Kirstenbosch: A Visitor’s Guide

by Colin Paterson-Jones & John Winter, Struik Nature R150 in bookstores

If your visits to this beloved botanical garden on the lower slopes of Table Mountain are usually limited to a picnic on the lawns or a sunset concert in summer, this revised guide will help you get to know the lay of the land a little better.

Now in its third edition, the guide was updated by Alice Notten from SANBI (the South African National Biodiversity Institute) to include new additions to Kirstenbosch. You can brush up on the history and development of the gardens (established in 1913) and learn more about the plant life you can see. Chapters are dedicated to species like cycads, ericas, proteas, vygies and restios; and a map will give you an overview of where to find what. It also indicates trails for walks, climbs and mountain-bike rides.

Certain features of the garden are highlighted, like the conservatory (head there if you like succulents), the arboretum and the Boomslang, an elevated walkway through the tree canopy that offers beautiful views. Four chapters cover the seasonal treats you can look forward to, like pincushions in full bloom in spring, and there are short sections about Table Mountain and the animals and birds you might spot as you roam the garden.

It’s a great way to enrich your next visit to Kirstenbosch – the guide is thin enough to carry along!