Tinaye Agere
Andrew Mangwarara
THE lush Avenues area in Harare is home to the African Century Bank, which opened its gates in 2011.
Through the inspiration of Mr Stanley Matiza, the managing director, the property was renovated and a beautiful garden called the African Century Garden was born.
It is the envy of many and has inspired neighbours to follow suit.
It is also noticeable from the busy street, where a brick pathway allows pedestrians to walk past.
There is the Durban lawn on one side and the dark-green mondo grass on the other end, which automatically attracts interest in the overall landscape.
Entering the gate, on a broad pathway, the array of unique grass continues to inspire.
One gets to see architectural bushes of the duranta hedge and syzygium paniculatum nicely shaped.
Two large pots with the variegated ficus benjamina at the building’s entrance are enchanting, as the trees tower to the second floor of the building.
A purple flowering magnolia bush on the left side will make you stop in your tracks just to admire its unique beauty.
It is complemented by a good arrangement of different grasses, with their various shades of green giving a pleasant effect.
On the right-hand side, the bed of shade plants arranged aesthetically to form a great flower bed meanders in symmetry on the borders of the green Durban lawn.
The flower bed is adorned with the liriopes, strelitzia, tree ferns, cordylines, aspidistra, New Zealand flax, iron plant and agapanthus.
These were not just planted without preparation.
They need to be placed in healthy soil and once that is done, they bloom.
This place is situated on Josiah Chinamano Avenue.
The flamboyant tree and the Natal mahogany provide shade in this one-of-a-kind garden.
The white gardenias being supported by the white agapanthus mesmerise such that one is at risk of forgetting the reason of their
visit.
The healthy specimen of cycas revoluta near the white dietes left me wondering who came up with the breathtaking arrangement.
Similarly, the use of pots in the garden is equally intriguing.
The old famous hedge of the variegated chaste tree (vitex agnus castus) reminds visitors, and employees alike, of all the beautiful hedges in the plant kingdom.
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