Today, it stands as a partner garden of the Royal Horticultural Society, a sought-after wedding destination, food garden, nature reserve, and legacy educational foundation — all brought to life by visionary founder Iain Buchan and his dedicated team.
The book credits his wife, Carol Buchan, as master gardener and is co-written by Michele Magwood.
Divided into 11 sections, it traces how Mpondoland-born Iain — whose interests range from twice trekking Antarctica to art curation and transformational business philosophy — realised his vision for the estate from dream to reality.
Within its 175 cloth-bound pages, readers will find detailed maps and diagrams of the estate, as well as insights from landscaper Tim Steyn on the transformation of the region’s bare grasslands into a formal flower and organic vegetable garden comprising 26 distinct “rooms.”
The layout draws inspiration from Château de Villandry in France.
One of the more compelling chapters recounts how, during the Covid-19 pandemic, hotel chefs and waitstaff pivoted to become landscape gardeners, working through a harsh Midlands winter to continue shaping the dream.
The book will especially appeal to gardening enthusiasts, offering detailed notes on grasses, indigenous planting, trees, and fruit orchards. It also explains how the garden earned the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Overseas Regional Winner award and Partner Garden of the Year title, competing against more than 200 gardens worldwide.
It is one of only two partner gardens in South Africa — the other being Babylonstoren in Franschhoek.
What truly sets the book apart, however, is the jaw-dropping photography by Connall Oosterbroek. His images of the water features and gardens are particularly breathtaking, capturing magical sculptures sourced from a spectrum of sub-Saharan artists, including Ben Tuge, Louie van den Heever, JD Ross, Joyce Carreira, Sandro Trapani, Michele Silk, Grace da Costa, Noah Maubane, Wilma Cruise, Lee Scott Hempson, Michael Canadas and Rizimu Chiwawa.
Their works beautifully complement the wildlife and floral imagery.
From the Dragon’s Eye stone Moongate concert venue set on a lake, to the wildlife sanctuary, to the former racehorse stables transformed into the Healing Earth Transformative Wellness Spa on the edge of the Blue Crane Nature Reserve — a favourite for guests attending weddings at Brahman Hills — Iain Buchan has shaped his life’s philosophy into what he calls a 'massive transformative purpose'.
His mission: “To build a remarkable business for our children that will still be shifting lives 100 years from now.”
He believes that business today carries a responsibility beyond profitability — it must make a meaningful difference in society.
I will be proud to feature this legacy conversation piece on my coffee table for many years to come.
