Kirstenbosch

Kirstenbosh, formerly Cecil Rhodes' pig farm, was bequeathed by him to the nation and is one of eight national botantical gardens in various biomes of South Africa. Nestled at the foot of Table Mountain, it preserves only South African native plants, many of which look quite familiar to those of us who live in California:

Mountain dahlia (Liparia splendens):

A protea whose color comes from coloration of the leaves, not flowers:

Another gorgeous protea, Tufted Pincushion (Leucospermum oleifolium):


Outeniqua yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus), with its beautiful shaggy bark:

Kirstenbosch has a huge collection of cycads:


A strange gardenia, Gardenia thunbergia, sometimes called forest gardenia:



Beautiful views of Cape Town and Table Mountain from Kirstenbosch: