Expert shares tips on when and how to plan a flower-spotting trip

Port Alfred Garden Club members got to learn more about flowers from “flowerholic” Marion Whitehead, who was the guest speaker at St Paul’s Anglican Church on Tuesday, September 6.

Whitehead kicked off her talk confessing to being a “flowerholic” and flashing her Namaqualand shirt.

“But of course I’m in good company at the Garden Club. How many of us are flowerholics here?” she asked.

Most Garden Club members put up their hands, getting the talk off to a fun start.

Whitehead shared some valuable tips on when and how to plan a flower viewing trip.

“Of course, it’s quite late in the season to go out flower spotting unless you get in the car and go in the next week,” she said.

The Clanwilliam flower festival was held at the end of August.

She added though that the rains in the Darling area had been late, and so were the flowers, with some good sightings there still. The Darling Wildflower Show was on from September 16 to 18.

She added that the West Coast National Park and Nieuwoudtville area (“bulb capital of the world”) were both still good for viewing in September.

Hermanus was also a good bet for flower spotting and the Hermanus Botanical Society celebrated the area’s fynbos at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve from September 24-25, she said.

Whitehead sold seven copies of her book, Visitors Guide: Flower Route, as well as three copies of her SA’s Favourite Passes & Poorts at the talk.

Her flower guide book can be ordered at www.mapstudio.co.za.