Take time to explore Kirstenbosch. Kirstenbosch grows only indigenous South African plants. The estate covers 528 hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest. The cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country.
- Check out the outdoor summer concert series and watch a variety of musical productions. Bring a picnic and sit in the gardens against the backdrop of Table Mountain.
- Explore the indoor Greenhouse, which even houses a gigantic Baobab Tree
- Watch out of the Sunday Craft Markets which are advertised and generally run on the last Sunday of the month.
- There are several restaurants within Kirstenbosch Gardens, alternatively bring your own picnic and enjoy al fresco dining on the beautiful sweeping lawns
The garden includes a large indoor greenhouse exhibiting plants from a number of different region including savanna, fynbos, karoo and others. Outdoors the focus moves to plant native to the Cape Region, highlighted by the spectacular collections of Protea. From the gardens several trails lead off along and up the mountain slopes and these are much used by walkers and mountaineers. One of the trails, up the ravine called Skeleton Gorge is an easy and popular route to the summit of Table Mountain. This route is also known as Smuts’ Track after Prime Minister Jan Smuts who used this route regularly. On the slopes above the cultivated parts of Kirstenbosch Gardens a contour path leads through forest to Constantia Nek to the South.
People used Kirstenbosch long before the arrival of the European settlers in the 17th Century. Traces of large pear-shaped stone implements and round perforated stones which were used to weight pointed digging sticks are all the record that exists.
In 1660 a hedge of wild almond (Brabejum stellatifolium) and brambles was planted to form the boundary of the colony and to keep the cattle in. Sections of this hedge, known as van Riebeeck's hedge, still exist in Kirstenbosch.
The Kirstenbosch went through several owners, before Cecil Rhodes purchased the property and appointed a caretaker. The land became rundown with masses of pigs feeding on the acorns and wallowing in the muddy pools. Rhodes Avenue, also known as the Camphor Avenue, was planted in 1898.
In 1902 Rhodes died bequeathing Kirstenbosch to the people as part of his great Groot Schuur estate.Professor Pearson came to South Africa in 1903 to fill the newly established Chair of Botany at the South African College. In February 1911 Pearson hired a Cape cart and, upon the suggestion of his friend Neville Pillans, visited Kirstenbosch to assess its suitability as a site for a botanic garden. On 1st July 1913 the wild and overgrown estate of Kirstenbosch was set aside by the Government with a grant of £1 000 per annum. Pearson was the obvious choice for a director but there was no money for a salary. He accepted the task in an honorary capacity.
Finance was a great problem and in those days, the Government grant was supplemented by the sale of firewood and acorns. What confronted Pearson, when work started on Kirstenbosch Gardens were, the ruins of the Cloete homestead, thousands of pigs, weeds in the orchards and bush that obscured the bath. He began with what is known as the "Dell" planting cycads.
In 1916, at the age of 46, Professor Pearson died from pneumonia. This was a severe blow to the garden. Buried in the garden his epitaph is - "If ye seek his monument, look around"
Early developments were the Cycad Amphitheatre, the Dell below the bath and the Main Lawn. A great deal of rocks and soil were transported to create an Aloe koppie which Pearson had hoped would be the Garden's most outstanding feature. The aloes succumbed to rust and other diseases.
Because of the interesting and sometimes challenging topography, a great deal of construction work has been necessary. The use of local Table Mountain Stone has been a dominant feature. Cobbling, curbing, dry stone walls, rockeries and stone features of a high standard illustrate the talent of the staff who contributed significantly to the development and history of Kirstenbosch.
In the first 50 years most of the work was manually done - trolleys, mules, carts, crawlers - today much of the work is mechanised, either using the Garden's own machines or hiring equipment.
From 1970 the area of developed Garden has gradually increased to approximately 40 hectares. Sweeping lawns and borders have replaced paths which make for easier maintenance.
