Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday Morning Garden Blogging.
I previously posted a four-part series this year on countries that P and I visited while on a month-long trip in Africa. (links to those diaries are further below). This diary will only cover an afternoon at the world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens located in Cape Town, South Africa. It is internationally acclaimed as one of the seven most magnificent botanical gardens in the world.
When Kirstenbosch was founded in 1913 to preserve the flora native to the South Africa’s territory, it was the first botanical garden in the world with this ethos, at a time when invasive species were not considered an ecological and environmental problem.
This garden visit was the last part of an all day tour we took to the Cape of Good Hope, New Cape Point Lighthouse, Boulder’s African Penguins and ended here at Kirstenbosch. Regretfully, we did not have the time to explore the entire gardens as you would probably need more than a full day. Also several trails go to the top of Table Mountain.
Introduction: Kirstenbosch History to Today
Established in 1913 for the preservation and study of indigenous plants, the gardens actually have a much longer history. A hedge that was planted in 1660 as a property boundary for the Dutch colony still grows in the park today. The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which encompass an area of 1,300 acres, are part of the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The park has many features that focus on the regions vegetation and animal life. Paths cut through the gardens to allow visitors easy access to the flora – and there is a Canopy Walkway in the treetops, as well as intriguing art installations.
So let’s get started
I brought along cups of Morning Coffee Jazz for you to enjoy with your viewing pleasure.
An entrance display showed the garden’s current flowers in bloom with identification of what you will be viewing during your exploration.
Top photo — l. to r. Agathosma Collina, Erica abietina, Leucospermum tottumkk, Erica verticillata
Bottom photo — l. to r. Geranium, Leucospermum cuneiform “Goldie”, Phaenocoma prolifera (Daisy family), ....utescoma
There were several aquariums and pools
the conservatory
Wild Seed Pod by Arthur Fata, Zimbabwean sculptor, b. 1963.
Look at the old bonsais behind the sculpture
this one appears to be an owl playing a musical instrument
We had been traveling with six other tourists all day so we intended to stick together so we would return at the same time to the entrance to find our guide for our return to downtown Cape Town.
So do we go to the right? Or to the left?
We all agreed that our first choice was the Boomslang Canopy Walkway!
someone’s hand shows us to the left.
The name of the Tree Canopy Walkway is named after the Boomslang, a highly venomous tree snake that lives in the garden’s trees. There were signs warning of snakes, including the Cape Cobra. So we were made aware beforehand of snakes here, unlike climbing all over rocks at the top of Table Mountain a few days earlier to only discover after leaving that there were twenty-two species of snakes living there with half being venomous.
So let’s enjoy our stroll to the Walkway and forget about snakes as we did not observe any
I immediately sensed that P and I were the only ones interested in the plants and views along the way.
I really like the pink and grey together. Reminds me of my mother’s bathroom tile colors c. 1960.
I believe the left one is a type of umbrella palm
I struggled to keep up with our fellow travelers from Germany who were speed racing to the Walkway. Slow down and enjoy the views!!
Not one German glance toward this wonderful landscape as they instead indulged in selfies
it appears in the center that there were two yellow eyes watching me
I want this medieval-looking staircase!
A view of the rising walkway as we circle around to start our journey. Where did the jogging Germans go?
a one minute video to give you an excellent overview that my photos are unable to provide
Walk Above The Trees
Welcome to the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway
Like the tree snake (boomslang in Afrikaans, sounds like bw-om-slung) that inspired its design and nickname, this raised walkway winds and dips its way through and over the trees.
The Boomslang is a steel-and-timber structure, 130m long. Taking advantage of the sloping ground, it starts here at ground level and rises on a gentle gradient to 11.5m above ground at its highest point. It is crescent shaped, and will deliver you back to the forest floor a short distance from here.
….
Movement Warning
Please note that this walkway will move as you walk over it. It is a curved steel bridge and is designed to flex and move back and forth, but be assured that this in no way affects its stability or its capacity to support loads far heavier than a dense crowd of people on the walkway at the same time. The walkway has been modeled and tested with highly sophisticated engineering software.
….
Design of the ‘Boomslang’
The walkway is designed to be lightweight, non-intrusive and low-maintenance. It is painted to blend into the vegetation and to allow moss growth, and the slender support columns are specially designed to allow climbers to grow on them.
….
The Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway was built in 2013-14 to celebrate the centenary of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and the 100-year partnership between Kirstenbosch and the Botanical Society of South Africa. It was opened to visitors in May 2014.
