In a city where gardens have long spread across large properties, a modest Johannesburg plot shows that space need not limit beauty. Designer Liz Steyn has turned a 1,000-square-meter lot—most of it occupied by the house—into a sanctuary where every detail matters.
The move toward smaller spaces
Johannesburg’s gardening traditions once prioritized vast open areas, but changing urban layouts are reshaping expectations. Smaller homes and tighter lots demand new approaches. Steyn’s work demonstrates how limitations can become advantages, creating environments that feel both private and immersive.
“A compact garden requires careful planning, yet it also delivers an intimacy that larger spaces often lack,” she explains. “Every element must earn its place.”
Light and atmosphere as priorities
While Cape Town’s gardens often face outward, Johannesburg’s frequently turn inward. Steyn starts with orientation, using true north to guide sunlight and shadow. The aim goes beyond appearance—it’s about crafting a mood. “I want a garden to have character,” she says, “a place where people can pause and reflect.”
Related: White walls fall out of favor
The property’s layout allowed little margin for error. With the house dominating the plot, Steyn treated every available centimetre with intention. Privacy came from layered evergreens, hedges, and strategic sightlines. Traffic noise faded behind flowing water and dense foliage, creating a secluded retreat.
Balancing order and softness
The garden’s foundation lies in its clean lines—a linear pool, a small lawn, and structured borders. Yet within this framework, the planting introduces warmth. Evergreen shrubs provide stability, while climbing roses, seasonal perennials, and trailing plants add movement.
A raised planter along the pool’s west edge features heat-resistant species. Rosemary ‘McConnel’s Blue’ blooms in winter, star jasmine climbs obelisks in late spring, and delphiniums and plumbago brighten summer. Silver Helichrysum and blue convolvulus maintain texture year-round.
“Structure gives the garden its form,” Steyn notes, “but the planting brings it to life.”
Related: Flat Pack Kitchens Perth: Changing the Game of Renovation
The northern border presented the greatest challenge—a spot that endures harsh summer sun yet falls into shadow in winter. Steyn addressed it with layers: a clipped Escallonia hedge, evergreen Pittosporum and Viburnum, and fragrant roses like ‘Roberto Capucci’ and ‘Nahema’.
Even the narrowest beds are designed with depth. “A border should feel abundant,” Steyn says, “never sparse or incomplete.”
Creating the illusion of room
Repetition, vertical planting, and layered textures add depth where physical space is limited. “If a garden is small, I don’t scale everything down,” she says. “I give it something bold to anchor the design.”
This garden doesn’t simply follow trends or seasons—it establishes its own pace. In an era where minimalism dominates, it offers an alternative: richness, warmth, and the quiet joy of a space that thrives year-round.
