South Africa 2014 - ICanGarden.com

South Africa Garden Tour 2014
Wednesday October 8th to Thursday October 23rd, 2014

October 18th Cape Town

Greenpoint Park & Biodiversity Garden. It features no fewer than 300 local plant species, animal sculptures, interactive displays, demonstration gardens, a Khoikhoi display and more - the aim, not only to educate, but to inspire. Even before the import of the plants and the various displays grab your attention, the setting does. Table Mountain, Signal Hill and the Green Point stadium that attracted so much attention all surround the garden. Three theme areas in the garden include people and plants, the discovering biodiversity trail and the wetland walk.

In amongst the plants are displays, original art work created especially for the garden - including wire art, mosaics, ceramic statues and cut-out steel animals, and interpretive boards with illustrations and photographs. It is a feast for sore eyes. It features no fewer than 300 local plant species, animal sculptures, interactive displays, demonstration gardens, a Khoikhoi display and more - the aim, not only to educate, but to inspire. http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionswc/biodiversity-garden.htm

A visit to the Company Gardens is next. It takes its name from the Dutch East India Company who first started the garden in 1652 for the victualing of their ships that plied the spice trade route between Europe and the East Indies, via The Cape of Good Hope.

The Company’s Garden is abutted by numerous important landmarks, including the lodge house for the slaves who built large parts of the historic city, the present day Houses of Parliament, the Iziko South African Museum and Planetarium, St George's Cathedral (which is the seat of the Anglican church in South Africa), the National Library of South Africa, the South African National Gallery, the Great Synagogue and Holocaust Centre as well as Tuynhuys, which is used by the President on state occasions. Please read further… http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/parks/Pages/TheCompanysGarden.aspx

Then we will enjoy Afternoon Tea at Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel before returning back to our hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure. A tradition that dates back to the city’s colonial heritage, afternoon tea is a much-loved pastime in South Africa, and the Mount Nelson is considered the finest place in the city to experience it. ‘The signature Mount Nelson Tea has been expertly blended from six teas: Darjeeling, Kenya, Assam, Keemun, Yunnan, Ceylon, and rose petals from our garden’ Also available is their famous Rooibos selections. Like vintage wines, each tea crop reflects local characteristics - the nature of the soil, the climate, the amount of sun and rain, the time of plucking.

Also stopped at the local flower market so that we could not only see the local flowers but pick some up for our rooms. As you can see they enjoyed that experience.