The world knows th
at, come springtime in South Africa, a floral showpiece of Karoo spring flowers second to none on the world stage is laid out in all it’s floral splendor. From the West Coast National Park at Langebaan to the Northern reaches of the Hantam, Nieuwoudtville and Nuwerus, the floral transformation is phenomenal. The Karoo is transformed and takes on an amazing calidoscope of colours visible all along the R62 from Montagu, Barrydale and all the way to Oudtshoorn through the Klein Karoo.
The N1, the N7 and in fact all of the areas featured on Karooplaces.com are transformed as flowers regenerate the usually drab veld into a floral blaze of glory. Katsterte, daisies, vygies, lachanalias and arums to name just a few are all increasing in numbers daily. With a reasonably wet winter still with us, the early spring flowers are already in full bloom almost everywhere. It promises to be an above average flower season and is already in the making in most areas. A visit to Laingsburg last weekend over the Klein Swartberge confirmed the onset of the spring flower season in the Karoo. There are spring flowers everywhere and we are now only in the second week of August.
The Hantam National Botanical Garden, recently became South Africa’s 9th National Botanical Garden, and the only one in the Northern Cape. A visit to this newly established garden is really worth it especially now with the onset of spring. Situated just outside Nieuwoudtville, the Garden is one of the world’s very special biodiversity treasures and the first National Botanical Garden in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Contact information: Tel: +27 27 218 1200 Fax: +27 27 218 1201 Email: Hantam@sanbi.org.za
The Cederberg Area. The wild flowers of the Cederberg are some of the finest in the world. The Cederberg doesn’t just have the vast carpets of flowers which adorn the coffee table books. It also has the largest variety of wild flower species, many growing nowhere else in the world. This is due to the different topography, from the dry Karoo-like landscapes through to the wetter vlei areas of the Oliphants River and the Sandveld en route to Lamberts Bay. Enjoy a flower tour on a farm such as Elandsberg Eco-reserve; visit the Ramskop Nature Reserve and botanical garden and see the Clanwilliam Flower Show in late August. Visit www.clanwilliamwildflowershow.co.za
The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden is a truly unique garden. It cultivates and displays a wide variety of desert and semi-desert plants. The 154 hectare Garden lies at the foot of the Hexriver Mountain range, 120 km north of Cape Town. There are three hiking trails in the natural area. The most popular time to visit the Garden is during spring, when the annuals and vygies (mesembs) are in flower. Contact information: Tel: +27 23 347 0785 Fax: +27 23 342 8719 Email: Karoo-Desert-NBG@sanbi.org.za
The West Coast National Park is ideal for those who don’t want to travel far from Cape Town. Travelling within the park you will experience the beauty of the Langebaan Lagoon and the world famous Postberg Reserve with its views of wild spring flowers as well as indigenous game and prolific bird life. The town of Darling nearby is worth a stop and look at the flower reserves near the town and then you can continue onto the historic mission station at Mamre with its beautiful church and school. Visit http://www.cedarberg-travel.com/south-africa/cape-town/spring-flower-day-tour for more info on this trip.
More sites : The South Africa Guide; The Lovely Plants; SANParks Blog; Camera Lucid Photography
