SA doing more than fine with its fynbos

Walking away with a gold medal from the Chelsea Flower Show in London would be a crowning achievement for any horticulturalist or designer.

That’s why we’re particularly proud that the South African stand at the prestigious show was awarded not one, but two Gold Awards for Best Exhibit in the Pavilion, as well as the Best New Design.

South Africa’s exhibit was led by designer Leon Kluge and artist Tristan Woudberg, and inspired by the wondrous fynbos floral kingdom of the Cape mountains.

The exhibition was made up of a multitude of species from the high-altitude fynbos to the Strandveld, brimming with bulbs that hug the coastlines, and was made up of 22 000 stems.

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This year, rarely seen hybrids such as the fan favourite, protea snow leopard, as well as rare species such as the pendulous Protea sulphurea and the delicate blushing brides, Serruria florida, were included.

South Africa’s fynbos is truly an international treasure and the show, together with the awards, will spotlight its importance when it comes to species diversity – both of plant and animal life.

Fynbos is one of the most diverse ecological systems on the planet – and it is up to us to keep it that way.