fascination with
them is the reason he became a landscaper. However, coming from a farming

background, he first completed a B.Sc Agriculture degree (Horticultural Science) at
UKZN in Pietermaritzburg.

e did his national service in KwaZulu-Natal, planting maize
for subsistence farmers at Tugela Ferry. After that, he sailed
Hon a yacht across the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
USA, then on to the west coast where he worked in the landscaping
industry and nurseries in Los Angeles, California. This was followed
by a ten year period in Oahu, Hawaii.
The Indian Ocean Islands
On returning to South Africa, he was offered a position by Dave
Kirkby of Top Turf and together with renowned landscape architect
Patrick Watson, worked on the development of Fregate Island,
Seychelles, one of the inner granitic islands of the Seychelles
archipelago, 55 km east of Mahe. Fregate was said to have been the
haunt of the famous pirate Le Busse.
Here, a giant Banyan tree, Ficus benghalensis, stood outside a
plantation house for over 200 years. The intention of the new owner
was to develop it into a luxury resort island, and Watson’s vision
was to restore the island vegetation, retaining some of it from the
plantation era. The plantation had been cleared of native woodland
vegetation and was dominated by Cashew Nut and very invasive The Hawksbill turtle on Fregate Island is a critically endangered species
Cinnamon trees.
He and Watson reintroduced 150 endemic Seychellois species
and collected more than half of these, which were propagated in stars. Top Turf’s brief was to upgrade its landscape and improve the
an onsite nursery. The development had to be done in a sensitive standards of the 18 hole golf course. The tropical climate, where
manner in order to protect the very rare and endangered Seychelles the temperature never drops below 18 degrees, is idyllic for tourists
Magpie, the critically endangered Hawksbill and Green turtles but poses some greenkeeping problems because the grass never
that nest on these beaches. Giant tortoises, discovered by Charles stops growing!
Darwin in 1835 on the island of Galapagos, Ecuador, had been After three years, the Anahita Golf Course project began, and
introduced from Aldabra Island, and also roamed the Seychelles. Blackbeard replaced the previous project manager. Situated
opposite Ile aux Cerf on the east coast of Mauritius, Anahita was
Constance Lemuria Resort, Praslin Island, Seychelles once a hunting area and this mountainous outcrop of volcanic rock
The Mauritian Constance Group owned and operated the had to be restructured into an 18 hole golf course. Its construction
magnificent Lemuria Hotel and Golf Course, rated as the best was a joint venture between REHM-Grinaker and Top Turf, with
international resort by Conde Nast Traveller magazine for two years design by Greg Letsche of the Ernie Els team.
in succession. It was the playground of Russian oligarchs and movie The sand for the course was manufactured from volcanic rock

Above and right: Izinga Phase 2

18 Landscape SA • Issue 151 2025 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za