South Africa - Saturday, February 12, 2011

We visit the magnificent Kistenbosch gardens close to Cape Town.  They are beautiful gardens and I will let the photos show them to you.

One of my favorites, Clanwilliam Aloe, Winter Rain Karoo.  I love the color of the Clanwillian Aloe and the Coral Aloe but have not found them here in the local nursery.

Euphorbia multifolia, Ystervarkbol

The Coastal Fynbos (Afrikaans for fine bush) section of the gardens, coastal shrubland in other words.

The gardens are set in a scenic area surrounded by rugged mountains.

Mesembryanthemaceae, Lampranthus spectabilis, Ex Hort

 Asphodelaceae, Aloe striata, Coral Aloe, Summer Rain Karoo

Strelitzia reginae comes from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, it was introduced to Europe in 1733 and is now grown in gardens and glasshouses all over the world.

Fabaceae, Erythrina abyssina, Ex Hort

A nice diversion .... so calming in this lovely water garden.

A model of an Eastern Cape Xhosa Hut.  To finish the walls they use a mixture of cow dung and soil, sweet :))

 

Oleaceae, Jasminum multipartitum, Wild Jasmine, Bushveld

The (Harold Nixon Porter) Botanic Gardens is in the fynbos region (fynbos is Afrikaans for fine bush) and comprises 10 hectares of cultivated fynbos and 190 hectares of natural fynbos shrubland vegetation.  I will continue by showcasing these gardens tomorrow.