NATURAL TREASURE

Master dam builder Iwan Roux, his wife Irene, and celebrated landscape architect Patrick Watson have worked for over two decades to create the Rouxs’ family home — a glamorous celebration of their shared lifelong passion for extraordinary environments

Words by GARETH VAN NIEKERK

Nestled in the heart of the famed Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site — a short 45-minute car trip from Johannesburg’s bustling CBD — lies the Roux home, lovingly called Reflection. It’s an immensely ambitious landscaping and architectural undertaking that is now one of South Africa’s most inspired living spaces. In a valley of vast biological and archaeological riches, the property unfolds over six hectares of painstakingly restored Highveld vegetation. A simple, rusted metal gate slides open to reveal a spectacular driveway whose edges are bounded by intricate water features, lakes, streams, waterfalls, springs, pools, water staircases and thousands of flowering water lilies that provide the perfect welcome for visitors. The extensive waterworks, completed by Iwan Roux, who is one of the country’s few master dam builders, echo the natural…

You're reading a preview of

Australian Country Homes (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 25

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.