To say that the yard on his property at Nairobi’s Lavington estate has diverse plants and flowers will be an understatement. It is a little paradise.
An alluring green wall of hibiscus foliage flows to the ground, infusing life to the yard.
The first thing he did was to replace the concrete floor with the Arabica grass, then at the edges of the lawn, meticulously installed the mondo grass.
A deep-green lush surrounding and fresh air are the two things that greet guests when they enter Hargwings Omondi’s backyard.
To say that the yard on his property at Nairobi’s Lavington estate has diverse plants and flowers will be an understatement. It is a little paradise.
An alluring green wall of hibiscus foliage flows to the ground, infusing life to the yard.
As if the living green walls are not enough, a well-manicured lawn enriched with grass varieties sits at the centre of the seven by 15 metres yard.
Once in a while, a bird or two will stop by to rest on the vegetation, drink some water or to pick on worms and insects. “This garden is my hideout from the hustles and bustles of the city,” says Mr Omondi who picked and selected every plant and pot on the garden.
He would randomly pick plants that captivate him during leisure drives along Ngong Road or Chiromo Lane in Nairobi. When he first occupied the property some six years ago, the yard was dull and devoid of greenery and outdoor aesthetics.
The first thing he did was to replace the concrete floor with the Arabica grass, then at the edges of the lawn, meticulously installed the mondo grass.
The mondo grass is now three metres taller than the Arabica grass with the colour contrasts between the two, a sight to behold.
A layer of the golden duranta that is slightly taller runs around the mondo grass akin of a perimeter, as if to protect the smaller plants from harm.
Some of the plants at his garden in Lavington estate, Nairobi. PHOTO | Francis Nderitu | NMG
Right behind the golden duranta sits the South African duranta that is inches taller than the Arabica and mondo grass. The end result is a stair impression for the vegetation in the garden.
At the yard are mazeras tiles that sit between Cyprus trees right at the foot of the hibiscus curtain that flows from the very top of the perimeter wall.
The Cyprus trees are miniature and at the foot of each is the Ajuga reptans —an herbaceous flowering plant native to Europe.
The latest additions at the garden are miniature trees including avocado, guava, mango, grape fruit and orange.
“Transforming the backyard to this beautiful garden has been a progressive journey that called for a lot of patience because not all plants I brought survived,” said Mr Omondi.
He says that he removed the sheer curtains from the windows facing the garden so as to enjoy the living green walls while indoors.
At the veranda are hanging baskets with plants like the Silver bells, the ivy geranium and a variety of herbs such as Aloe vera and rosemary.
As he sits at the veranda sipping on his drink, Mr Omondi says that he delights at the occasional dance by the golden palms to the rhythm of the soft winds weeping through the garden.
Aside from the palms, the garden has tree varieties sitting by the edges, towering the rest of the vegetation.
He has employed a gardener to tend to the garden in his absence, who waters it at least twice a week and adds manure once a year.
