Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens

#Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens is one of South Africa's top 20 tourist attractions. Cecil John Rhodes created the garden in 1895 and later donated it to the residents of Cape Town. It is set in the shade of Devil's Peak. The vast array of plant species make it very special and more than worth a visit.

The estate covers 528 hectares and supports a diverse Fynbos flora and natural forest. The cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country. The Garden features over 22,000 indigenous plants.

Kirstenbosch has a section for the blind focusing on herbal plants with its qualities relating to touch and aroma. The Garden's myriad paths link up with hiking trails that run almost the full length of the Table Mountain range

In the lower part of the garden, near the main entrance, you find the Visitors' Center, which includes an information desk, the Kirstenbosch Shop with a wide range of gifts, the Botanical Society Bookshop and a coffee shop. The Gardens have a nursery cultivating indigenous plants, many of which are unique to this region. A research unit and library attract botanists from all over the world.