We finally caught up with the Germans who only took a few pics of each other and then sprinted!
There were a few people during our upward walk
Cape Town’s western suburbs seen in the far distance
my favorite view with Table Mountain in the background
Oh look ahead! The Germans taking photos of each other again, instead of the magnificent views
What is a tree canopy? I believe I would have failed that question. I thought it was the entire area encompassed by a tree’s branches and foliage. Their definition is:
The tree canopy is the uppermost layer of a group of trees, and includes the leaves, twigs and branches of the crowns of the trees, as well as the ferns, mosses, lichens and climbers that grow in trees, and all the creatures that live in them.
I will never again look up at trees blowing in the wind the same way after viewing this video. It’s like a moving jigsaw puzzle!
We decided to finish the tour by ourselves and sorta dunked down a pathway without the German triathlon seeing us.
these are beautiful
This would have been a great place to spend some time reading or in deep thought (wonder what I will do when I win the lottery)
an interesting cactus tree
It was easy to get lost with so many side-paths
P was laughing and warning me that I was getting too close to this guy as there were two females right behind him and he wasn’t backing down. Look at his mean sideways glance and the shifting of his feet. If I had moved one more inch forward, he would attack me while I’m wearing Ferragamo! /s
They have very popular night time concerts here during the summers. A permanent stage was off to the left.
Notice the large bird getting closer to this family’s picnic basket
Nelson Mandela visits Kirstenbosch
The Kirstenbosch honored Mandela with a prized yellow strelitzia. It took them nearly 20 years to develop the yellow color. As you can see, we missed them in bloom. Mandela honored the Kirstenbosch by planting a Pepper-bark Tree (Warburgia salutaris).
Nelson Mandela’s bust is one of the first and last things you see when entering and exiting the gardens. Deep behind him are the shrubs that the Dutch planted in 1660.
“I am happiest when I am in the wild because I can listen … as the poet says ‘In the still air music lies unheard, in the rough mountains, beauty’s height unseen’. I always feel the force of that sentiment when I am in this environment. And I am very happy that you have done me the honour of being associated with this remarkable place. “ President Nelson Mandela at Kirstenbosch, 21 August 1996.
Reluctantly we started heading back toward the entrance as we had not seen the Germans or our guide
But we first made a quick dash through the gift shop! (After all, we are Americans!) I was hoping to buy a hand tool or some useful garden item as a souvenir. I was shocked that the only garden related items were books!!! They were selling bed linens, china, dog beds, various cookware and pasta/sauces but nothing garden related! I went to look at their books and this was an interesting one but too expensive. I always take photos of books that I am interested in so I can later find them on bookfinder, ebay or amazon. This one has proved difficult to locate for under $100. I’ll wait!
We stumbled into the Germans eating ice cream cones and together we located our guide. Regretfully, I did not see the art or sculpture gardens and so much more. Next time, next time.
*For the record, P and I both have German heritage so I meant no ill will above. I really enjoyed busting with the Germans. We had a great time with them, especially on our way back from the Cape of Good Hope, enjoying fish and chips and beers together at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. They were a bit tipsy and were probably rushing around Kirstenbosch as they needed to get back to the restrooms … yeah, that was it. The wife saved us seats in the van so we could sit with them while riding back downtown. We discovered that we were all going on a wine tour the next day with the same tour company! We ended up in different groups but crossed paths twice. I observed them rushing around again but thankfully they were always near restrooms.
As we pulled out of the Kirstenbosch grounds, I glanced back to see the South African flag blowing in the wind and thinking how a garden brings all manner of people together to enjoy and celebrate our shared environment. South Africa’s motto below reinforces that thought:
!ke e: /xarra //ke, written in the Khoisan language of the /Xam people, literally meaning: diverse people unite.
love to All South Africans
The previous diaries on our African travels
Zimbabwe and Zambia (Victoria Falls, Livingston)
Botswana (Safari)
South Africa (Cape Town, Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope)
Namibia (Deadvlei, hot air balloon ride, Swakopmund)
So that’s it. Can I get you a refill of Morning Coffee Jazz? It’s free refills (how much more American can you get than that?) I’m having another one as I’m wearing stretch waistband jeans. So what is going on in your garden and part of the world on this beautiful Saturday morning?
as of 8:22 am EDT
73°
PARTLY CLOUDY
feels like 73°
H 86° / L 67°
UV Index 2 of 10