Garden Day SA is happening this Sunday, 17th October, and while it’s a great time to be busy in your own garden or potting new house plants, it’s also a wonderful time to explore South Africa’s natural beauty!
Garden Day is the perfect time to share your love of plants and gardens and in the age of Instagram and selfies, an opportunity to share beautiful snapshots from around our country. If you don’t have your own garden or green space, we are here to remind you that our beautiful country has no shortage of lush, enchanting public gardens for you to enjoy.
To make it easier for you to take that awe-inspiring pic, Candide – the free gardening app that supports Garden Day – has put together a list of some of the most Instagrammable green spaces and gardens in South Africa. So get a few friends and a picnic together, pop on a flower crown, grab your phone and capture that perfect moment in these glorious green spaces on Sunday 17 October. Don’t forget to tag #GardenDaySA!
Babylonstoren (Western Cape)
Selfie Spot: Prickly pear maze.
Claim/s to fame:
Channel your inner Frida Kahlo at the prickly pear maze and followers may be led to believe you’re in Mexico or somewhere in Central America, instead of at an old Cape Dutch farm, in the Franschhoek wine valley. The maze provides an abundant web of striking cacti backdrops and apart from the prickly pears in the maze, there are 11 varieties of Opuntia ficus-indica (it’s scientific name) growing on the farm for you to spot and capture.
Klapmuts – Simondium Road, Simondium
Babylonstoren – @jana_katryn
The Chapel at Bosjes (Western Cape)
Selfie Spot: The chapel
Insta-claim to fame:
There are many reasons to visit Bosjes and the magnificent chapel, an architectural masterpiece, is certainly one of them. Add to that the magnificent landscaped gardens around the chapel and the masses of flowers in the surrounding fields, and you will never run out of photo ops this Garden Day. You’ll find this perfect hideaway at the foot of the Waaihoek Mountain.
R43, Worcester
Bosjes – @charlddp
The Chart Farm Rose Garden (Western Cape)
Selfie Spot: Roses galore in all shades of colours
Insta-claim to fame:
You will be forgiven for not knowing that there is a historic farm in the Cape Town southern suburb of Wynberg. But this farm-style retreat is a little gem of over 12 hectares with an abundance of all things pretty – the prettiest of all being the famous rose garden, which is undoubtedly the main attraction for social media butterflies. Here you will find over 500 rose bushes, some dating back to the 1900s and the newer ones having been planted two years ago. Stop and smell the roses, including their Double Delight, Esther Geldenhuys, Blue Moon, Garden Princess, Garden Queen, Johannesburg Sun and Duftwolke varieties and soak in the sunshine.
1A Klaasens Rd, Wynberg, Cape Town
Chart Farm – @wanidamrs
Delta Park (Gauteng)
Selfie Spot: Curtains of cosmos
Insta-claim to fame:
One of Jozi’s largest parks, this green space, which borders the suburbs of Blairgowrie, Craighall Park, Victory Park and Linden, is cosmos heaven. The wildflowers are native to the Americas, but apparently reached our shores during the Anglo Boer War. While the cosmos tends to explode in March and April, the 108 hectares of grassland and woodland is picture perfect all year round.
77 Craighall Rd, Victory Park, Randburg
If you fancy a bite to eat in this area, you should also explore the top restaurants in Randburg.
www.jhbcityparksandzoo.com/services-facilities/parks/find-a-park/delta-park
Delta Park – @judith_belle
Durban Botanic Garden (Kwa Zulu Natal)
Selfie Spot: Picture perfect palms
Insta-claim to fame:
The tropical palm trees in the Durban Botanic Gardens will have you itching to hang a garland around your neck for a holiday-style selfie. The palm trees, which are scattered across the landscape, hail from the tropics, while South Africa has only five different indigenous palm trees that naturally occur in our country. The oldest palm – and the ideal selfie spot for Garden Day – is behind the tea kiosk. It was planted in 1873.
9A John Zikhali Rd, Berea, Durban
https://durbanbotanicgardens.org.za
Durban Botanical Gardens – @ms_savannahrose
The Boomslang: Kirstenbosch Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway (Western Cape)
Selfie Spot: Boomslang walkway
Insta-claim to fame:
One of the star attractions in the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, set against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, is the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, a curved steel and timber bridge inspired by a snake skeleton (which is why it’s often called the Boomslang after the agile green snake). It winds through and over the trees of the Arboretum and is a spectacular walk, both in terms of views and being one with nature. You could spend all day here on Garden Day!
