Harold Porter National Botanical Garden

Asparagus rubicundus July 2009

 Erica coccinea July 2009

 Erica coccinea (yellow form) July 2009

Harold Porter National Botanical Garden July 2009

Leucadendron cones July 2009

Metalasia muricata, foreground & throughout. July 2009

 

Mimetes cucullatus below & Protea cynaroides above. July 2009

Click here for more photos from the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden.

In July of 2009 I spent 24 days in the Western Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa (RSA).  As you probably know, July is a winter month in the Southern Hemisphere, corresponding to January in the Northern Hemisphere.  But it is January as you might experience it in southern California.  The Western Cape Province has a Mediterranean climate.  It is dry in summer & rains in winter.  It rained on 3 of the 6 days I was in Cape Town.  But then it changed.  On the 7th day, I drove to Hermanus.  Along the way, I stopped at the Stony Point Penguin Colony & the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, both in Betty's Bay.  The day was as beautiful as the garden.

From the website: This beautiful, secluded garden is set between mountain and sea, in the heart of the Cape Fynbos region within the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.  It consists of 10 hectares of cultivated fynbos garden and 190.5 hectares of pristine natural fynbos. The Garden Estate is the natural part of the garden with several kilometres of nature trails providing scenic views of forests, mountains and coastline.

From my journal, 7-15-09:  I left Cape Town at 11.  It was an easy drive down the coast, especially beautiful along the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.  I came upon a troop of baboons in the highway & had to stop.  Different sections reminded me of Big Sur, the Amalfi Coast & the west shore of Flathead Lake.  But the plants were weird & wonderful.  I saw the Stony Point Penguin Colony.  Penguins were nesting very near the boardwalk.  There were also Hyrax.  I went to the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden at Betty’s Bay.  I hiked the zigzag  (switchback) trail on the mountain behind the garden.  It was fantastic, with many Protea, Erica & Leucadendron blooming.  I saw an amazing bird with an orange breast & green feathers.  I was so happy there.

Stony Point Penguin Colony July 2009

Spheniscus demersus (African Penguin) Stony Point Penguin Colony July 2009