Zen Garden
In Memory of Christine Maritz
This Zen Garden was the creative idea of Christine Maritz. Christine was a long-time resident of Cedar Lakes,
a well-known and much-loved personality who spent a lot of her time and money on beautifying Cedar Lakes
in her role as the Chairlady of the Environmental Committee.
Zen Garden Art Work
Helen Martins owl sculpture This beautiful cement owl was made by an artist in Nieu Bethesda who recreates Helen Martins famous 2- faced owls. They can be purchased in all sorts of shapes and sizes for little money from the vendors near The Owl House Museum. This particular owl was donated to the residents of Cedar Lakes by Christine Maritz (1963 – 2021) for the Zen Garden.
Artist Helen Martins Helen Martins was a reclusive individual who, as an artist and person, to this day remains something of a mystery. She was born on 23 December 1897 in the Karoo village of Niew-Bethesda. At the age of 20 Helen moved to the Transvaal to begin a career as a teacher. A few years later Helen however had to return to her dull home town to care for her elderly parents for 31 years until their death. Her parents left Helen their house and she started to transform the house and the garden and fill it with eccentric artwork.
Zen Garden Audio
Owl Project
The Cedar Lakes Owl Release Programme was initiated by a small project team of six residents in about August
2017. It is part of EcoSolutions’ award-winning “Owl Project”, which started initially as an education project for
schools in and around Johannesburg.
This project aims to rehabilitate, acclimatise and stage the release of rescued owls. From an educational point of
view, it also addresses the wide stigma of owls (particularly barn owls) as being an omen of death. Apart from
schools, EcoSolutions has installed release enclosures in several business premises, housing and eco estates in
Gauteng.
Contact Details
Cedar Lakes Residence
- Cedar Lakes Lifestyle Estate, Cedar Boulevard Maroeladal, Fourways, 2191