‘Prost’ as Tweni’s gardening guru Lilo tuns 99
Mrs Bartels has lived on the South Coast for some 26 years, and many garden club members will remember her beautifully landscaped gardens on her farm in Melville.
Lilo Bartels of Umtentweni celebrated her 99th birthday last month.
According to Mrs Bartels, the secret to living to such a ripe old age is eating correctly – which includes a good healthy lunch – and eating fruit.
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She also likes to swim during the summer.
“I have lived a good life, and I don’t really feel my age,” she added, chatting over a strong cup of filter coffee.
Mrs Bartels was born in Germany on July 7, 1921.
She survived World War II by leaving everything she owned and fleeing with her baby daughter to the American zone in southern Germany.
She married twice, and sadly both her husbands died.
She later travelled the world, even visiting the North Pole, but fell in love with South Africa and its warm weather.
Mrs Bartels has lived on the South Coast for some 26 years, and many garden club members will remember her beautifully landscaped gardens on her farm in Melville, her home for around 13 years.
“I brought the banana farm for its large and exquisite gardens. I didn’t care about the bananas,” she said, smiling.
She later down-scaled and moved to Umtentweni where she lives in a quiet and cosy home.
Apart from her love for gardening and painting, she still reads and finishes one German book a week.
About two weeks ago, Mrs Bartels adopted the cutest little dog named Daisy who has made herself right at home.
Mrs Bartels keeps in contact with her overseas family and friends, especially her daughter, her two grandsons and two great grandchildren.
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