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Andrew Mangwarara
IT was a pleasure visiting Mr Mukombo’s residence in Hillside, where he maintains his garden exceptionally well. He does so with the help of his gardener, Mr James Pollack, whom I recently found watering the yard.
Mr Mukombo has transformed the space outside the perimeter fence by decorating it with a magnificent lawn and a good selection of drought-tolerant plants like the lion’s tail (agave attenuata), jatropha podagrica and pelargonium.
Besides their resilience, the plants provide beautiful colour through their red and pink flowers. The tickey creeper (ficus pumila) hides the precast wall, creating a green covering, whilst the still-growing king palm (roystonea regia) provides the usual elegance to the place. Pedestrians who walk past the property marvel at the trimmed lawn.
At one of the corners is the impressive copper leaf (acalypha wilkesiana), with the African lily (agapanthus africanus) growing along the precast wall sides. Flowers of hibiscus are always an interesting display in any garden.
In the grouping of plants outside, a number of trees are in the mix. They include the flamboyant tree (delonix regia) and the Kenyan croton (croton megalocarpon).
As you enter the gate, you are greeted by a hedge of the golden duranta, which partly masks the Nyanga hedge (freylinia tropica), an indigenous shrub that has successfully become a common feature in many gardens.
Just beginning to grow is the variegated New Zealand flax next to the green and yellow acalypha godseffiana “Barbados”.
Another indigenous legend ushers you into the rest of the garden through a miniature arch called the Zimbabwe creeper (podranea brycei). Near the house is another African plant, the dragon tree (dracaena steudneri), found in areas like Ethiopia and southern tropical Africa. The plant is still being investigated for its fibre content. After the arch, the “sky is the limit” tree (schizolobium parahybum) makes a bold statement as it can reach a height of 30 metres. The front yard is designed with a number of beautiful plants across the expanse of the lawn.
Of note is the monkey puzzle tree (araucaria araucana) that stands boldly in the front yard. Below it are perlagoniums and calatheas, giving it an oomph. The variegated ficus benjamina stands in one corner, shining with its green and white leaves.
Another arch ushers you into a vegetable garden with newly planted leaf vegetables. The giant strelitzia (strelitzia nicolai) attracts bird life through its crane-shaped white flowers. This is particularly true of birds that like the sweetness of nectar. This simple garden makes the place habitable and homely.
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