Issue No. 51 June 2014

CAIRO WEST MAGAZINE
HOME AND GARDEN
What special elements like water features and
rockeries can you include in your designs?
NI: As a design firm we can provide endless possibilities,
and have created most things, including water features,
rock gardens, roof gardens and many other elements.
YS: Our focus is on the horticulture, irrigation systems, potted plants and their maintenance, and how clients can make the
best out of the intended area. But we also provide consultancy services for integrating other elements such as rockeries,
lighting, water features and gazebos.
KS: We do everything, and are well aware that at the high end of the market our clients travel, look in magazines, check
out hotel gardens abroad, and often come back with photographs of things they’ve seen and like. There are new trends,
and Egypt has seen a re-birth of landscaping over the last ten to fifteen years. Now that so many people are moving out to
areas such as Sixth of October, they are increasingly looking to take advantage of this to live in their outdoor spaces – in
the same way as they would in their summer homes on the coast.
What are the common problems people encounter when maintaining their gardens?
IN: You must look ahead to the future and make sure the maintenance company is going to successfully maintain the
irrigation system, has the required knowledge in regard to pruning, fertilizes the garden regularly, and keeps things clean
and orderly. An additional service we provide is to represent our clients when arranging and negotiating maintenance
contracts.
KS: The real problem is that there is no formal education for gardeners in Egypt. In fact we don’t have gardeners at all –
just workers who pose as gardeners! There is also a degree of inflexibility and lack of understanding from property owners
that a garden is always a work in progress. It used to be that workers would prune and cut back the trees each spring as a
matter of course. Nowadays with people living full-time in their villas they object to the look of pruned plants so the trees
end up eating each other; the shade from one affects others that are trying to grow, and so on. Another problem is that
people don’t do their research. They buy a couple of small plants that look attractive without finding out how big they’re
likely to grow, and where not to put them so their roots won’t cause havoc. Buying plants is only the beginning of your
outlay; they will need not just water but food, medicine and on-going maintenance. The truth is, gardening is an art!
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ismail@landdesigners.com - www.genenti.com - www.palmgardensegypt.com