South Africa’s world-famous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens is a real natural haven for outdoor-lovers. The fresh air, soothing sounds of birds and bugs and aromas of the medley of local vegetation is an all-round sense-pleaser.
Home to over 2 2000 indigenous plants, Kirstenbosch boasts lush lawns, Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak as a backdrop and perfectly positioned pathways. It is a choice destination for a family outing, solitary stroll or lover’s picnic.
As part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the garden was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2004. It was established in 1913 to protect the Cape region’s immense floral wealth. Spanning over 528ha (1305 acres), this botanical retreat is a wonderland in any season. The paved paths make it easy to explore and the easy-to-read signboards make for a pleasurable horticultural lesson.
You can join in on the daily walking tour which starts at 10am at no cost and there are even golf cart tours for visitors for just R25.
An enormous Baobab tree can be found under the glass-topped conservatory where numerous other plants grow. These plants are all from various South African habitats, giving you a taste of the parts of the country you have yet to explore. The Gondwanaland Garden display will take you back 3.2 billion years and showcase the types of plants that were on the planet when there was still just one continent.
Then you can mosey-along to the Cycad Garden which shows off a family of plants that date back some 200 million years. Otherwise the Fynbos Walk takes you through the fynbos vegetation that is unique to the Cape Floral Kingdom and the Western Cape. The Useful Plants Garden will astound you with all manner of plants that are traditional used for medicinal purposes. There is almost a plant to treat any and every ailment!
For the keen hikers there are two glorious routes to take from the gardens. The Skeleton Gorge and the Nursery Ravine twist and wind their way up Table Mountain. You’ll have to set aside a good portion of your day to complete either route, and only attempt these routes if you are fairly fit.
In the summer there are open-air concerts held at the stage. Bring along a picnic, blanket, some wine and good company for an unforgettable afternoon/evening. These concerts are very popular however so it is advisable to get there early to secure your part of the grass.
If you get a bit puckish while ambling around the gardens the Silvertree Restaurants offers a delectable selection of snacks, meals and drinks. They also host a Winter Concert program that is most popular with both locals and visitors.
If you want to find out more information call them on 021 799 8899 or check out their website: http://www.sanbi.org/frames/kirstfram.htm
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
