Imagine retiring to live out your dream in the country working harder than you ever did before - and loving it! Nothing inspires quite like a hard-to-believe story. This incredible little garden has been carved out of (or rather in to) the mountainside, by an approaching 80 couple. The tiny oasis is nothing short of inspirational! The African sun beats down mercilessly. Water is scarce. Rain more so. The terrain is rugged, rocky and one keeps expecting a Voortrekker ox-wagon to rumble into sight.
Our delightful distant friends built their retirement dream home to offer a sanctuary for people who come for counselling. They are a remarkable couple with a passion for people - especially the hurting. Like a beacon of hope their beautiful home stands against the rugged mountainside. An oasis for so many reasons. Their beautiful vegetable garden and tiny orchard, nestled among boulders and shale, bear testament to thriving against the odds.
Giraffe, kudu and ostrich forage around their boundary. The garden is secured against both the harsh elements as well as the very destructive baboon.
Among the wonderful herbs, bolting kale and tiny vegetable seedlings, a delicate orchid blooms. Everywhere life thrives. Colours and scents beckon. Stop. Rest. Be refreshed.
Deep holes have been pounded into the shale. Grey water is syphoned onto saplings. Avocado. Lemon. Pomegranate. Apricot. Olive trees. Truly; those that plant trees; plant for the future.
We sip herbal iced tea in the cool enclosure. We discuss our 100 year old Sourdough starter. We listen to children laughing and the men standing at the fire, debating the seasons planting and the lack of rain. Looking at the neat and flourishing little oasis I am in awe of how a couple with over 7 decades of maturity, work in this challenging conditions. Off-grid. Solar. Rain tanks. Seed saving. At their age. They invest in a garden and in lives that they may never truly know the impact thereof. What an inspiration old age is!
May this garden in the wilderness built and nurtured by an elderly couple inspire others on The One and Only Garden Challenge
That was just beautiful. All of it, the garden, your precious friends, the sentiment of building something, nurturing growth even though the elements are against you. I know a lot of people dread getting older, but I sure am not one of them, it's a gift😊
Okay, I suppose now I will have to look at the joint aches as a song heralding that gift....eeee...lol!
Thanks for sharing such a glorious post.
!PIZZA
What a lovely comment. And I missed replying @generikat. Sorry. You could blame age, but that would not be true 😉 for a long while yet. Aging is definitely a gift. Few view it that way
Inspirational soul food.
Indeed!
Oh my this is my dream. I cannot even think of anything better. We are bustling and busting our proverbial asses off to pay insurance and what not while these people found the source of true happiness in my opinion. This is truly inspiring and something I aim towards. Thanks for sharing! Do you have more info on this? Like website or more writings?
Happy that the wonderful garden of this special couple could inspire you. No they don't have a website. Only word of mouth really. They would probably be embarressed that I had written such a public post. Sorry I forgot to answer. Seeing your beautiful jacarandas reminded me....and no, it's not old age 😂
No worries! That is the life hey. I really wouldn’t mind having that one day. Work hard enough now to end up there!
A dream that may very well become a reality! I hope so for you
Thank you so much! I really hope so as well.
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Hello there @buckaroobaby
What an inspiring post, these people sound like real salt of the earth types that are a force for good in the broken world we live in. I love meeting people like that. You are truly fortunate to have them close by and the wildlife sound wonderful.
One day I wish to have a garden in the middle of nowhere living off it with rain tanks and solar...I wouldn't mind working my ass off until I perish if that's the culmination of my life's work.
Thank you for sharing, it's beautiful that people like this are still around, I am sure they help so many people with their counselling.
Salt of the earth is the perfect way to describe them! And there should be way more like them
What a beautiful little paradise. I hope one day we can achieve something similar. Very inspiring and I hope that when I reach my 7 decades on this earth I will still be as active and creative.
Active and creative is definitely an inspiration AND aspiration
I love reading stories like this! Way to go, older couple! The garden is lovely.
YEAH! They are amazing
I'm defo inspired. And impressed. Age can have so much knowledge. Yeah! Let's take care for our elders.
Lovely post.
May I know where it is? Through reading, I guess it's south east Africa...
We're in South Africa. In the semi desert part. There is so much to be learned from the older generations for sure
Amazing! I only scratched the North of Africa which is more Arabic — apart from all other occupied, conquered and colonised parts. Africa has so much to offer. Yes, like you say, so much to learn from the elders! At the moment, Africa is the brother (or sister) of Australia and South America. The endless wisdom. Stunning.
For how long have you been living in that part of Africa?
South African born and bred. Just widely travelled. Although, sadly, never to Australia. I love Northern Africa. It is very different to down south.
Amazing! I can only imagine the difference. Australia has already a huge difference between north and south. But it fits, what? Three times in Africa. Impressive. Therefore, Australia is fantastic as you can travel through the whole continent and communicate to everybody. Except the Aussie slang and dialect, which is already unique and in addition the change from north to south, west to east. Similarities to South America and Spanish. Africa has way more languages compared to size and population.
Maybe one day we'll meet, now we are connected through Hive.
Btw. I had a wonderful permaculture teacher in New South Wales /Queensland. He's a New Zealander, but born in South Africa. Another reason why I feel your post.
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Thank you
Not only is your garden beautiful, it's also highly functional! It really, really appeals to my aesthetic - love the stone walls and the stick fences. Just divine.
That stone and stick contrast is beautiful! Highly functional indeed. And a matter of using what is available which is also quite a feature!
Beautiful example that teaches us that old age should not be accompanied by depression but by a new way of facing the life that remains for us.
Greetings and thanks for sharing this topic @buckaroobaby
Thank you for taking the time to read about this special couple and their amazing garden