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Exploring Gardens in South Africa Part II

by Ruby Weinberg

At long last, with only a day or two left in the Cape Town area, we arrived at the kingpin garden of South Africa, the world famous Kirstenbosh Botanical Garden (only a few miles from Cellars). These 1,000 acres were a gift from the country’s founder, Cecil Rhodes. I marveled at this garden’s plant count – 7,000 species during our visit. And I had one of my questions answered: Why are there so many other botanical preserves throughout the country? It is because Kirstenbosch has a rather wet WINTER season unsuitable to some of S.A.’s native flora. Nevertheless, its plantings and scenery are spectacular.

The peaks of Table Mountain loom everywhere in the background, but we avoided the highest areas and hiked on easier terrain. A good place to start is The Dell where the garden originated in 1811. It is a quiet spot along a spring with tree ferns surrounding a bird-shaped pool built by Col. Christopher Bird!

One thing is for sure: proteas here are everywhere! Leucadendrons, especially, dotted the backdrop. Some are called “Silver Trees”; they need no bloom to display their beauty because of their silvery foliage. Somewhere in my readings, I discovered that the 18th-century Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus, was sent so many proteas that he named both the family and genus after the ever-changing Greek god, Proteus.


Some of the other protacea in bloom here were Mimetes cucullatus with red and white flowers and Seruria florida, the “blushing bride’ carrying two-inch bracts of the palest pink. Sensational plantings of the beautiful coral tree, Erythrina latissima, are in many places. Happily, we were in Kirstenbosch toward the end of September when a great number of species produce their bloom.

The Mathews Rockery here is a fantastic display of dry climate plants such as aloes, euhorbias, ericas, and crassulas. Apparently, the soil preparation here allows for the well drained culture needed by these plants.

Botanists from all over the globe come to Kirstenbosh to study both living plants and over a quarter of a million pressed and mounted S.A. plant specimens. They also test the germination of alpine, succulent, shrub and tree seeds.

A conservatory built in 1997 shelters frost-tender plants. Its staff is constantly working on breeding unfamiliar species and introducing them to keen plantsmen. They also collect and display over 700 native bulbous species. Clivias are one of their specialties…not only orange, but now many yellow blooms as well as a striped form and another with almost pink blooms. They are something to watch for as possible potted plants in the states.

There is an excellent restaurant in the garden as well as a “Happy Tractor” service for those who cannot walk too far. A display kiosk west of the restaurant lists plants currently in bloom.

But we had to move on. After a week in the Kirstenbosh area, we parted from Jean Almon and Cellars. It was then that we followed the so-called “Garden Route” spending, early in the drive, a half day at Vergelegen, the name, in Africaans, meaning “fair lying.” It was the first outpost of the Dutch East India company, now an interpretive center. Its rose, white, and octagonal gardens were beautifully maintained, and its aged camphor trees were unforgettable, but this wine producing estate is also dedicated to recording S.A.’s history with paintings, diagrams, photographs, etc. from the early Khoisan tribesmen to its more recent historical items.

Betty’s Bay and the Porter Botanical Garden was our next day’s destination. This small village had few over-night accommodations and so we drove on to the next town, backtracking the following day.

At a much later date, I learned that the senior curator at the Denver Botanical Garden, Panayoti Keladis, had probably been here as he made six trips to S.A. beginning in 1994. This included exploration in botanical gardens as well as wild areas. Amongst the plants he especially covets are those suited to rock gardens. Keladis introduced 40 to 50 unfamiliar South African species to American gardeners.

Porter’s 450 acre preserve was a gift to the nation from the successful business man, Harold Porter. A 1940 fire near his estate inspired him to save the area’s incredible native flora. It was then termed a National Botanical Garden which includes marshes and beach plantings with paths climbing high overlooking gorges, pools, and waterfalls. Everywhere are lovely proteas, heaths and iris. I particularly remember the lovely native pea family tree named Virgilia oroboides. Also interesting was an unusually low Leucospermum, a good choice for a rock garden. Sadly, Porter’s suffered severe storm damage a few years ago, but has now been nicely restored and improved.

Our next stop was the town of Hermanus with many fine shops and restaurants. We found that the Fernkloof Nature Preserve is a good place to have wildflower photos identified. After an overnight in a hotel, we drove north to Montagu and the Marloth Nature Garden with its springtime flower displays, especially many kinds of daisies. Marloth was an early botanist who was the first to compile a “flora” of S.A. vegetation.


