These majestic public gardens around South Africa  are well worth a visit. 

The poet May Sarton’s thoughts around gardening being an instrument of grace is one shared by millions of avid gardeners worldwide. The grounding nature of having one’s fingers in the very earth, and the unmatched joy of seeing growth from your own effort, is one of the most underrated forms of healing. Visiting magnificent public gardens reminds us that there’s medicine to be found in the spaces that celebrate both nature as well as the gift of community. Here are some of SA’s most inspiring public gardens.

Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (Roodepoort, Gauteng)

The Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens is home to a variety of plants and wildlife, providing a sanctuary of natural diversity in the midst of Joburg’s busy city-life experience. While SANBI recommends late spring to early summer as the best time to see the blooming of the scarlet river- and arum lilies, there’s truly some-thing magnificent to experience through every season. One of the most sought-after sightings is the pair of black eagles that have been residents of the gardens for the past thirty years, and have made their home on the cliffs alongside the waterfall.

While most visitors opt to explore the gardens at their leisure, there are walking tours available to make the most out of the extensive biodiversity and wildlife that exist throughout the gardens. ‘One of my most treasured memories will always be the picnics that I shared with my mum each time she visited Joburg to see me. It was a tradition that saw us spending all day at the gardens as she inspected the plants, taking photos that she could replicate in her garden back at home,’ says Shirley Govender, a local resident who frequents the gardens.

Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden (Worcester, Western Cape)

A truly unique public garden in SA, the Karoo Desert Garden focuses on the plants that can be found in the arid and semi-arid parts of our land, displaying the largest succulent collection in the country. While many of the smaller mammals (such as rock dassies and scrub hares) can be seen within the cultivated part of the garden, the two hiking trails provide opportunities to view larger mammals and some of the 95 bird species – among them pollinators known to reside amidst the red flowers of the Karoo boer-bean.

Springtime visits mean that you can stand in awe of the seemingly endless rivers of colour as the vygies bloom, but winter provides the rare and magical opportunity to see the bright colours of three species of aloe set before the snow-covered 2 000 m Brandwacht  mountain. Previous visitors do recommend scheduling a full day for this experience, and it is useful to know that they expanded the kids play area during the 100-year celebration that took place in 2021.

Durban Botanic Gardens (Durban, KwaZulu-Natal)

As Africa’s longest surviving botanic garden, the Durban Botanic Gardens is home to one of the rarest cycads in the world (Wood’s Cycad), as well as the oldest jacaranda tree in the country (planted in 1885), and lychee trees planted in 1880. Still painstakingly-maintained, this national treasure boasts a dedicated Orchid House maintained by a veteran curator, and the famous sunken gardens that have seen thousands of couples nurture their love amidst the design of a classic English-style garden.

The addition of the Butterfly Dome by a butterfly specialist exemplifies the Trust’s dedication to education, and school tours remain integral to the running of the gardens. If you are in search of a gentle shift in perspective, a moment beneath the ancient Buffalo Thorn tree will gift it to you, or the sunken gardens will reignite your motivation to curate your own rose garden at home!

The South African Rosarium (Bedford, Eastern Cape)

Once a year during October and November, the little town of Bedford in the Eastern Cape plays host to thousands of thrilled gardening enthusiasts during the Bedford Garden Festival. The days are filled with delicious food vendors, informative talks by renowned experts, the sale of unique plants and a country market selling everything from clothes to artwork. However, amidst the many spectacular gardens within Bedford, you will find the South African Rosarium.

An institution fiercely dedicated to the preservation of some of the rarest roses in the world, the SA Rosarium is a space within which unparalleled beauty grows. Known as a ‘living archive’, visitors are welcome to view, learn about and buy heritage roses. Personal tours can be booked ahead of time and the recommended times to visit would be September to November, and again from March to April.