In Prince Albert, situated at the base of the Swartberg Mountains, gardening presents unique challenges. High summer temperatures frequently exceed 40°C, precipitation is minimal, soils tend to be alkaline and saline, and water resources are strictly managed. However, these very conditions sparked innovative approaches to gardening. For Malcolm and Derryn Searle, the initiative started with a neglected plot of former farmland.
This area, once under irrigation, lay dormant for decades following shifts in water distribution that made farming unsustainable. The soil was compacted and exposed, baked by the Karoo sun, appearing lifeless.
Learning from the Karoo: A New Gardening Philosophy
Traditional gardening methods became increasingly mismatched with the local environment. Beyond the property’s limits, native veld thrived without any human intervention. Following rainfall, plants bloomed, insects emerged, and birds, bees, and small mammals traversed the area with notable resilience. Rather than pondering which plants could endure the Karoo, the Searles turned the question: what could the Karoo teach them about gardening?
“Our job is not to try and manipulate their world, it is to learn from it,” says Malcolm.
This approach became the guiding principle behind both Kraal, the garden surrounding their home, and the adjacent Veld Garden, an ongoing project focused on ecological restoration and indigenous plant cultivation.
Key to the project’s success has been guidance from ecologist Dr. Sue Milton-Dean and horticulturist Bertus Fourie of Renu-Karoo Veld Restoration. Before indigenous Karoo plants gained traction in mainstream gardening, Milton-Dean and Fourie were already documenting, propagating, and advocating for species suited to the region’s harsh conditions. Their efforts have introduced hundreds of locally adapted grasses, bossies, flowering shrubs, and succulents into cultivation, offering gardeners a vital resource for engaging with the region’s ecology.
Observing Nature’s Clues for Ecological Restoration
This methodology is rooted in careful observation. Over time, the environment began revealing its own clues. Natural drainage channels reveal water movement patterns. Indigenous plant communities indicate which species thrive in specific locations. Wildlife signals the health of the ecosystem. Pruning practices also draw from nature, with light trimming of shrubs designed to imitate the effect of browsing animals.
The Veld Garden has served as a testing ground for these concepts. Once barren soil now supports a mosaic of indigenous plantings precisely matched to varying microhabitats. Saline-prone low areas host species adapted to those conditions, while raised, well-drained mounds support different species. Seasonal water channels mimic natural Karoo plains, and indigenous grasslands provide shelter for more delicate species against wind and heat. The plant selection differs significantly from that of conventional gardens. Resilient bossies like skaapbossie, bitterbossie, bokdissel, knoppiesdoringbossie, draaibos, and perdekaroo have proven remarkably hardy. Tall, reedy Lammerlat stands above the surrounding vegetation, while purple steekvy, lively noordvygies, and the silky plumes of bushman grass add texture, movement, and seasonal variation.
None were chosen merely for their blooms. They were selected because they are indigenous.
The project has also challenged conventional thinking about climate resilience. “Drought management is about water,” says Malcolm, “heat management is about hot sun.”
Battling Heat Burn: Innovative Climate Resilience Strategies
As summer temperatures have risen from the mid-thirties to the low forties, plants increasingly endure “heat burn”—the scorching of soil and roots under relentless sunlight. Strategies implemented include creating selective shade, applying mulch to insulate soil, establishing windbreaks, and prioritizing plants that can withstand “the torture test of the first summer,” as Malcolm describes.
The garden’s most significant achievements, however, are not quantified by growth rates or floral displays. A fenced section dedicated to rewilding, left largely undisturbed, has become a sanctuary for nature to reclaim. In this space, solitary bees gather pollen from species that flower after rain. Birds nest among self-seeded trees. Fresh aardvark tracks regularly appear in the sand. A resident boomslang patrols the area, while harmless house snakes follow mice into the shelter of tall grasses. Frogs appear after rainfall, and occasionally, a heron visits. These observations collectively indicate that ecological processes are beginning to re-establish themselves.
Beyond Drought Tolerance: Rewilding and Land Rehabilitation
What renders the project particularly significant is its departure from the concept of a drought-tolerant garden. Instead, it investigates how degraded land can be rehabilitated through ecological attunement and how indigenous plant communities can guide a new approach to arid environments. “It’s less about winning the beauty pageant,” Malcolm reflects, “and more about learning to appreciate transformation.”
Overlooking the Kraal, where Derryn teaches yoga and breathwork, the garden’s rhythms form part of her daily practice. In this space, stillness, observation, and awareness are cultivated alongside the plants. Ultimately, the garden mirrors the veld’s lesson: meaningful transformation starts with attentive observation.
CreditsText by Heidi Bertish
Photographs: Inga Terblanche and Karin Sternberg
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