Explore with Kloof Conservancy – A walk to remember (part 2)
The Kloof Conservancy will be hosting its 21st indigenous open gardens this year and has a lot to offer over its four select properties.
FOR 21 years, gardening enthusiasts, families and creatives have taken part in the Indigenous Open Gardens event and, this year, the Kloof Conservancy has four fantastic gardens on show. The fundraiser event will be held from Saturday, 5 to Sunday, 6 June between 9am and 4pm.
There will be additional activities, a raffle with great prizes, indigenous plant sales, garden crafts and information on invasive alien plants. The Nature Facts Treasure Hunt will have children look through the gardens and use the clues to find the answers to the puzzle. The entry form is once off R20 and all gardens will need to be visited to complete the puzzle. Completed entry forms can be left at each entry gate.
The cost is R30 per person per garden and entry is free for children under 12 years old. Cash or Zapper payments only.
ALSO READ: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Black-backed Puffback
Garden 2 – Brigid and Pete Turner, Tunzini, 43 Kloof View Road, Forest Hills
This totally indigenous garden has been developed by Brigid and Pete Turner over the past 36 years and revamped in recent years after a guest cottage (The Bird Hide Self Catering Cottage) was added. The garden was designed as a mini botanical garden to include examples of the range of vegetation types in South Africa but has in later years taken on more of a local indigenous character which merges seamlessly into the grassland and riverine habitats of the adjacent Krantzkloof Nature Reserve.
Additional features:
– Author, Dr Elsa Pooley will be at this garden from 1pm on Saturday until noon on Sunday.
– Indigenous plant sales by Grasslands Nursery.
– Indigenous plant sales by the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust.
– Specialist Butterfly plants and sale of eco-rocks by butterfly specialist, Americo Bonkewitz (Saturday only)
– Kloof Conservancy’s Primary School Education programme, in partnership with Dawn Booth Books, will have a detailed mice home. Visitors can escape to the whimsical world of a family of mice and friends.
– Kloof Conservancy will host an information table .
– BirdLife eThekwini’s club representatives will be located near the forest edge and will be on hand to provide information on birding activities. The bird list at this garden now has more than 150 species.
– The Lepidopterist Society of Africa’s members will be on hand to discuss butterflies. Books and posters will be on sale.
– The Endangered Wildlife Trust and Dr Jeanne Tarrant will be on site. Books on frogs will be on sale.
– Garden ornaments crafted by Simbarashe Takavada and Carlsen Mangena will be on sale.
– Robyn Ansell’s artwork and prints will be on sale.
– A coffee/food truck will be on site
– Lindsay Gray School of Garden design will be at the venue.
– Tunzini Mosaic’d Pots and Pavers will have a spot a the garden.
– Musical entertainment
Garden 3 – Tanya Visser and Izolda van der Merwe, 68 Controversy Road, Assagay
Additional features:
– Tea, coffee and cold drinks and food will be on sale.
– Tanya Visser Online Shop (Gardening Goodies)
– A variety of plants and jewellery will be on sale.
Guests are invited to take along a picnic blanket. Each visitor will receive a copy of The Gardener/Die Tuinier magazine upon entrance.
ALSO READ: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – African Goshawk
Garden 4 – Jenny and Peter Dean, Jenny Dean Wildflower Nursery, 18A Bowles Road, Assagay (and 18 Bowles Road)
Jenny Dean is known for her indigenous wildflower nursery and her indigenous landscaping skills. This garden is a riot of colour and defies the erroneous view that indigenous gardening lacks colour.
The more adventurous can walk through the grassland and rehabilitated riverine forest. This is steep and difficult in sections. Good walking shoes are needed
Additional features:
– The Botanical Society will be on hand to offer advice on indigenous plants.
– Pat Mckrill from Snake Country will be on hand to discuss reptiles.
– The Bees Knees will be on site.
Parking is available on Controversy Road.
Covid-19 regulations must be adhered to and the organisation has ensured there will be a strict ‘no mask – no entry’ policy. Parking is available on the verge of Kloof View Road.
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