Rhodes Dr, Newlands, Cape Town
www.sanbi.org/gardens/kirstenbosch
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens – @kaibernstein
Nirox Sculpture Park (Gauteng)
Selfie Spots: Stirling swing and sitting sculpture
Insta-claim to fame:
Go for a swing in a hanging Studio Stirling chair or strike a pose with the sitting man, sculptor Angus Taylor’s famous 5m-high sculpture, Morphic Resonance. The Nirox Sculpture Park can be found in the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site 45 minutes outside of Joburg. The 15-hectare park is a dream to explore with its cultivated landscape, waterways and magnificent sculptures. Pack a picnic and stay for the day.
R540 Kromdraai Rd, Kromdraai, Krugersdorp
Nirox Sculpture Garden – @judith_belle
Norval Foundation (Western Cape)
Selfie Spot: Shoulder to shoulder with the Holderstebolder.
Insta-worthy wealth – reasons to visit:
When you pull out your camera, head to the Holderstebolder boulder man, another creation by sculptor Angus Taylor. The “interactive anti-monument” can be found in the play area of the Norval Foundation Museum in Steenberg, Cape Town. The catapulting figure – buttocks in the air, arms and legs stretched out – looks like he is about to roll down the hill. The rest of the gardens are also incredibly Insta-worthy!
4 Steenberg Rd, Steenberg Estate, Cape Town
Norval Foundation Sculpture Garden – @tazzdiscovers
Stellenbosch Botanical Garden (Western Cape)
Selfie Spot: Bamboozling bamboo.
Insta-claim to fame:
Stellenbosch is home to some of the most beautifully curated gardens that will have you marvelling at everything green from bonsai to bamboo. Although not native to this country, the prominent ‘giant’ bamboo at this botanical garden has been accepted as a naturalised species, since its introduction into South Africa during the 1600s. Follow the Bamboo Trail for great shots and don’t miss out on a pic with the giant water lilies and redwood trees.
Neethling St & Van Riebeeck St, Stellenbosch Central, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch Botanical Garden – @living.ladywu
The Wilds (Gauteng)
Selfie Spot: Animal Sculptures
Insta-claim to fame:
The animal sculptures in The Wilds in Houghton, Jozi, have attracted a whole new audience to the wild, but wonderful green space. You can’t help but be drawn towards the trees, where the owl sculptures are suspended, painted in bright colours to stand out from the dark forest canopy. There are about 100 sculptures in total from the famous 5m-tall pink and yellow giraffe to monkeys, a pangolin, ostriches, the red kudu family, klipspringers and duikers.
Houghton Dr, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg
www.facebook.com/groups/1582183308538762/
The Wilds – @delaneyartist
The Urban Garden Sanctuary at Victoria Yards (Gauteng)
Selfie Spot: Urban avante garde yard
Insta-claim to fame:
An urban complex in the heart of Johannesburg, Victoria Yards has become a haven for creatives with an emphasis on skill sharing and community empowerment. All part of the Garden Day spirit! Urban agriculture is one of the many elements of this hub – the buildings are interconnected with spaces that are filled with vegetables and fruit trees, which are cultivated to sell. We love sharing this fresh take on inner city development on film.
16 Viljoen St, Lorentzville, Johannesburg
Victoria Yards – @pjhenning
Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden (Gauteng)
Selfie Spot: Witpoortjie Falls
Insta-claim to fame:
The Witpoortjie Falls in the middle of the gardens has been a favourite picnic spot for as long as anyone remembers and as with all Instagram worthy places, it continues to be the main attraction for visitors. The Falls supposedly got their name from the fact that people travelling from Johannesburg by train used to disembark at Witpoortjie Station and walk down to the falls. Here you might spot the breeding pair of Verreaux Eagles who have called the cliffs their home for over 30 years. Walk or hike the area or drop a blanket and simply soak up the sunshine.
Malcolm Rd, Poortview, Roodepoort
www.sanbi.org/gardens/walter-sisulu
Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden – @psg_08
Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden (Western Cape)
Selfie Spot: The sculptures.
Insta-claim to fame:
Yin and yang. Wild and tamed. One of the attractions of the Sculpture Garden is the mix of over 60 sculptures, organic, natural gardens with a focus on indigenous species, particularly fynbos, the influence of Japanese gardens, water and a rugged mountain backdrop. There are so many spots along the 4km of paths to stop, admire and capture that we recommend you carve out a good part of your Garden Day to spend here and enjoy. Please note that visits to the garden are by appointment only. A privately guided tour can be arranged with advance booking and is highly recommended.
Paradyskloof Rd, Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch
Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden – @christensandra
If you don’t already have Candide, download the free community gardening app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. For more information visit www.candide.co.za email [email protected]
