Ewanrigg’s creator – Basil Christian

Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens, now in the care of Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) was the original creation of one person, Harold Basil Christian, usually referred to as ‘Basil.’ He came to Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) in 1911 and bought the farm Mount Shannon, which he renamed Ewanrigg. There is a discussion below as to why he chose this name.

He built a house on a kopje and spacious lawns were planted in front of the house where a garden was planned. Initially he attempted to grow imported European alpine plants, but these tree species, which tend to be conifers, favour high altitudes, cooler temperatures and generous amounts of water and proved not well-suited to the heat, dryness, and altitude of his farm.

The story goes that in 1916, after it proved impossible to remove an unsightly rock from the spacious lawns in front of the house, his farm surveyor went to a hill close by, uprooted an Aloe cameronii and planted it "to hide the stark appearance of this unsightly rock." Basil Christian was very impressed when, despite never being watered, the aloe flowered the next year and he decided to concentrate on indigenous aloes rather than imported trees.

     Author photo: large open spaces alternate with closely planted ridges of aloes

Development of Ewanrigg Botanical Garden

From 1916 on, numerous rockeries were constructed and more and more aloes were acquired for the garden and in the 1930s, he began traveling throughout Rhodesia and South Africa, searching for new varieties of aloe for his garden. In 1937, he journeyed throughout Manicaland and the following year in Nyasaland (today's Malawi) to study the aloes there up until the 1930s, and they were such a success that he began to add cycads and many species of small succulent plants.

His research into Aloes

But in addition to enjoying the collection, identification, cultivation, study and photographing of the different Aloe species, he gradually began to publish his research. In 1933, he published his first article, ‘Notes on African Aloes,’ in the Rhodesian Agricultural Journal that began, "From a gardening point of view the growing of Aloes has several advantages which are not possessed by the ordinary plants grown for decorative purposes. Aloes are perennials, and once they are planted they continue growing and flowering for many years. Once established, they can persist throughout the driest seasons without watering, although certain species from the winter rainfall areas or mist belts thrive much better with an occasional watering in our winter." From then on until his death, he published numerous articles and papers in various periodicals, and several were published posthumously.

Basil Christian and Gilbert W. Reynolds, a South African optometrist, became the aloe experts. They met in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) in 1933, and mutually agreed that Christian would focus on aloes growing north of the Limpopo river, while Reynolds would concentrate on aloes occurring south of the river.

In 1937 a small injury from a rusty nail to his arm went septic and his right arm was amputated above the elbow. This forced him to give up other hobbies and focus on gardening and he developed an additional interest in Barberton daisies. For the next fifteen years he was busy preparing a book on tropical African Aloe species, and although he completed much research, the book was never published.

        Author photo: Ewanrigg aloes in bloom

In 1939 Gilbert Reynolds visited Ewanrigg Farm and published a detailed description of his visit in the South African Horticultural Journal, in which he noted the rockeries, pools, and the prevalence of Aloe cameronii, which were in bloom during the winter season, saying, "Glowing reports of 'Ewanrigg' have often reached me and it has long been my keen desire to go up and see for myself just exactly what this famous garden really did look like ... I shall endeavour to record my impressions but justice cannot be done in a mere pen picture. It is one of those gardens that must be seen to be appreciated, and one should linger for days to take it all in. We had only a day at our disposal — much too short a time . . . The memory of that unique garden, of the rockeries and pools and especially the blaze of colour put up by the masses of Aloe cameronii will linger for many a year to come. We left 'Ewanrigg' reluctantly but with the earnest hope that we would be able to visit it again one day…the finest and most complete collection of Aloes in existence."

       Author photo: the Aloes favour the hilly ridges for maximum sunshine 

Basil Christian’s international reputation as an Aloe expert grows

Over the years, his international reputation as an authority on African Aloe species grew and he became recognized by botanists around the world as an authority. One species was named Aloe christianii in his honour, its description written by Gilbert Reynolds in 1936 — "the species having been originally collected by Christian at Ewanrigg."

Many specimens of aloes arrived at Ewanrigg where they would be recorded and planted, and when they bloomed, their flowers were described and the descriptions were published. He enlisted the help of Dr Inez Clare Verdoorn, another world botanical authority in South Africa, and between them they recorded 28 previously unidentified species.

By the early 1940’s, Ewanrigg had expanded to seven acres and was internationally recognised for its collection of African aloes in particular. Many international experts visited and in 1943 the 14.5 acres of garden was declared National Monument No 46, "A beaconed area of approximately 14.5 acres situated immediately east of the homestead on Ewanrigg Farm, Salisbury District, comprising the Aloe Garden, the slopes of the kopje covered with indigenous timber adjoining the garden, and an area of land at the base of the said kopje."

His interests widen into cycads and euphorbia

In later life Christian continued to cultivate aloes, but also began collecting and propagating African Cycads and in 1947, he and Dr Inez Clare Verdoorn went on a cycad tour of South Africa travelling from the Transvaal to Natal. He also grew interested in Euphorbia and his contribution was acknowledged in the 1941 book Succulent Euphorbieae of Southern Africa, "for very useful information about the species native in the Rhodesia’s and for gifts of plants and photographs" and several of his photographs were used as illustrations.  

  Author photo: one of the many species of Euphorbia at Ewanrigg

Ewanrigg is bequeathed to the nation by Basil Christian

In 1948, he subdivided his 1,401 acre (662 morgen) property keeping just  over half the original acreage - 707 acres. On 5 June 1948, in his will he made this land, which included his garden, over to the Rhodesian state. The Rhodesia Herald, which published an article at the time read, "If the offer of the owner Mr Basil Christian is accepted by the Rhodesian Government, the finest and most complete collection of aloes and cycads in the world will become the property of the Colony for all time."

