Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden (SUBG), South Africa’s oldest academic botanical garden, is gearing up for an extraordinary celebration of its centenary during the SU Toyota Woordfees from 7 to 15 October, 2023.
This inaugural event, known as the Stellenbosch Flora Festival (SFF), promises a unique blend of nature, art, education and community engagement.
Established in 1922, SUBG occupies a prime 1.7-hectare spot in the heart of Stellenbosch, within the Cape Floristic Region’s botanical diversity. It’s situated amid the highly threatened lowland ecosystems of the wine-growing regions, making it a haven for both rare plant species and knowledge dissemination.
SUBG has long been a beacon of conservation, education and academic support. As an academic garden, it plays a pivotal role in research, conservation collections and educational content. Collaborations with Stellenbosch University’s academic experts have enriched its diverse collections and contributed significantly to research and conservation efforts.
Dr. Donovan Kirkwood, SUBG’s curator, expressed his excitement about the festival, stating, ‘We are excited to showcase what we have achieved over the past century during this unique festival. We invite the Stellenbosch community to come and enjoy the activities we have planned and see what the garden has to offer during this special week.’
The Stellenbosch Flora Festival aims to not only celebrate SUBG’s remarkable achievements but also launch recent infrastructure upgrades. It will provide visitors with a host of opportunities to relax, create art, have fun, learn and explore.
One of the festival’s objectives is to generate funds for the newly established SUBG Flora Fund. This fund will directly support the garden’s vital conservation work. Given SUBG’s location in the Cape Floristic Region, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, conservation is hugely important.
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The garden houses nearly 300 conservation-grade collections of species that face a real risk of extinction in the wild. Many of these species are indigenous to the surrounding Winelands, making SUBG’s conservation efforts even more critical.
Visitors to the festival can look forward to a diverse range of activities. These include a curated botanical art exhibition featuring original works by top South African botanical illustrators and artists. Art enthusiasts can enjoy sales and print sales during the event.
Rare plant vendors will be on hand, offering indigenous and exotic succulents, carnivorous plants, rare aroids, bulbs and specialty plants, including special releases of SUBG’s rare plants.
Art lovers can explore a contemporary art exhibition featuring well-known South African painters, ceramic artists, printmakers and woodturning artisans. There will also be a live installation by renowned landscape artist Strijdom van der Merwe, celebrating a local threatened plant and the SUBG mission.
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Throughout the garden, visitors can discover ceramic art, sculptures and plant-themed art. Additionally, there will be a selection of botanically themed gifts, homeware and décor items available for purchase. High-quality reproductions of previously unreleased historic plant illustrations will also be up for grabs.
For those seeking a multisensory experience, live lunch-hour music will serenade visitors at the Lily Ponds. Wine and gin tastings will be available for those looking to enjoy local flavours.
Scheduled events and walkabout tours are an integral part of the festival’s offerings. Visitors can participate in yoga or pilates sessions, daily curator’s tours and informative talks on specialist subjects ranging from medicinal plants to the unique Cape flora.
Daily workshops, which can be pre-booked for a separate fee, will cover topics like teaching printing with botanicals, cyanotype making, and master classes in terraria, propagation and bonsai. Booking for any workshop includes a day pass to the festival.
In terms of practicalities, a day pass for the festival costs R60 and provides access to the various activities and exhibitions. During the festival, the garden will be open daily from 8am to 5pm.
While the festival promises a fun celebration, it also reminds visitors of the critical role SUBG plays in plant and habitat conservation. Its dedication to education, research and conservation exemplifies the garden’s commitment to preserving South Africa’s botanical heritage.
Details:
- Location: Neethling St &, Van Riebeeck St, Stellenbosch Central
- Dates: 7 to 15 October
- Times: 8am to 5pm
- Tickets: Here
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Picture: Supplied
