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We're the V&A Waterfront Landscaping Team
As an inter-connected neighbourhood, we understand that no one has all the answers. We get excited by the incredible work that South Africans are doing in the field of sustainability and we want to shine a light on their efforts and support them in maximising important solutions.
Green spaces paving a brighter future
At the V&A Waterfront, we don’t believe in just ticking boxes. In other words, we don’t see our green spaces as just places that need to be filled. We see our green spaces as opportunities for our values to come alive. Of course, sustainability is a key driver of these areas through water-wise practices, the prioritisation of indigenous plants and propagation, and protection of our carbon-reducing trees.
Beyond sustainability, our green spaces are also a chance to champion inclusivity (through the creation of welcoming spaces with soon-to-be-launched accessibility features) and create economic opportunities (as we up-skill our landscaping staff, internal recruiting and supplier support). So, next time you stop to admire the variety of plant species dotted throughout the neighbourhood, remember that each is the embodiment of our V&A commitment to people and the planet. But above all, think about the dedicated team on the ground - around 25+ people a day - who work tirelessly and passionately to bring our landscaping magic to life.
We love what we do and we hope that that shows up in the gardens that we nurture for your benefit. We’re proud of the eco-friendly way that we landscape. For starters, over the past decade, we’ve shifted from having 80% exotic plants to 80% indigenous (to South Africa) plants that require less irrigation. All new developments are planted strictly with indigenous greenery.At the end of the day, none of this would be possible without each and every member of our landscaping crew. As a team, we are constantly trained to improve our knowledge and skills. When we recruit, we first look at our cleaning staff or those keen on entering the world of landscaping, extending more opportunity across our teams. Most of our landscaping work is done in-house, with team members dedicated to specific areas. This allows us to take real pride and care of these spaces. They are led by Faldie Williams, Landscaping Team Supervisor, who provides direction, support and motivation, ensuring that everyone is working together towards a common goal. He shares his wealth of knowledge, inspiring all to strive for excellence. The service provider that we do use has been supported to grow from a small business into a large operation, creating jobs.
A day in the life
The green guardians of our neighbourhood
Trees are another important part of our work as landscapers. They do more than look amazing as you walk throughout our waterfront world. They also help reduce carbon and lower temperatures. Throughout our precinct, you’ll see a mini-forest of +/-1600 trees (with some as old as 40 years!) consisting of mostly different Ficus trees and around 600 palm trees. Palms are not native to the Cape, but don’t require dedicated irrigation and are a beloved part of our V&A brand.
While some of our other trees are not indigenous, they were here when we got started so we respect and honour them, provided they are healthy, don’t have invasive root systems and don’t guzzle water. We also have a strict policy that we only plant indigenous trees going forward. We work with expert arborists and have geo-tagged every tree in our neighbourhood - this allows us to keep track of their health so that you can enjoy them at their best.
“You’ll often see us on site even before the early birds and sometimes you’ll find us here with the night owls. That’s because we know that we are making a difference, a meaningful difference, to people’s wellbeing, to nature’s wellbeing, to the wellbeing of the whole neighbourhood. That’s what keeps us motivated, come rain or shine. We hope you enjoy the gardens we create. They are made just for you!”
V&A Waterfront Landscaping Team
“Now, we’re on a new mission to have our green belts filled with 70% of plants that are historically indigenous to the Western Cape, to return to our natural heritage. We also propagate and grow our own succulents and ground covers, buying only 30% of the plants we use. Being wise with water is a top priority for us. Strategic planting with native plants is the first step.We’ve also reduced our irrigation times and have a stringent leak detection system of automatic and manual assessments. Leaks within our control are repaired within 24 hours. We also help the city spot issues that they can attend to swiftly. Using non-potable water is also a priority. In areas around Battery Park, Merchant House and the Silo District, we use treated grey-water to water our green areas."
V&A Waterfront Landscaping Team
Hands in the soil,
heart in
the work
Hands in the soil,
heart in
the work
So, what’s next for the team? Well, as you can see, our landscapers are not the kind to be complacent. That’s why we’ve set ourselves up with a new and exciting project. In coming months, we’re planning to create a greenhouse and veggie garden alongside it. We’ve repurposed fencing and pathways from a space that is being redeveloped to build our new project. In the greenhouse, we’ll grow more of our own plants to use all around the neighbourhood.
The veggie garden (which will be tended to by two former cleaners, who’ve been trained and now have possible career paths in landscaping) will enable us to feed those who look after us - cleaners, security and landscapers - once a week. It will be an honour to feed them from the land upon which they work.
Keep an eye out so you can come and say hello to our new green hub! Make sure to also visit the
new garden around Breakwater Boulevard. For this area, we focused on flowering plants to create
a visual symphony for your eyes. Soon, we’ll be adding info hotspots (in Braille too, for those who are sight-impaired) to provide details on what we’ve planted, to help you understand the natural world a little better.
Read the next chapter
Chapter 10
The Women
Of the Waterfront
