Blooming Cape Town – Spring is just around the corner, a time when spring flowers are showcased across the city.
Various City of Cape Town Nature Reserves and conservation areas are already showing off with new blooms. The City is reminding us that the flower viewing period only lasts for a short window between now and the end of September and encourages all to visit its nature areas over this beautiful period.
Get into the outdoors, enjoy Blooming Cape Town and observing COVID-19 Protocols, you can #STAYSAFE and #STAYCONNECTED.Â
A number of City of Cape Town Nature Reserves blossom with flowers such as the Cape White Daisy, Vygies, Gazanias, Pelargoniums, Arum Lilies, Kelkiewyn, Viooltjie and Bobbejaantjie to name a few. The City reserves such as Tygerberg; Bracken; Witzands Aquifer and False Bay offer the perfect spots to enjoy these sights. Other nature areas within the city’s neighbourhoods that also offer beautiful spaces for residents to visit and view the spring flowers include Bothasig Nature Reserve, Durbanville Nature Reserve, Brackenfell and Strandfontein.
‘I find that many residents are not aware of the picturesque reserves and conservation areas within our neighbourhoods. We are so spoilt with many conserved spots which are well managed by the City and showcase the natural beauty Cape Town has to offer. No need to drive too far to see this year’s spring blooms, they are popping up within our reserves, the daisies are already brightening up the landscapes,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Marian Nieuwoudt.
Spring is definitely one of the most exciting times in the veld types that are found in reserves such as Tygerberg, and while there may be some mass displays of daisies in certain areas it is more the bulbous plants that pop out in places which bring excitement to the floral enthusiasts. Tygerberg Nature Reserve is for example home to Swartland Shale Renosterveld, which has great floral diversity.
Other flowers that have been spotted already include the Spider flower/ Spinnekop blom; Fuzzy Cape Spinach; Afrikaner, Fringe Tulp; Blue Beard Lionface; Rosy Sandcrocus; Orange Satyre and Blue Cap.
The Bothasig Nature Reserve, which is one of the City’s newly proclaimed and managed Nature Reserves, is also already showing off with spring flowers. The reserve is appreciated by the surrounding community in Bothasig and Edgemead, who enjoy walks at the reserve while taking in the scenic views of Tygerberg hills and Table Mountain.
The Bothasig Nature Reserve is a good example of a previously degraded area that is slowly recovering through the City’s Biodiversity Management’s rehabilitation efforts. Environmental education programmes have also been carried out on site and in future, the reserve management envisions hosting events and other recreational activities that will include the local community in order to promote responsible recreational use of open conservation areas.
The City Nature Reserves boast beautiful spring flowers each year. The best time to view flowers is in the afternoon, when the sun is out. Any time between late morning and 15:00 is advised, while the sun is still high in the sky.
WHERE: City of Cape Town Nature Reserves – all relevant contact details HERE
COVID Protocols: You are reminded to please wear a mask to cover nose and mouth at all times, to wash hands often with soap and water, or to use hand sanitiser, and to observe the social distancing that is required in terms of the Covid-19 health and safety protocols.
See also Cape Town Green Map.