Kirstenbosch, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Cape Town

Kistenbosch Botanical Garden

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden truly deserves being the largest of South Africa's 8 national gardens and one of the world's leading botanical gardens, with its stunning scenery and themed gardens such as the Fragrance Garden and the Medicinal Garden. This natural attraction is a must-see on the itinerary of anyone visiting Cape Town.

On your itinerary to Cape Town, include the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, not only for its spectacular view of the nearby Table Mountain, but also because the garden specialises in South Africa's indigenous plants. The garden is located only 13 km from the city centre of Cape Town.

It's here in the Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden that you will experience the Cape flora in its diversity - something for which the garden is renowned - plus other South African indigenous plants including rich collections of bulbs, alpines and ferns. All these species grow naturally in the Southern Africa and can be found in the main house - along with a big baobab tree.

At the Fragrance Garden, you will be exposed to familiar and unfamiliar smells, while the Medicinal Garden will fascinate you with some of the diverse medicinal plants found in South Africa.

Don't miss the Water-wise Garden, where you can learn how to grow and maintain a garden with less water than is conventionally required. In the Botanical Society Conservatory you will see species from arid areas of South Africa.

Also featured in the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens is the Peninsula Garden, which contains some of the 2 500 plant species found on the Cape Peninsula. For an experience of the King Protea, South Africa's national flower, you must visit the Protea Garden, especially in winter and spring when the proteas, serrulias conebushes are flowering, affording a breathtaking site.

Learn a bit of the rich history of the Cape Colony by visiting Van Riebeeck's Hedge, which the Cape colonists planted in 1660 to protect their cattle. For the different textures and forms of the reed species, turn to the Restio Garden.

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