The Garden Route, in the Southern Cape Province of South Africa, is
one of the most spectacular scenic areas in the world, with its huge diversity of plants, beautiful
beaches and lagoons, dark foreboding forests, and majestic mountains with ravines and buttresses
through which historic passes and hiking trails meander.
The Garden Route Botanical Garden (“the Garden”), a green lung in the
clean
and picturesque town of George, was created to bring awareness of
the unique flora that exists here, its diversity, wonder, and vulnerability. The GRBG
is situated centrally and yet borders mountain forests and the Outeniqua Nature
Reserve. |
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The southern, town side of the Garden, is dominated by two wetland areas
where water-loving plants are set amongst fynbos and trees and visitors can relax and enjoy
the restful ambience and, usually, a display by resident waterfowl.
A new entrance, planned for 2011, will lead visitors
to the Moriarty Environmental Centre, which houses the Southern Cape Herbarium, a Tea Garden, a
comprehensive Botanical Library, meeting room, and offices, including the WESSA Educational Office,
which drives most of the educational programmes for schools.
| The George Lily - now the inspiration for the GRBGT's
new logo |
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Alongside the Centre is an indigenous Nursery which conducts
plant sales to the general public.
In the central portion of the Garden is a Medicinal
Mound which showcases indigenous plants with reputed healing properties.
The Southern Cape Herbarium, which houses a portion
of the floral art collection of the late Audrey Moriarty, is also home to over 15 000
preserved plant specimens, which are core to identifying local indigenous plants, facilitating
research and educating the public. It is one of the Garden’s most precious
assets.
The Garden is a photographer’s paradise and is also an
enjoyable venue for family outings as well as just a quiet paradise where one can ‘get away
from it all’.
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