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Date	Original Topic
22nd April 2005	Anglo-Zulu War 1879 garden/park design ideas By Coll As my other planned projects have either reached a deadend, or I am still pursuing details regarding them, I was trying to make a connection between the AZW, which of course is my main interest, and my pastime, which is gardening and wanting to learn garden design. However, I could never think of a theme for any design, until now, being the AZW, which would involve incorporating aspects of the AZW campaign into the drawing, through representing them using planting, structures and water features. I know it is a personal project and maybe there already is such a AZW Memorial Garden/Park, I would appreciate any ideas of what to include from the campaign to be represented in the design. This will not be a recreation of a specific battlefield, but covering the whole campaign. I like to think of this as a serious challenge and I would appreciate genuine replies regarding this topic, should anyone wish to answer. Thankyou Coll
Date	Replies
22nd April 2005	Andy Lee Coll My knowledge of gardening would not fill the back of a postage stamp but what about Victoria cross shaped flower beds or a high shrub cleverly trimed to form the shape of Isandhlwana! Andy
22nd April 2005	Paul Cubbin A flower bed / lawn in the shape of a Zulu shield seems an obvious starter I'd say. Remember the red & white oxhide pattern of the uThulwana regiment involved at RD - this should be a cinch and quite effective too.
22nd April 2005	Coll Andy and Paul Thanks for replying so quickly. You have both got the right idea, but remember, this isn't my own garden, but a design for an AZW Memorial Garden or Park which the public would be able to visit and walk around, so think larger (within reason) and please keep adding suggestions. However, this is an idea for me to try out my garden design skills (if I have any) by drawing the plan of such a large-scale project dedicated to the AZW campaign, so I don't think it will become a reality, but I'm sure attempting it, will be interesting and enjoyable. Thanks again Coll
22nd April 2005	Kris the use of Victoria Cross poppies might be quite apt Kris
22nd April 2005	Basil I have just finished a superb victoria Cross lawn at home by laying 4 large stone circles at each corner then joining them together at their mid points. I then lined the inner shape with one course of pre shaped red & layed top quality lawn . Looks superb
22nd April 2005	Coll Viewing a few of my gardening books and catalogues, I have a couple of ideas. There are fantastic chairs and benches which use wagon wheels in their construction, which could represent the transport during the AZW. Using these at various locations in the garden would look great and even several in a picnic-type area would give the appearance of a wagon park. A meandering water feature could represent the Buffalo river. I also like the idea of mirror-images of the Zulu attack formation, 3 flower beds (chest and horns) facing each other, the colours of the flowers identical to those of the Zulu regiments. In between these symmetrical images would be, as Paul suggested, a large Zulu shield, maybe based on the king's. I like the idea of VC flower beds, maybe positioned like the points of a clock around a fountain that has a base which looks like a mealie-bag redoubt. I'm just thinking out loud. (on an e-mail ?) Coll
23rd May 2005	Coll Further to the above. If anybody is interested in this idea, although not about military subjects, watch the Chelsea Flower Show and view the professionally designed gardens. If you use quite a bit of imagination, you'll get an idea of what I mean, by using structures and flowers to represent aspects of the AZW campaign. It does show gardens in a smaller scale, rather than a very large garden or park, but I've started thinking the size of gardens used in the Chelsea Flower Show are more practical, even for me to design something. I apologise if this is boring to non-gardeners. Coll