Cape Town - A new garden at Durbanville’s popular Majik Forest is home to critically endangered vegetation that has largely disappeared due to agricultural and urban development.
The Renosterveld Garden, developed by the Wildflower Stepping Stones Project Group, showcases the beauty and diversity of the indigenous Swartland shale renosterveld, a critically endangered vegetation type in the Western Cape.
It was officially opened to the public on Wednesday by Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and community services and health Mayco member Patricia van der Ross.
The garden was designed and created by landscaper Leon Kluge and artist Tristan Woudberg in partnership with the Wildflower Stepping Stones Project Group and the City’s Recreation and Parks Department.
Woudberg recently won a gold medal for South Africa at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Hill-Lewis thanked individuals and organisations involved in developing the garden, saying it was done with the city’s residents in mind.
“We are pleased to open this garden so all Capetonians can enjoy this precious part of our natural heritage. We thank all our partners who made this happen.”
The event also included the planting of 20 indigenous wild peach and wild olive trees in commemoration of Arbor Month, observed annually during September.
Van der Ross said the creation of the Renosterveld Garden allowed the public to learn and interact with various iconic plant species found in the Greater Tygerberg Hills area.
“This garden shows how important collaboration is with public entities and friend groups.
“They seek to improve public open spaces through creative thinking that can lead to improving natural landscapes within the city, and at the same time creating a space for people to learn and enjoy our beautiful biodiversity.”
Echoing Van der Ross’s sentiments, Durbanville ward councillor Ronel Viljoen said the garden would be used to educate children and plant enthusiasts in the area.
She said the project would also be used to preserve plants that were native to the area and generate seedlings to continue to build on what had been planted in the garden.
nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za
Cape Argus