Useful Plants Garden at Kirstenbosch
The Hut
Why a hut in the Useful Plants Garden?
Interpretation of plant uses
Material made from plants will exhibited inside the hut display cabinets
i.e. mats, drinking utensils, food products, crafts. Interpretative information
on all material displayed will be available.
Preservation of traditional culture
The hut will reflect a modern trend in rural African architecture where
durable materials are combined with traditional shapes. The Xhosa theme
was chosen because of the durability and longevity of the hut design.
A focal point
The hut is the focal point of the garden holding the entire design together
in a Xhosa cultural theme.
Alien vegetation eradication and water conservation
The materials chosen to build the hut demonstrate a sustainable, economical
way of eradicating invasive and water-use-unfriendly vegetation. Eucalyptus
sp.(gum tree) was used for the supporting structural poles and roof
trusses, and Acacia longifolia (Port Jackson tree) was used to
weave the walls. The hut is constructed in a traditional Xhosa/Mpondo
style of "wattle & daub". The "wattle" substructure
uses alien vegetation mentioned above. The "daub" or stucco-like
cover is a mixture of soil and fresh cow dung called Udaka. The roof is
thatched with Chondropetalum tectorum, one of the indigenous Western
Cape restio species. This plant will be featured in the Construction Plant
section of the garden.
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 Thatching the roof |
 Plastering with Udaka |
The organic shape of the hut links to the shape of the beds and paths. It provides a sense of continuity throughout the garden design. The natural color of the "daub"/Udaka and the roof thatch reflect other structures in Kirstenbosch, and ensure that the hut blends in well with its surroundings.
Useful Plants Garden
at Kirstenbosch
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The hut
- Map
Sponsors
Rowland & Leta Hill Trust
Botanical Society
