About the Project
There’s a quiet confidence to a well-executed hotel garden – one that feels both polished and completely at home in the Cape Winelands. That’s exactly what CSA Landscaping delivered at the Hugenote Hotel in Franschhoek.
Working with the white Cape architecture and the mountain backdrop, our team focused on three key elements: soft, flowing planting, carefully designed ponds, and a charming water feature that adds gentle movement and sound.
THE GARDENS
Generous plantings of ornamental grasses create texture and movement throughout the spaces. Fine-leaved clumping grasses soften the edges of pathways and walls, while taller, feathery varieties catch the light and sway in the breeze. Seasonal colour from red-hot pokers (Kniphofia) adds warmth, and simple flowering shrubs frame the water rill and seating areas.
Brick-edged pathways and clean surfaces keep the design practical for hotel guests while still feeling warm and inviting.
PONDS & WATER FEATURE
Two water elements form the heart of the garden. A formal pond in front of the main building, edged with natural stone, reflects the white façade and surrounding mountains. A circular pond creates a quieter, more intimate focal point near the guest pathways. Between the buildings, a stone-lined water rill adds a gentle sense of flow and connects the different garden rooms. 
We created a contemporary yet relaxed design featuring:
- Soft ornamental grass plantings that add texture and movement
- Brick-edged pathways designed for both beauty and practical guest use
- A formal pond with natural stone edging that reflects the hotel and mountains
- A circular pond that creates an intimate water focal point
- A stone-lined water rill that gently connects the garden spaces
- Seasonal colour from red-hot pokers and flowering shrubs for year-round interest
The result: The finished garden feels calm, elegant and thoroughly Winelands. Guests can stroll the pathways, pause by the water, or simply enjoy the soft movement of the grasses against the white walls and blue Franschhoek sky.
This project is another clear example of the precision and care CSA Landscaping brings to every site in the Boland and Cape Winelands — creating outdoor spaces that look beautiful from day one and continue to mature with grace.
