If 2026 had a theme song for BEST Landscaping, it would be something upbeat with a confident bassline because this year, we’re turning up the volume.  Not only are we expanding our services and our capacity, but we’ve also planted a brand‑new home base: our very own smallholding, Montana Estate in Klein Dassenberg, Atlantis.

And believe us… this chapter is going to be a good one!

Montana is more than a name.  Borrowed from the Spanish montaña and Latin montanus, meaning “mountain,” it captures strength, backbone, and the kind of grounded presence we want this estate to embody.  It’s a fitting title for the space that is set to carry so much of BEST Landscaping’s future growth.

And what a setting it is.  Klein Dassenberg rests in an ecologically rich zone known for its fynbos plains, rare flowering species, and untamed natural beauty. It’s the kind of landscape that feels both wild and welcoming, an inspiring backdrop for a business that thrives on transforming outdoor spaces.  Montana Estate itself spans 7 hectares, 3.5 of which are covered in fynbos.

This natural canvas is already shaping one of our most exciting long‑term projects: a defined fynbos landscape integrated with thoughtfully placed recreational pods. Picture indigenous beauty, walking paths, and spaces designed for restoration, creativity, and connection.  It’s not just land, it’s lifestyle. It’s potential.

But the Estate isn’t only about the environment surrounding us.  It’s also about the environment we’re building within.  At BEST Landscaping, we’ve always believed that investing in our people is the best investment we can make. Montana Estate is becoming our Training and Skills Hub, giving team members the opportunity to refine and expand their expertise.  From steelworks (think custom brackets, frames, and outdoor structures) to specialised landscaping techniques, paving mastery, woodwork, and eco‑friendly solutions, this space is where capability meets craftsmanship. It’s a commitment to our staff and ultimately, a commitment to our clients.

Of course, growth comes with new tools too.  We’ve added a mini excavator and two trailers to broaden what we can take on.  That means more in‑house trenching, levelling, excavation for foundations, ponds, fire pits, and more.  Faster turnaround times, better control, and more comprehensive service from start to finish.

And because sustainability lies at the heart of what we’re building, Montana Estate is evolving into an off‑grid, eco‑forward operation.  Boreholes are underway, solar installations are being added, and water‑wise systems are taking shape.  Our goal is simple: live the sustainability we preach, and let the Estate itself model what a responsible, future‑focused landscape can be.

Speaking of sustainable solutions: meet our new chippa.  With this addition, we’re now producing mulch on‑site and offering mulching services to clients.  Mulch suppresses weeds, keeps soil cool and moist, improves structure, reduces waste, and supports healthier gardens.  A small practice with a big payoff for your landscape and the planet.  Contact us to purchase yours.

And then there are the goats.

Yes, the 11 unexpected, unplanned, uninvited (but now beloved) goats who arrived with the property.  They patrol like security guards, mow like seasoned groundskeepers, and charm absolutely everyone.  We didn’t choose the goats… but the goats have absolutely chosen us.

Looking ahead, even more ideas are in motion for Montana Estate for retail, from natural bottled honey to large bonsai cultivation, a hydrangea‑ and saffron focused nursery, and firewood, to name a few.  It’s becoming a multi‑layered space where creativity, conservation, and business meet.

Montana Estate may be the start of our next big chapter but your garden could be the start of yours. From expert care to bold new designs, BEST Landscaping is ready to take your outdoor space to its full potential.  When you’re ready to grow, we’re ready to get to work.

A calm, grounded conversation with a designer whose academic achievement has sharpened his craft and deepened his way of seeing.

1. Completing your Master’s in Landscaping Design is a significant milestone. How has it changed the way you work, especially when deadlines are tight or briefs are complex?Finishing my Master’s made me far more aware of the value of clarity early in the process.  When timelines tighten or a brief becomes layered, it’s easy to get caught in the details too soon.  As a team we already meet before and after site visits, but I’m quicker now to strip an idea back to its essentials before moving into refinement.  It’s made my work more focused and more intentional, especially in the early stages.
2. Your design eye was shaped long before you entered the profession. What early experiences continue to influence how you design today?Growing up between rural landscapes and dense urban environments taught me to see outdoor spaces as lived-in, rather than merely designed.  Early exposure to nature made me sensitive to comfort and texture, while urban settings showed me how creatively space can be used when it’s limited.  That sensibility, noticing how people actually move, gather, and occupy a place, still guides my approach today.
3. When budget, maintenance, and timelines all compete, what principle helps anchor your design without compromising the long-term life of the space?
   I’ve learned the value of choosing fewer elements and making sure each one is appropriate, well considered, and buildable.  Good ideas can unravel quickly if scale and budget aren’t properly understood.  Julian has influenced how I think about cost and investment, and where simplicity is actually the smarter design decision.  That shift has helped me create landscapes that remain realistic to maintain and still feel resolved well after handover.
4. Tell us about a recent moment when one small idea unlocked an entire project.
   Interestingly, it wasn’t a level adjustment or a planting move, it was a mud kitchen.  On one of our current projects, the idea emerged through conversation with the client, and that single intervention ended up clarifying the surrounding spaces.  It helped define relationships within the layout and became a key organising element in how the site unfolded.
   Turns out, all the space needed was a little mud to find its shape 😉
5. Looking ahead to the coming season, which planting idea or material trend are you most excited to explore with clients?
   Right now, I’m most excited by how integral planting has become in making a space truly work.  A strong, well-considered plant palette can structure a site, guide movement, improve comfort, and reduce the need for unnecessary complexity.  Across projects, I’ve seen how important it is to choose planting that fits the site, the budget, and the long-term maintenance plan.  One of the first questions we always ask, often prompted by Julian, is about water supply.  Thinking about irrigation from the start ensures the landscape survives and performs long after handover.

And if his recent projects are anything to go by, the next season of BEST’s landscapes will have just the right balance of clarity, curiosity, and mud‑kitchen magic. Watch this space!