Africa: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

The next stop on our tour of the Cape Town area was the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. 

Becca, Alexis and Kandice

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden contains protected natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. 

There are over 7,000 species in cultivation, including many rare and threatened species of the Cape Floristic Region.

Kirstenbosch was established in 1913 to promote, conserve and display the extraordinarily rich and diverse flora of southern Africa. 

It was the first botanic garden in the world to be devoted to a country's indigenous flora.

Sugarbushes (protea)

Kirstenbosch displays a wide variety of the unique plant life of the Cape Flora, including ...

Pincushions (leucospermum)

... and Heaths (Erica). Plants from all the diverse regions and biomes of southern Africa are also grown at Kirstenbosch, including a near-complete collection of cycads (Encephalartos). 

Close-up of a cycad frond

Kirstenbosch is the largest of the nine National Botanical Gardens administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

The grounds

The Garden actually began in 1660, when a hedge of Wild Almond trees and brambles was planted to protect the perimeter of the Dutch colony.

Ancient Wild Almond Tree; Becca

The Kirsten part of the name is believed to be the surname of the manager of the land, J.F. Kirsten, in the 18th century. The bosch part of the name is a Dutch word for forest or bush. After Britain took over the colony in the early 1800s, successive owners built buildings, established a bath fed by a natural spring and planted chestnut trees, oaks, fruit trees and vineyards. 

After the land was purchased by Cecil John Rhodes in 1895, it fell into decline. Rhodes bequeathed the land to the nation when he died in 1902.

Cape Sugarbird

Henry Harold Pearson, a botanist from Cambridge University who served as Chair of Botany at the South African College (predecessor of the University of Cape Town), visited the area in 1911 to assess its suitability as a botanical garden. When the area was set aside for this purpose in 1913, it was overgrown, populated by wild pigs and planted with orchards. There was no money set aside for a salaried director's position, but Pearson accepted the position without pay. 

He commenced work in the area known as "The Dell," planting cycads which are still visible there today. 

Edward: Photo: Linda Rowe

When Pearson died in 1916, he was buried in his beloved garden. His epitaph is: "If ye seek his monument, look around.”

We were led on a tour by the cheerful and extremely knowledgeable Edward. He took us through several areas, but definitely not through the entire Garden. 

He talked about lots and lots of plants, using both common and scientific names. 

I must admit, I was so captivated by the wide variety of birds – many colorful and exotic – that I just couldn’t pay close enough attention to the plants and their names.  

Camara sherpa; Photo: Becca Stevens

And, of course, my goal is always to get as many good photographs as I can. 

I concentrate on animals, but I do like to get pretty scenery and plant pictures as well. In the picture at the left, I am holding both my cameras and Caty's -- I am not that crazy!

I do sometimes have a problem remembering to photograph people -- and getting my photo taken. I always regret it later because I do like to have photos proving I visited somewhere. I haven't mastered selfies -- that might be one of my problems.

Here’s a rundown, however, of some more of the birds and plants – and a very beautiful bug – I photographed:

Male Southern Double-collared Sunbird (my most magnificent bird pictures from the trip)

Spotted Eagle Owl

Male Swee Waxbill (see the waxy-looking red bill?)

Common Metallic Longhorn Beetle

Male Cape Sugarbird (look at that tail)

Bird of Paradise

Egyptian Goose (posing for us)

More Swee Waxbills (a male and a female)

Cape Bulbul

Female Cape Sugarbird

African Olive (Rameron) Pigeon

Cape White-Eye on an exotic plant

Hadeda Ibis

Little Egret

Cape Spurfowl

Male Yellow Canary

Silver tree

And the pair of Cape Sugarbirds together 

It is an amazing place. I could have spent a much longer time, walking the paths and raised boardwalks, looking for exotic birds.

African Olive (Rameron) Pigeons

We certainly didn’t see the whole thing.

More grounds

 But, it was time for lunch.

We spent a little time in the lovely gift shop, where I should have bought souvenirs. I never saw anything as nice as what they had there on the rest of the trip.

Lunch was at the Jonkershuis on Groot Constantia Wine Estate, the oldest wine estate in South Africa. It looked like a French Chateau …

Jonkershuis

 … except for the unusual signage in the yard …

Where do you get a sign like this?

The food was great – we shared some delicious bruschetta and I had mushroom risotto.

Becca, Kristen, Alexis, Kandice and Caty

Then, back to the hotel and out for a REALLY fun evening.  We had to make a mad dash to Woolworth’s Department Store down on the harbor to buy some clothes for Caty. It was becoming evident that British Airways had no idea where her bag was and probably wasn’t going to find it. So, we had to but a couple of pairs of pants, some shirts, underwear and pajamas. About $250 worth (for which we still have not been reimbursed). Fortunately, we had Dee to give us good advice where to shop for serviceable, affordable clothes. She really did provide helpful service, above and beyond a typical tour guide.

Another protea

Trip date: August 25-September 9, 2017