Welcome to Caroline’s lush garden of Eden

Welcome to Caroline Sagwe’s spectacular garden. It is one that has caught the eyes of most people who pass by the house and caused a stir among neighbours who are often inspired to emulate the standards of this detailed garden.

It is not a wonder that it has stopped many prospective home owners in their tracks as they go about searching for a house. Set in the hot and dry Mavoko sub-county, it is a great achievement that the Sagwe’s have been able to maintain a well-manicured garden with all types of rosy and colourful flowers.

When they bought their house at Green Park, in Athi River off the Mombasa highway, the garden was nothing like the picture perfect landscape it is now. The sandy soil of the area plus rubble from the just finished construction of the house was a bit off-putting but they envisioned having a garden where they could relax and play with their children.

So they enlisted the services of a landscaper who not only helped them put their ideas on paper but also gave them better insights to go with what they had in mind.

A lover of all things chic and modern, Caroline wanted her interiors to match the landscape. She also wanted her garden to serve as an entertainment area for her guests as she likes to host lunches.

The metal and mazeras stone gazebo is her favourite spot; it is here that she does her reading and it also a good place to view and enjoy her garden. The fish pond that also has a fountain is well positioned at the front of the house with a garden bench that offers a great view of the busy Mombasa Road.

“We love aquariums. It’s something we have always had in our previous homes but when we moved in here, we debated about building one inside the house. Then the landscaper came up with the idea of a fish pond and we bought the idea,” says Caroline.

They also have several bird baths and water points, and a bird cage that hosts four parrots, for which they got a license to keep. The entry pathway is well-lined with a flower garden and there is a tiled walkway around the house to keep people off the grass.

The Sagwe’s have opted to use an intricately designed rail fencing instead of a live fence for their perimeter wall. Gold and brown are Caroline’s favourite colours and both are well presented, both indoors and outdoors, on the flower pots and the metal frames.

Manicured

“It has not been an easy task to keep this garden all green and neat especially in this weather,” she says as she explains why she has a permanent gardener to ensure the gardens are always well-manicured and watered.

The plants and grass need constant watering, weeding, pruning and use of pesticides to keep them healthy and neat. From the tree tomato and mango trees to the lush Kikuyu grass, Caroline is happy how her garden has turned out seven months after the idea was born.