OPEN SEASON
What could be more pleasant on a spring or summer weekend than to spend some time in a beautiful garden?
I T ALL began quite modestly, 16 years ago, when the enterprising ladies of the Randburg Horticultural Society decided to initiate an open gardens scheme for charity. Garden clubs in and around Johannesburg were invited to participate; generous gardeners came forward and agreed to open their gardens for one or more weekends. A brave move on their part — it takes courage, nerves of steel and extra hard work to open your garden to a curious and potentially critical public. But the response was gratifying.
Since then, Gardens of the Golden City has grown into a keenly anticipated and festive event that begins in spring and continues through summer. It is a wonderful opportunity to see some of the city’s most beautiful gardens, large and small; talk to knowledgeable gardeners; learn and be inspired — and spend a delightful few hours enjoying someone else’s hard work, all for a good cause too. It’s even become quite festive with tea gardens, lunches and picnic baskets.
So, out with the diary: this year the programme offers some truly splendid gardens as well as some that belong to historic houses in Johannesburg’s oldest and leafiest suburbs. No less than three gems are to be found on Westcliff’s glorious Valley Road. We’re highlighting three of the unmissable items on the programme, but for all the gardens that will be open visit gardensofthegoldencity.co.za