Flower Safari
From Namaqua to the Eastern Cape – where to go and where to stay to see SA’s flower power
THE CAPE FLORAL REGION IS ARGUABLY THE MOST COLOURFUL OF ALL THE WORLD HERITAGE SITES, AND DAVID ROGERS TAKES US ON A JOURNEY THAT BLOOMS FROM THE ORANGE RIVER ALL THE WAY TO THE EASTERN CAPE. ENJOY THE SHOW
In late March, precisely 21 days after the first winter rains fell in the Hantam, reports of a bountiful bloom of Brunsvigia bosmaniae beckoned me north from Cape Town to the town of Nieuwoudtville. Even from a distance, the cloaks of pink flowers could be seen fringing the edges of the dolerite koppies. Tens of thousands of flowers contrasted brightly with the granitecoloured sands and for me, it was a breathtaking sight – every bit as powerful as seeing the wildebeest migration or watching gorillas in the forests of Uganda. And amazingly, there was almost no one else there. The Brunsvigia explosion had, for some reason, gone off virtually without witnesses.
I was reminded then that the Cape is a real treasure trove of flowers – and itʼs not only the spring flowers of Namaqualand that are the attractions. All the way from the Orange River to Gqeberha, the plants of the extraordinary Cape Floristic Region (CFR) and Succulent Karoo host floral events that could have you travelling most of the year. All they need is a little rain and sun and the show begins.
In 2004, the CFR was declared a World Heritage Site. It has the highest known concentration of plant species in the world. The area comprises just one percent of the total landmass of Africa but makes up 20 percent of its floral wealth with close to 9 000 species, of which more than 6 000 are endemic. An
amazing 70 percent grow nowhere else on Earth. The CFR is a biodiversity hotspot for all the wrong reasons, too. Lowland Fynbos and Renosterveld are under extreme pressure from urban sprawl and agriculture, and remain two of the most threatened habitats in the world.
CORE AREAS
There are innumerable opportunities to explore the CFR; the core regions are the Cederberg Wilderness Area, Table Mountain, Groot Winterhoek, Boland Mountain Complex, Kirstenbosch, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Agulhas National Park and the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve, being managed by Cape Nature and SANParks.
Whether youʼre chasing snow proteas in the Cederberg, red disas on Table Mountain or leucadendrons in the Groot Winterhoek, endemics in Kogelberg or simply looking for a flash of flowers on a fynbos trail, there is always something flowering in winter, spring and into summer.
Fynbos has more than 600 species of ericas, nearly 1 000 species of daisies and a wealth of bulbs, including iris, watsonia and babiana, and tracking them can be as exciting as following the spoor of leopards on a game trail. Leopards are, in fact, endemic to all of these areas, as are a wealth of sunbirds, sugarbirds and other avian delights.
NAMAQUALAND & THE WEST COAST FOR THE GREAT SPRING SPECTACLE
In August and into early September – as the rainy winters give way to warmth – an eruption of colour starting in the north and spreading southwards marks the start of the greatest show. The rules of engagement are simple. Travel from north to south to face the flowers and time your visits for when the temperature is more than 20°C. Of course, chasing flowers is a bit like following the migration and the longevity and intensity of flowering all depends on the rain, the sun, the wind and just a little luck. In some years, the fields of flowers falter but if that happens, oh well, head for the mountains, look in the crags and see what is growing there.
The fields of colourful annuals at Skilpad Reserve, Postberg, Biedouw Valley and other flower hotspots are real eye candy but these are often disturbed fields and may be somewhat controversially seeded for effect. These flowers make up a mere eight percent of the total number of species and the real treasures are the mesembs (vygies), which number more than 1 700 species and make up 10 percent of the worldʼs succulents.
THE SUCCULENT KAROO
Stretching from Namibia into the Northern Cape, Western Cape and the Karoo is the Succulent Karoo, South Africaʼs second global hotspot with a tally of 6 350 species, many of which are found nowhere else. Like fynbos, these plants rely on winter rainfall but they exist in dryer conditions and with more fertile soils. Many are threatened, and being so localised, a fence or mobile tower can wipe out an entire species.
