We often receive much appreciated comments about our gardens, flowers, shrubs and massive old trees, which is incredibly validating for us – as our garden is our pride and joy.
Lexden founder, Karrin has a keen interest in plants and together with a team of green-fingered gardeners ensures that there is always something in bloom, something beautiful to look at or a delicious scent to smell throughout the year.
We are well-known as a top guesthouse in Pietermaritzburg especially amongst business and sports travellers, and our gardens are often a sanctuary for some quiet time for these busy people. In this incredibly busy, fast-paced life, a walk in a quite garden to stretch your legs or just for some fresh air after a long day of meetings, or at your desk, is nothing short of a treat!
Here are just a few of the many colourful, fragrant varieties found in our garden:
- Clivias – native to southern Africa, we have both the orange and the more elusive yellow varieties ~ flowering right now, they are simply a sight to behold!
- Arum Lily – adding a touch of elegant white to our gardens with their white cone-shaped petal, these beauties flower between August and January each year and are a wonderful contrast to our backdrop of deep green shrubs.
- Japanese Anemone – both white and pink varieties are abundant in our gardens and they really show off in March every year bringing our garden to life as we head into autumn.
- Lavender – a much-loved plant, known for its healing properties and as an insect repellent, Lexden is home to an abundance of these elegant and versatile shrubs. Walking around the garden is the early morning or late afternoon is a treat with the heady scent of lavender.
- Azalea – our garden is green all year round with these evergreen shrubs and trees, but in spring they really put on a show for our guests along the perimeter edge of the property.
- Plumbago – it’s no wonder that one of our signature rooms are named after this beautiful light blue shrub that attracts butterflies from miles around.
- Agapanthus – symbolising the start of the festive season, these amethyst encrusted stalks peak out among the low-level greenery every December and January heralding in the holiday season.
- Gardenia – when travelling, it’s important to take time to “smell the roses” but we think it should be gardenias; we love their slight sweet scent that just shouts “spring has arrived”!
- Bougainvillea – if you’ve stayed at Lexden before, you will know that we like to conserve water wherever we can. Our many brightly coloured bougainvillea plants are water-wise and glorious all at the same time.
- Viburnum hedges – keeping our garden well-manicured is an important part of the appeal to the guesthouse and our regularly clipped viburnum hedges showcase our passion for our garden.
- Boston Ivy – adding a classic, striking look to our buildings, this creeper has been climbing our walls for years and it has become a symbol of Lexden’s charm.
If you’re looking for a stay within a beautiful setting while visiting Pietermaritzburg, book your stay with us and enjoy the seasonal beauty of our gardens.
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