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Ivan Zhakata Lifestyle Correspondent

 

As the old saying goes, “When the flowers of the field and garden lift their bright faces to you, can you call them by name and greet them as old acquaintances? Or, having passed them a hundred times, are they still strangers to you?”

 

The Harare City Council has for a long time failed to collect refuse across the city resulting in the mushrooming of illegal dumpsites.

 

There have been numerous complaints of uncollected refuse by residents and council has urged residents to adopt the recycling of refuse as an alternative.

 

Realising that these dumpsites will result in the outbreak of diseases, two men from Highfield, Spencer Tom (35) and Genius Chiringa (36) who survived on making bangles and necklaces out of beads decided to trade their business with establishing a flora garden.

 

If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a flower garden and the aroma it produces is second to none.

 

The duo teamed up and cleared a dumpsite which was becoming an eyesore in Highfield behind Gwanzura Stadium and transformed it into a flower haven now known as Wonderland Gardens. Beautiful!

The two buy plants, potting soil, and a window box at different nurseries, ride the bus to the garden and put together a colourful garden which is now used as a park by residents.

 

Rhyming verse carries the brief story, while wonderful, warm, full colour illustrations present scenes from innovative angles, and depict a duo with a sense of intimacy, sincerity, and joy. Spencer and Genius use old tyres, dumped pots, cups, bottles and air filters from cars among anything that can be planted flowers into thereby recycling refuse and putting it to good use.

 

They do all the design and landscaping of the garden and have changed the once known illegal dumpsite into a mini “Garden of Eden.”

 

In the garden, there are over 50 different types of flowers complemented by a pleasant fragrance such that one would not want to leave the garden.

 

As if that is not enough there are well decorated stools and tables made out of tyres and sand designed to fit different types of crowds.

 

Though the place is very small the Spencer and Genius are using the yard of Garden City hospital as a nursery.

 

The two are also negotiating with the local district office to give them another open space opposite the garden so that they can expand their garden as well as beautifying the space which is slowly becoming an alternative dumpsite for the residents.

“The idea to establish this flower garden came after we saw that garbage was becoming a menace behind Gwanzura stadium and Garden City hospital and the council was failing to collect the refuse,” Spencer said.

 

“The situation became so disgusting and as people who worked at a bus terminus near the stadium decided to collect everything in the dumpsite that was recyclable, clear the dumpsite and started planting flowers as well as designing the place giving it a new look.

 

“We started with no money at all and we would solicit for flowers in the local neigbourhood until the garden started taking shape and after some elderly people in our community would come and give different types of flowers that were not in the garden. At time we would go to nurseries and buy flowers to put in the garden.”

 

Spencer said they were driven by the zeal to inspire other youths in Highfield that they should not only wait for employment but create employment instead.

 

He said besides the garden which has become one of the most attractive places in their high density suburb, they also do painting, house decoration and landscaping.

 

Spencer said their hope was to have a bigger space where they could fully utilize their skill and contribute to domestic tourism.

 

“We need a bigger space so that we can expand our garden. We are working with the district office to give us a bigger space so that we can fully market our flowers as well as showcase our talent.

 

“We do not mess up the ground but instead add value to it and we do not want to work outside Highfield but to make it a better place which is more attractive to the community and visitors enhancing domestic tourism,” he said.

 

Spencer said the garden was open to everyone and they could visit for free but only flowers were for sale.

 

He said they use the funds they get from their other projects to fund and maintain the garden.

 

“There is nothing that cannot be recycled. That is our motto,” said Spencer adding that they make use of anything that comes to them.

 

“We have more than 50 different types of flowers which include Aloe Vera, Red and White Roses, Heart of Jesus, Maple Trees, Copper Leaf, Elephant, Spider Plants, Firestorm, California Sunset, Fox Fail, Rock Weed, Jade Plant, Mother-in-law’s Tongue, Elephant Bush, Rosemary, Codeline, Madagascar, Perivinga, Zulu Giant and Chinese Cabbage among many other types.

 

“We also have trees both indigenous and exotic to provide shed for the visitors and they are complemented by fruit trees. We also have herbs which cure different illnesses and a lot of people from the community are coming to get them here,” he said.

 

Spencer said they use sawdust as manure and also make use of a compost which they make from remains pruned from the flowers.

 

He however lamented water shortages which the city is currently experiencing saying it was greatly impacting on their operations and their expansion as well.

 

The duo said nothing will stop them from establishing what will be the most exquisite flower garden in Harare which will attract the international community as they are destined for greatness and have their country at heart.