Discover first 50 years of our botanical garden
The Lowveld Botanical Gardens, along the edge of a deep gully at the spectacular confluence of the Crocodile and the Nels rivers, is indeed a major attraction in the city.
MBOMBELA – This 159-hectare space, dominated by rugged, rocky river scenery, is home to over 600 naturally occurring plant species, and a further 2 000 that have been introduced. It was also developed as one of only 10 national botanical gardens in South Africa.
The 50th anniversary since its inception in 1969 is currently being celebrated.
On Saturday March 9 everyone is welcome to join members of Mpumalanga Heritage on a conducted tour, which will focus on the history of the development of this magnificent garden.
When paging through old copies of The Lowvelder, it was as far back as 1960 when the local Nelspruit Business Chamber requested the development of such an attraction. At a meeting in August of that year, the decision was taken to start negotiations with the town council to open up such a facility on 22 morgen, outside town.
ALSO READ: Learners’ treat on Flora and Fauna for Mandela Day
The main aim was to create a local tourism attraction, due to the fact that Nelspruit at that stage ended up only being a place to pass through on the way to other tourism attractions in the region like the Kruger National Park and the beaches of Mozambique.
Nearly seven years later, in February 1967, a front page report announced the arrival of Prof HB Rycroft, the director of National Botanical Gardens in South Africa, to inspect the proposed site.
The decision to incorporate the Lowveld garden into the national bouquet of botanical gardens was yet to be made.
Previously this land was donated by Hall & Son. A road to and into the proposed site was made by the local municipality, which was also responsible for fencing in the area.
Under the guidance of Dr Johan Grobler, who was appointed as chairman of the town council’s botanic advisory committee, a programme to commence with the planting of indigenous trees and shrubs was introduced some few years previously.
ALSO READ: Media strolls through the garden
By then the allocated area already had a good selection of vegetation representative of the Lowveld flora. It also was home to a large troop of baboons, as well as many monkeys and several species of small game like duikers, according to the newspaper.
The possibility of a national botanical garden in Nelspruit remained front page news when it was reported a week later that Rycroft was in favour of such a development.
He proposed that the garden be developed with the main emphasis on the conservation and propagation of indigenous flora of the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld, as the area was then known. He was quite impressed by a small natural indigenous forest which was already part of the proposed site.
ALSO READ: Book recounts early days of the botanical garden
Rycroft also announced that some costs of the further development of the garden would be met by the state, though a large contribution was to come from local organisations and the public. A curator had to be appointed soon with accommodation provided on site, as well as some labourers employed, he said.
By November 1969 The Lowvelder reported that a seasoned horticulturist, Koos Nel, previously from Welkom where he was head of parks, was appointed as the first curator. This also coincided with the appointment of the first three labourers.
Two months previously, a young botanist, Elize Buitendag, was also appointed to start with a listing of all plants already established in the garden. At that stage, she had already identified 200 species.
It will also be Buitendag who on Saturday, 50 years after her intense involvement in this groundbreaking period, will conduct the historic walk of the garden. She will point out where it all began.
Buitendag has also recently completed a book on the development of the garden, which will be on sale.
Meet at the main entrance to the Lowveld Botanical Garden at 08:00. Comfortable shoes, a proper hat and some sun lotion are advised. Bring along a picnic lunch to enjoy in the garden afterwards. No advance booking is necessary, though the normal gate fee will be payable. For more information contact Duncan Ballantyne on 082 329 7105.
ALSO READ: Lowveld Botanical Society celebrated their centenary
Membership of Mpumalanga Heritage is R200 per household per year, which includes a monthly excursion of this kind as well as a regular newsletter.
Contact Linda Grimbeeck on 013 755 1988 or visit her at the information office at Kruger Lowveld Tourism at Crossing to enlist as a member.
