Van Den Berg Garden Village...A Remarkable Place!

A while ago, my trusty camera and I spent a couple of hours viewing a rather eclectic (and new to me) nursery, up close and personal.

The two of us had a wonderful time, unable to decide what to photograph and returned home with well over 300 pictures. This window frame has been propped into a gap in a hedge...a clever idea, I thought!

I've been wanting to upload a post featuring this rather delightfully quirky place, but have stymied myself, not knowing which of the many pictures I  have to choose from, to share!

I really do want to show you as many as possible in order to give you a feel for this lovely nursery, but I don't want to risk overwhelming you!

I know my lengthy posts probably have that effect! Anyway, those of you who dislike long, drawn out posts packed full to the brim with far too many pictures, now's your cue to bow out gracefully.

Any hangers on who are prepared to test the waters, as it were, are welcome to leave at any time you find things becoming tedious.

If anyone stays to the bitter end, I might just have to think of a way to reward you. Anyone have an old, tin trunk? Turn it into a water garden!

There has been no real method to what I've selected for uploading here...once again, I've simply applied my trusty technique of eeny-meeny-miney-mo!

So, as you may have noticed, there's no logic or order to the sequence...aren't these "soccerball heads" a novel idea?

Nevertheless, I think that it works with this particular nursery...

Because, although it has been laid out fairly methodically, so much grabs ones attention, simultaneously...

So that ones eyes (and companion camera) are quite literally gazing and pointing in several directions at once!

Do you see what I mean? Look at this wonderful hanging garden, for instance...this Nurserywoman is very big on hanging gardens! She tries out all kinds of different techniques paired with excitingly different plantings. It's her "speciality" and she's been doing it for 30 years!

Hey! Where have you gone? Ah! Admiring the rusty wirework, I see...

Oh, do look over here, quickly! A beautiful Yellow-breasted Weaver is eyeing this huge Staghorn fern...I wonder if it is considering its crown a good nesting spot?

A dried pomegranate shell, used as a planter? This you've got to see...

But not before I show you what I've found right here...come and have a look! I know Alison will be ever so excited!

What an unusual place for this little hen to have elected to lay her eggs. Bet if I hadn't pointed her out to you, you'd have missed her completely!

Wonder who this old gent is, seated in amongst the Azalea and Orchid display over here?

No, I don't think this African carving will easily fit into your hand luggage!

Here's a novel idea for putting an old mirror to use in the garden...turn it into a water feature!

Everywhere we turn, something catches the eye. I love the extensive use of driftwood hitched up amongst the rafters. This bit is home to a witch, just in time for Halloween! We don't celebrate it here, but I just had to add this for my Northern Hemisphere readers, especially Mona!

Here's a gardening assistant with a difference! I wonder if she'd help Friko out of her compost-turning plight this year?

This blog would not be worthy of its name if we didn't focus on gnarled and knotty pieces of driftwood and roots, bleached and aged by the sun...isn't this a beauty?

Ah, I see you've rushed outdoors to gaze at the succulents, Diane.

Is she singing in ecstasy, or snoring loudly, I wonder? I bet Melynda would have a good take on this!

There is a whole Greenhouse dedicated to this nursery's extensive Orchid collection...if you beg hard enough, I'll take you inside in a subsequent post.

Right now, we'll stick with enjoying the sunshine for those folk  who live in the UK and those who live in Canada, since they are already getting quite chilly with the rapid approach of winter.

This bust is huge and carved from stone, so don't even think about trying to get it into your suitcase!

These Bonsai trees would also be far too tricky to transport! Orchid is so lucky, because she lives in the Land of Genuine Bonsai!

Here's a lovely, cool, quiet spot to gather your thoughts. Any takers? Dee?

This succulent covers itself in the most delicate fairy-like sprays of softly hued pink flowers at this time of year.

They are in stark contrast to the thick, thorny, fleshy leaves of the Aloes.

Speaking of thorns, have you seen the size of these on the Acacia overhead? The birds absolutely love these trees, as I can't imagine what foe wishes to impale themselves on these impressive needles!

Just in case you've forgotten where you are...a quick reminder! Just beware of the trumpeting elephant in the garden!

In these times of waterwise gardening, succulents are all the rage. I thought we'd find you here, Tom! Diane was wanting to buy you a gift at another succulent display way back over there!

Here's another bench to rest those aching feet. I'm always drawn to benches. I just have to try them all out for size and comfort. Rita and Sandie, you might want to rest up a bit?

This one is pretty, but definitely needs a nice puffy cushion! Jenny, you're so good at sewing, perhaps you'd like to knock one together, quickly?

A pretty display of mixed plants. The Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) are indigenous to South Africa. I think they are quite magnificent!

If I am not mistaken, these are Cabbage trees. I wonder why, since they don't look like cabbages to me.

Another bench tucked away in this hidden corner of the nursery. I know Pam won't be needing it...I see she's walking briskly around in those shoes of hers, with Tucker straining at his leash.

There are so many bowls and vessels containing water carefully tucked in amongst the plants throughout this nursery...the birds clearly feel very much at home and welcome, here!

And since it was early Spring on the day I visited, I had to include these Anemones.

I really do wish I could show you a lot more, but I suspect you'd never visit again! I doubt I've even come close to doing justice to the talents of this Nurserywoman, but I really did enjoy the time I spent there and look forward to further visits.