Suzanne Papenfus has recently joined Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate as their landscaper, bringing extensive experience and a heartfelt connection to the natural world.
With a deep-rooted love for nature and design, Suzanne Papenfus has joined Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate as the estate’s landscaper – bringing with her not only a wealth of experience, but a passion for creating spaces that inspire and rejuvenate.
Growing up in the rural Cederberg and Swartland regions, Suzanne was surrounded by gardens from a young age. Whether it was vegetable beds, flowering shrubs or endless pot plants, gardening has always been part of her life – and even now, it remains a favourite family conversation topic.
Before stepping into her new role, Suzanne worked closely with Vergenoegd Löw as a landscape consultant and technician while employed by a Cape Town-based landscape architecture firm. “To work hands-on with plants and get to know the gardening teams is enriching,” she shares. “Nothing on this farm is confined, it’s a beautiful space to grow gardens that belong in the landscape.”
Suzanne originally considered a career in fashion and textile design, having completed a diploma in the field. But her love of nature and desire to create in outdoor spaces gradually steered her towards landscape technology – a path that allowed her to combine creativity with her passion for plants and the natural environment.
Her vision for the estate is clear: to create tranquil, ever-evolving garden spaces that invite visitors back again and again. With mature trees, mountain views, and ample space, she sees endless opportunities to craft a rich tapestry of colour, texture and biodiversity, including the possible introduction of rare plant species in future.
Sustainability is key in her approach. Suzanne and the team use natural methods to manage the gardens – from hand weeding and mulching, to companion planting in the vegetable gardens, and even grazing sheep to keep lawns fertilised and trimmed. The estate’s famous Indian Runner ducks, of course, do their bit by managing snails and insects.
One of the most exciting projects underway is the Brandes Garden, inspired by 18th-century Dutch artist Jan Brandes, who painted various plant species during a visit to the estate in 1786. Suzanne is designing the garden to reflect both Brandes’s historical observations and the flora native to the False Bay region – a botanical tribute that blends history with horticulture.
For Suzanne, every corner of the estate is an opportunity to create an experience. Whether it’s a walkway lined with fragrant herbs, a quiet nook beneath a canopy of trees, or a vegetable patch destined for the estate’s kitchens, the garden becomes a living story – one that educates, nourishes and delights. “I want our visitors to feel peace here,” she says. “We have the space, the beauty, and the climate, now it’s about shaping that into something unforgettable.”
When asked what she’d plant everywhere if she could, her answer is simple: bulbs. “They give you something all year round, and they produce some of the most fascinating flowers in the world.”
As for a perfect day in the garden? “If I can stand back and see a new space come to life – whether it’s newly planted or freshly restored – then it’s been a day well spent.”