For a change of pace, we then visited a crocodile and cheetah preserve where visitors can caress the big pussycats--but not, of course, the crocs! At another place along the Garden Route, we could not resist a stop at Oudtshoorn reached from a mountain pass road. Oudtshoorn is renown for its cultivated ostrich farms. It is quite a sight watching visitors game enough to ride on the backs of these huge birds.

Unfortunately, we just missed a wildflower show in the town of Caledon. This is good reason, early in your trip, to seek out listings of local events. However, at Mossel Bay, my husband and I found that the Garden Route is justly named with its springtime wild flora in full bloom along the roadside. A worthwhile stop for us was the town of George with a plant nursery called Rademachers, probably the largest in S.A. Sadly, they are no longer in business. But then, purchasing plants to take home, I decided, is rarely worth the trouble because of exacting governmental requirements.

The Garden Route starts at Mossel Bay, traverses Tsitsikamma Forest and then gradually turns northeast all the way to Port Elizabeth. Much of this overlooks beautiful beaches with mountains on the other side of the road. In Tsitikamma National Park, we found ourselves hiking on the Mouth Trail with its picturesque river-sea landscapes. Early pioneers and their oxen had to cross here on their way northeast. It must have been a treacherous business, but paths are now safe so that contemporary visitors can enjoy the scenery.

Our plan was to drive to Port Elizabeth, return our rental car, and fly to the eastern city of Durban thus avoiding an area of so-so scenery. After our hike on the Mouth Trail, we left the Garden Route and drove many miles further to locate Van Staden’s Wildlife Preserve.

Van Staden was a British officer who, in 1830, identified the many species here. The preserve is located about 21 miles before Port Elizabeth. We left the highway following Van Staden signs. Although short on time, we studied its cut flowering specimens displayed and labeled on a stone wall. An exciting bloom here was the Natal area’s bird-of-paradise, Strelitzia nicholai. Its flower rises from a black sheath that is mauve and white, quite different from the common stretlitzia.

Arriving in Port Elizabeth several hours before our Durban flight, we enjoyed a picnic lunch at Settlers Park named after the 1830 British settlers who camped here. Flowering bulbs were blooming all over the lawns as well as patches of kniphofia, aloe and euphorbia…a pleasant place to relax on the grass.

After renting a car in Durban, we drove around part of the city – large, bustling and modern. For visitors from subtropical parts of the U.S., many landscape plantings here will look familiar. The Durban Botanical Garden is on Sydenham Road. It is noted for, among thousands of plants, its Aleurites moluccana, the Pacific candlenut tree with profuse white flowers, as well as 150 species of palms and an enormous native cycad collection--the latter, perhaps the largest in the world.

Then, with only a week left of our trip, we were determined to meet Nancy Gardiner in the northeast town of Hilton. True to her name, Nancy has been a busy garden writer for over 40 years. She and her husband’s lovely home is in this historic small city. Nicely landscaped on 65 acres, part of the scene is an overlook of Albert Falls. One of her trees bustled with activity. Within its branches, weaver birds created dozens of basket-like nests. The male, it seems, builds one nest after another until the female approves of it for egg laying.

Not too far from here is the Natal Botanical Garden. Brian Tarr, the curator at the time, told us that the 60 acres were divided into two sections, indigenous and imported sub-tropicals. We particularly enjoyed the native hiccup nut shrub, Combreteum bracteous, with its reddish-orange flowers. Imported flowering vines on the garden’s tea house were spectacular, but oh, so sad, was that our S.A. tour was coming to an end!.


With only three days left of our trip, we had just a little time to join an “open garden” tour. One home on the tour was the property of Mrs. Ann McLeod. It brought back memories of eastern U.S, this garden filled with azaleas, rhododendron and camellias. An interesting tree here is the Bellhambra from South America. Back at home, however, I learned that in some parts of tropical South America, it is terribly invasive!

Now, two days remained before our flight home, but the heaviest fog we had ever experienced cut short further garden visits.

The republic that we had visited has been experiencing the implementation of its new constitution. Meanwhile, American visitors may be surprised to learn that there is far more to the country than elephants and baboons. Hopefully, in time, all of its population will be able to enjoy the beauty of their extraordinary homeland. For Americans, a visit to South Africa will surely be an unforgettable experience.

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