Celebrate Garden Day at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.
South Africa’s Garden Day meets a world-class botanic Garden
South Africa will be celebrating Garden Day on Sunday, 9 October, this year, and we’ve got the perfect Cape Town attraction for you to celebrate this uniquely South African observational day with.
Garden Day is a chance for all local gardeners across the nation to take a break from spending time in their happy place – the garden – and to instead celebrate the green lives in their home gardens that they give life to. It doesn’t matter what size your garden is, whether it’s on your front lawn, a little vegetable/kitchen garden, a vertical garden, or even just your potted windowsill, it’s time you celebrate Garden Day!
Make your way to one of the acclaimed great botanic gardens of the world, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, to appreciate planting, gardening, and the life of plants. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden was recently awarded the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award for 2022, positioning the Garden in the top 1% of ‘things to do’ worldwide – so it’s got to be top on your list of places to spend Garden Day at.
How you celebrate Garden Day is up to you, as long as you choose to spend your time outdoors, and there’s no better option than Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. This world-class attraction is situated in the heart of Cape Town offering immaculate views of the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Here are five ways you can embrace Garden Day in this popular Cape Town-based Garden:
Enjoy nature walks and hikes
The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden estate makes up 528 hectares of land, 36 hectares of which is cultivated land. The remaining, untouched land is conservation areas for the natural forest, fynbos, and indigenous wildlife such as birds, mammals, reptiles, frogs, and insects. Visitors may explore this land through five well-maintained trails, each hitting the scale of difficulty at different levels. The Braille Trail and Boekenhout Trail are best suited for an easy breezy forest walk. While the Stinkwood Trail is also a short walk, visitors can take their time exploring the oldest section of the forest with some of the largest trees. For hiking enthusiasts, the Yellowwood Trail and Silvertree Trail will lead you through the forest and fynbos to discover the waterfall. Hikers can also make their way up to Table Mountain from the Garden, via Nursery Ravine or Skeleton Gorge.
Walk across the Boomslang
Speaking of skeletons, the design of The Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway is inspired by a snake skeleton which resulted in the popular name, Boomslang, meaning tree snake. The bridge is a low-impact sculptural raised walkway that is a curved steel and timber bridge. Slithering through and over the trees of the Arboretum, The Boomslang is a legendary spot for panoramic vistas of the nearby mountains, Garden and Cape Flats.
Host a special event on the lawns
If you’re in the mood to make a special day out of your Garden Day celebration, feel free to invite your fellow gardening friends out for a fun day on the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Marquee Lawn. Situated against a gorgeous backdrop of Castle Rock and Fernwood Peak, this spot is perfect for large functions being able to seat up to 600 people. This self-catering venue is wheelchair friendly, offers restrooms, and makes access available to delivery vehicles.
Visit the Kirstenbosch Garden Centre
Add indigenous beauty to your home garden with the wide selection of plants available at the Kirstenbosch Garden Centre. Find gardening accessories, tools, and seeds, as well as succulents, bulbs, trees, shrubs, climbers, fynbos plants, fresh-cut flowers, and so much more! Well-trained staff will also gladly be at your service for assistance and advice.
Operating Hours: 09h00 – 17h00 | Daily
Explore the Kirstenbosch Botanical Society Bookshop & the Kirstenbosch Gift Shop
Even though today’s all about appreciating the outdoors, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden gives its visitors a good excuse to spend some time indoors. Spoil another nature lover with gifts, curios, clothing, homeware, and botanical cosmetics from The Kirstenbosch Gift Shop, and wrap up the gift for free in-store.
The Kirstenbosch Botanical Society Bookshop is a place to bring together your love for reading and nature. The bookshop offers a diverse range of books that covers topics like gardening, flora, fauna, natural history, and educational children’s books.
Operating Hours: 09h00 – 18h00 | Daily
Celebrate Garden Day at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, for the most classic gardening experience, in the heart of Cape Town.
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ONE DESTINATION, SIX UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
There is no one way to explore all of the Cape Town Big 6, and much of what makes each of them so special is the variety of things to see and do at each. So if possible, take your time to explore each of the city’s most visited tourist attractions in as much depth as possible – as any local will tell you, you can spend a lifetime at each of the Big 6 and still not tire of them. Find the 3 and 4 day itineraries and tips here.