Landscaping  at  Hartebeespoort  Dam

Hartebeespoort Dam sits at the edge of the Magaliesberg — a landscape of granite outcrops, indigenous bushveld, and the dam itself reflecting the mountains behind it. Properties here range from weekend retreats on smallholdings to permanent homes in gated estates, and the common thread is a desire for outdoor living that connects to the surrounding environment rather than ignoring it.

We travel to Hartebeespoort Dam from our Little Falls base for consultations and installations. The drive is well worth it — Harties properties offer a scale and setting that allow for some of our most ambitious and satisfying work: large naturalistic water features, indigenous garden designs that attract wildlife, bomas and outdoor kitchens for serious entertaining, and food gardens that take advantage of the area's climate.

Hartebeespoort Dam requires a different design approach to most Gauteng suburbs. The landscape here is defined by granite, indigenous vegetation, and the particular quality of light and sky that comes from being away from the city. Garden design that imposes suburban aesthetics onto this environment misses the point entirely. We design gardens at Harties that feel as though they belong — drawing on the surrounding landscape for their character and material language.

Water-wise planting is particularly important here. Hartebeespoort's rainfall is less predictable than central Gauteng, and properties often have borehole water rather than municipal supply. We design irrigation and planting strategies that minimise water demand while maintaining a beautiful, productive, and living garden throughout the year.