Nestled in the heart of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, where mist clings to the hills and wildflowers bloom beside waterfalls, lies a garden with a story unlike any other. Brahman Hills began as a run-down roadside motel and has transformed into an internationally recognised five-star destination, home to one of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Partner Gardens. That extraordinary transformation is now captured in a bold, beautiful coffee table book: Brahman Hills: The Making of a World-Class Garden.
Authored by Iain Buchan, Michele Magwood, and landscape architect Tim Steyn – with photography by Connall Oosterbroek – the book documents the journey of a once-forgotten piece of land into one of South Africa’s most celebrated gardens.
What makes this horticultural showpiece truly remarkable is how it came to life. During the COVID-19 lockdown – when the hotel stood empty, weddings were cancelled and the future of the business was uncertain – the team at Brahman Hills did something extraordinary. Guided by the vision of the late Carol Buchan, a passionate plantswoman with a deep love for indigenous flora, staff from the kitchen to housekeeping rolled up their sleeves and began to revive the land. They healed the soil, carved out paths and planted trees for a future they couldn’t yet see, and cultivated the living sanctuary that now stands as a symbol of hope, beauty, and resilience.
With Carol’s vision refined by Tim Steyn, and the daily work led by a committed on-site team, the result is a five-hectare botanical wonder: forest walks, flowerbeds, dams, grottoes, sculptures, and beehives. A garden with a soul.
“This is not just a book about a garden,” says Magwood. “It’s about legacy, about resilience, and about what’s possible when people come together around a dream.”
She adds that Brahman Hills: The Making of a World-Class Garden is also a conversation piece, a collector’s item, and a wonderful gift.
Available in stores and online from late September, the book invites readers to step into the story – whether as garden lovers, travellers, or simply those who appreciate what can grow from love, loss, and land. It’s a book to keep, to give, and to talk about.