As you wander near the coast – and in the mountains and plains – watch out for the tiny jewels. They are so fragile you could easily crush them underfoot. They are awesome little plants, highly tuned to survival, and are often found in the cracks of rocks where they are protected from the sun. Some, including many of the stone plants, are often associated with white quartz, a substrate that reflects light and heat and provides tolerable conditions for survival.
Succulents are threatened by livestock and are highly prized by illegal collectors. To thwart this trade, the whereabouts of sensitive species are guarded as closely as the rhinos.
CLOSER TO CAPE TOWN
A West Coast flower safari could take you west from Nieuwoudtville to the white beaches on the Atlantic, the gannet colony at Lambertʼs Bay, Elandʼs Bay or through the Cederberg to the Biedouw Valley. Following the flowers, stopping here and there at stalls and restaurants and chatting to locals is road tripping at its very best.
But you need not go as far as Kamieskroon to find flowers. Closer to Cape Town, places such as Darling, and that special private chunk of flower-filled land in West Coast National Park called Postberg are wonderful. Itʼs open to the public during August and September and the contrasting scenes of flowers, white dunes, granite rocks and blue sea are simply amazing. Thereʼs plenty of wildlife, too, including eland, red hartebeest, bontebok, kudu, gemsbok, steenbok, mountain zebra, duiker and ostrich.
EAST OF THE CAPE
By the end of September, usually after the first berg winds, the spring flowers in the Western Cape and Northern Cape start to wilt and wane and the floral extravaganza shifts eastwards toward the Southern Cape, the Garden Route and Gqeberha.
Grootbos, which has a wealth of fynbos, was one of the first private reserves in the Cape to champion flowers so famously. It is in the Overberg near Gansbaai and if you get there before September or October, there are usually pods of southern right whales in the bay. Owned by the Lutzeyer family, Grootbos has done wonderful work promoting the flower economy in South Africa.
Further east, different sets of species start to mingle with the proteas, restios and ericas. These include aloes, spekboom and striking strelitzias. Although less well known than the CFR and the Succulent Karoo, the Eastern Cape Thicket is another fascinating biome to explore. It has its own
THIS IMAGE The 2 500ha reserve at Grootbos has a variety of trails to view mountains, ocean and flowers from a different perspective. There are 18 expertly trained horses on site, catering to different skill levels.
special mix of characteristics and the habitat is associated with thick forests as well as large herbivores. Some years ago I was involved with a book written by Richard Cowling called East of the Cape: Conserving Eden, and I travelled far and wide through this area documenting its special appeal.
We have rare treasures right on our doorsteps in the Cape and whether you set off with a picnic, with a tent or to stay in a wonderful lodge, a walk in the flowers looking for a floral flash as a species draws attention to its pollinators, can be as rewarding and exciting as going after the Big Five. And the good news is that the flowers wake up late, and so you can, too.
MY IDEAL ROUTE
On a flower safari, I give myself four days to explore as far as Springbok, Leliefontein and the coast. Then I return south through the Knersvlakte to Nieuwoudtville. I always visit the succulent nursery in Vanrhynsdorp, which has some fantastic succulents, including many from private collections. Nieuwoudtville has 309 species of geophytes, making it the richest hotspot for bulbs in the world, and it is always a highlight. With up to 25 000 bulbs or 50 different species of plants in a square metre of soil, itʼs said a spade-full of soil will contain more than 100 bulbs.
In spring, the streets are lined with rivers of red and yellow bulbines and an amazing collage of annuals – the local church is abuzz with people talking about flowers. The fields of Papkuilsfontein and Matjiesfontein are awash with colour. But itʼs on foot, among the granite koppies in Hantam Botanical Gardens, the Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve and private farms that you will find the rarest treasures.