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LIVING WONDERLAND - SOUTH AFRICA'S BOTANICAL GARDENS
South
Africa is famous for its plants, so it is hardly surprising
that it has some of the best botanical gardens in the world, of which
Kirstenbosch in Cape Town, is the most famous.
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Kirstenbosch
National Botanical Garden in Cape Town is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of
the flora it displays and for its magnificent setting against the
eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Founded in 1913, Kirstenbosch
grows only indigenous South African plants. The estate covers 528
hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest. The
cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South
African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region
of the country. There are also a number of theme gardens, including
one focused on medicinal plants, a fragrance garden and a Protea
garden (South Africa's national flower, which occurs in dozens of
variations) which is at its most magnificent in winter and spring.
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The Harold
Porter National Botanical Garden, an hour from Cape Town, near the whale-watching town of Hermanus, is set between mountain and sea in the heart of the Cape
fynbos region. It encompasses 10 hectares of cultivated fynbos
garden and 190.5 hectares of pristine natural fynbos. The garden
encompasses mountain slopes with wind-clipped heathlands, deep
gorges with relict forests, flats and marshes with reeds, sedges and
bulbs, as well as dunes adjacent to the beach with their specialized
salt-adapted plants. The garden is renowned for its waterfalls and
amber pools.
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The Karoo
Desert National Botanical Garden, near the town of Worcester, 120 kilometers from Cape Town, is
totally unique in that it is the only truly succulent garden in the
southern hemisphere and on the African continent. One of the floral
highlights of the year occurs in spring, when thousands of annuals
and brightly colored succulent plants called vygies (mesembryanthemaceae)
come into brilliant flower. This color spectacle lasts from
mid-August to the end of September.
Falling within the succulent Karoo biome, which includes the
Namaqualand flora so famous for its spring flowers, the Garden
boasts some 400 naturally occurring species. The garden is also a
haven for rare and endangered plants, with over 300 species being
protected and propagated here.
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The Lowveld National Botanical Garden,
just outside the town of Nelspruit, is ideally situated for
tourists, as it is close to a number of attractions including the
Kruger National Park, Pilgrim's Rest, Graskop and the renowned Blyde
River Canyon (third largest canyon in the world). The 159 hectare
garden straddles the Crocodile and Nels Rivers and boasts rugged,
rocky river scenery. Viewed from the air, it is clear that the two
Rivers dominate the scene and determine the character of this
Garden. Along the river banks visitors find typical evergreen river
forest. There are rare, ancient cycads scattered over large parts of
the Garden. Of the approximate 1000 tree species indigenous to South
Africa, over 650 can be seen in this garden.
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The Natal
National Botanical Garden,
near the historical town of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal
province, specializes in the conservation of plants from the eastern
region of South Africa and of rare and endangered species from
elsewhere. Established in 1874, the Garden's Victorian past is
evident in its magnificent specimens of northern hemisphere plants,
such as the swamp cypress, tulip trees, camphor trees, plane trees,
giant figs and magnolias. One of the finest features of the Garden
is the avenue of London plane trees, which has stunned visitors
since 1908. A section of the Garden is planted specifically to
attract birds which makes the Garden rich in bird life, with over
120 species recorded. A special feature of the Garden is a
traditional Zulu hut, surrounded by indigenous medicinal plants. New
developments include a Grassland display area and Clivia lily
collection.
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The Pretoria
National Botanical Garden is situated 8 km from the centre of Pretoria and accommodates
both subtropical and temperate plants, giving the visitor a glimpse
of the beautiful and varied flora of the subcontinent. The garden
was started in 1946 and is 76 hectares in size, with 50 hectares
under intensive cultivation using exclusively South African plants.
The cultivated area includes a cycad garden, succulent garden, aloe
plantings and other striking collections. The natural vegetation of
the area consists of grassland and savanna with dense bush. Over 600
species of flowering plants including half the country's tree
species, many species of birds, as well as a number of reptiles and
small mammals occur here naturally.
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The Walter Sisulu
National Botanical Garden near Johannesburg is set against the backdrop of the
magnificent Witpoortjie waterfall and covers almost 300 hectares of
both landscaped and natural veld areas. It was only declared a
national botanical garden in 1982, but has been a popular venue for
outings since the 1800's. The natural vegetation of the area is
known as "Rocky Highveld Grassland" and consists of a mosaic of
grassland and savanna, with dense bush in small winding canyons and
along streams. The variety of habitats accommodates over 600
naturally occurring plant species. A breeding pair of majestic
Verreaux's Eagles nest on the cliffs alongside the waterfall - the
only such nesting pair in urbanized Johannesburg.
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