In an interview Christian said his interest had grown as a hobby and that during bis many years of research he had corresponded with botanists throughout the world and that his collection would not have been possible without the help of Kew Gardens and the South African government's Division of Botany, who frequently sent him new specimens. In the same interview, he acknowledged that Ewanrigg had made a significant contribution to science, and that all his records would be donated to the country along with the garden.

Harold ‘Basil’ Christian died on Friday, 12 May 1950 at St Anne's Hospital, Salisbury after a lengthy illness, aged 79 years and was buried the following day at Salisbury Cemetery, following a funeral service at the Anglican Cathedral. He was remembered as a proud Old Etonian, an enthusiastic member of the Rhodesian Agricultural Union, an active member of The Salisbury Club, a skilled horseback rider and most memorably, for the wonderful creation of his garden.

   Photos NAZ: Basil Christian in 1948 and in his garden at Ewanrigg

In her tribute to Basil Christian Dr Inez Clare Verdoorn wrote, "The rock-work is still there to be admired and the Aloes and Cycads to be studied, but the maker and builder of that garden has now gone from it. After a long battle with a trying malady on a night in May 1950, H. Basil Christian of Ewanrigg died. The next day a mutual friend in Salisbury, hearing the news, wrote in part of the 'laird of Ewanrigg' as he called him, 'a very gallant gentleman doing grand work in his own line under the heaviest of handicaps, and holding his head high and scorning the facile pity of weaklings . . . Ave atque vale most faithful of Old Etonians. I like a man who has the courage of his loyalties. . . Eton sustained him against all odds and that is more than can be said of most men.' Ewanrigg must needs be desolate and wan for a while but in time it will recover. Long may it be a monument to the memory of Basil Christian and an asset to the country that he loved."

HFW Davies and A.G. Buckland continued to develop the gardens at Ewanrigg

In June 1949 H.F.W. Davies, a horticulturist who had trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and worked at the National Botanic Gardens at Kirstenbosch in the Cape, took up residence at Ewanrigg. Davies, who had met Christian at a meeting of the Succulent Society of which Christian was the founder and president, remained as curator for 23 years and maintained and further developed Ewanrigg garden until his retirement from the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Management in 1970.

H.F.W. Davies was succeeded by A.G. Buckland, a keen student of stapeliads, aloes and other succulents, who continued the tradition of extending and making improvements at Ewanrigg.

     Author photo – visitors enjoy a picnic at Ewanrigg

The plaque to Basil Christian

At an Ewanrigg ceremony in 1952 The Rhodesia Herald reported as follows in the press, A simple plaque to the memory of Basil Christian who, in his Aloe garden at Ewanrigg has left to the nation a source of pleasure and inspiration for future generations, is a fitting tribute. Sir Ernest Guest, when he unveiled the plaque, quoted the Latin inscription to Sir Christopher Wren in St. Paul's Cathedral: “If you want a memorial, look around you.

The garden is his memorial, and a rock bears a brass plate with this inscription:

                HAROLD BASIL CHRISTIAN

                          1871 to 1950

                  Here a garden was born

                      FONS et ORIGO

               ERECTED BY THE BOTANICAL

                   SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN

                        RHODESIA, 1952

'Fons et Origo' — the fountain and source. It was at this spot that Christian planted his first Aloes, which are still growing. From that small beginning came the inspiration to build what is reputed to be the finest garden of aloes, cycads and succulents in the world. It was declared a national monument several years ago, and before his death in May 1950 he gave it to the nation. Farmer, lover of nature, and a world authority on Aloes, Basil Christian has left for posterity a thing of beauty."

    Author photo – footpaths guide visitors through the Botanical Gardens

The present day property is managed by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority

In 1950, the estate was named Ewanrigg Botanical Garden and was opened to the public. In 1960 the Governor Humphrey Gibbs declared it a National Park. The area under cultivation has been considerably expanded over the years to 100 hectares under the management of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks)

To the credit of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority they have done a great job in maintaining the quality of the gardens and also expanding the area under cultivation for the enjoyment of Zimbabwe citizens and the community. In recent years, the country’s economic decline has seen a failure of delivery of most Zimbabwean organisations, but I believe if Basil Christian came back and saw the garden today he would feel just as proud of his creation as he did in the late 1940’s.   

         A general view of a sample of the Ewanrigg Aloes

The best time for aloe viewing is in the winter from April to July when they are in bloom. At this time, they entice large numbers of long-billed sunbirds attracted by the nectar and visits by bird watchers will be well rewarded. Short-billed birds have also learnt to perch on the stem of the aloe spike and puncture the base of each flower to capture the nectar. A wide variety of birds are attracted, including water birds to the dam in the north of the garden.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority operate the site. Some reasons for visiting the site include:

• A picnic site popular with families with braai stands, water points and toilet facilities
• An open ground where visitors can play ball games
• Photography of plants and birds
• Walks – guided and unguided
• Bird watching
• Enjoying the botanical gardens set in an attractive piece of countryside

On the writer’s last visit the café on site was permanently closed, probably due to a lack of visitors, although the braai area was well used with at least a dozen cars. The gardens looked well maintained, paths and walkways had been cut back and the Zimparks staff at the entrance was very welcoming. Despite the state of the economy and the lack of funding for Zimparks, Ewanrigg Botanic Garden does not feel neglected and is very much a community resource which Harare residents should be encouraged to use. Clearly Basil Christian made a wise choice in low-maintenance gardening all those years ago.

   Author photo – attractive planting makes a walk through the gardens very enjoyable