Montagu Nature Garden

Aloe microstigma Montagu Nature Garden July 2009

Crassula rupestris & Euphorbia caput-medusae Montagu Nature Garden July 2009

Montagu Nature Garden July 2009

Langeberg Mountains from the Montagu Nature Garden July 2009

 Veltheimia capensis Montagu Nature Garden July 2009

Click here to see more photos of the Montagu Nature 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.  After 6 mostly rainy days in Cape Town, 6 mostly sunny days in the beach town of Hermanus, 6 days of variable weather in the small town of Bredasdorp on the Agulhas Plain, I spent 6 warm & sunny days in Swellendam.  My time in South Africa ended on the 24th day, when I flew from Cape Town to London. On my 4th day in Swellendam I saw the Montagu Nature Garden.  This garden is located in an environment known as klein karoo.   Klein karoo is found north of the Langeberg Mountains, fynbos is found to the south.

From my journal, 7-30-09:  I drove to Montagu through Cogman's Kloof Pass in the Langeberg Mountains.  As I entered Montagu, I saw signs for the nature garden.  There was an easy, winding path up a small, very rocky hill with many succulent plants.  I saw 3 species of Euphorbia, several Crassula & Aloe.  I also saw a red pea with inflated pods (Sutherlandia frutescens) & Veltheimia capensis in bloom.  The views of the Langeberg Mountains were stunning.

Marloth Nature Reserve

Protea aurea Marloth Nature Reserve July 2009

Metalasia Marloth Nature Reserve July 2009 

Elegia Marloth Nature Reserve July 2009 

Fynbos on the Langeberg Mountains at Marloth Nature Reserve July 2009 

Fynbos on the Langeberg Mountains at Marloth Nature Reserve July 2009

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.  After 6 mostly rainy days in Cape Town, 6 mostly sunny days in the beach town of Hermanus, 6 days of variable weather in the small town of Bredasdorp on the Agulhas Plain, I spent 6 warm & sunny days in Swellendam. On my 3rd day in Swellendam I went to the Marloth Nature Reserve.

From the website: Marloth Nature Reserve lies in the majestic Swellendam mountains, between the towns of Swellendam, Ashton, Barrydale and Suurbraak. The reserve is 14,123 hectares (34,900 acres) in extent and adjacent to the Swellendam State Forest. Swellendam is the third oldest town in South Africa and has many interesting cultural-historic features. Marloth Nature Reserve is named after the pioneer botanist who, together with a deputation of Swellendam residents in 1928 petitioned the Minister of Lands and Forestry to set aside a part of the mountain as a nature reserve. During 1981 the reserve was enlarged to include the rest of the State Forest land. The vegetation in the nature reserve is predominantly mountain fynbos with patches of afro-montane forest. The fynbos includes several species of protea and more than 25 species of erica. The original forests covered a much larger area but over the years exploitation for timber for the local furniture and wagon industries, and fires, reduced them to isolated patches in the damper kloofs (ravines).

From my journal, 7-29-09:  I drove to the Marloth Nature Reserve, which was very near Swellendam on the slopes of the Langeberg Mountains.  I walked through fynbos on the lower slope, then through forest beside a creek in a ravine.  There were tree ferns (Cyathea dregei) near the water.  2 juvenile baboons screeched, thrashed branches & stared at me from a tree across the creek.  I remembered a friend's story about being attacked by baboons in Hong Kong.  I picked up a big stick & carried it with me until I left the forest.

Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve

Euphorbia mauritanica (Melkbos) Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve July 2009

Haworthia pumila Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve July 2009 

Struthio camelus (Ostrich) with Langeberg Mountains in the distance at Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve July 2009

Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve July 2009 

Klein karoo & the Elandsberg Mountains Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve July 2009

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.  After 6 mostly rainy days in Cape Town, 6 mostly sunny days in the beach town of Hermanus, 6 days of variable weather in the small town of Bredasdorp on the Agulhas Plain, I spent 6 warm & sunny days in Swellendam.

On my 2nd day in Swellendam I visited Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, following the Rooikat Trail.  From the SA-Venues website: Set in a part of the country known as the arid Robertson Karoo, the Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve lies in the Breede River Valley.  Given the name of the nature reserve - Vrolijkheid means happiness - this must have been the site of much gaiety in the past, and it certainly remains the focus of pleasure in the heart of the Little Karoo, where it gives much pleasure to visitors - the beauty of the landscape dominated by succulents, dwarf trees and shrubs like the melkbos. The valley is surrounded by high mountain peaks, often shrouded in mist, which makes hiking, walking or just general rambles through the rugged landscape a favourite pastime for all who come here. A circular hike, known as the Rooikat Trail, meanders up around the Elandsberg Mountains and can take up to eight hours.

From my journal, 7-28-09:  I drove toward McGregor on paved roads for over an hour.  Just outside the town I stopped at Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve.  I hiked for 2 hours through klein karoo.  There was Acacia karoo (Thorn Tree) not more than 8 feet tall, Aloe microstigma at only 2 feet, a few small shrubs, & many succulent plants, mostly groundcovers.  There were many Euphorbia mauritanica (Melkbos) with succulent stems.  It was quite different from fynbos.  The trail went along fairly level ground through a valley in the low Elandsberg Mountains.  It was still cool in the morning.  The sun was veiled by thin clouds.  It was very pleasant.  I startled an Ostrich, which ran off to join 2 others on a nearby hillside.  They watched me intently for a short time, then started grazing.  I wouldn't have thought it exciting to see an Ostrich.  But to come upon 1, unexpectedly, in the wild was wonderful indeed.

Bontebok National Park

Damaliscus dorcas (Bontebok) Bontebok National Park July 2009

Alcelaphus buselaphus (Hartebeest) & Acacia karoo (Thorn Tree) Bontebok National Park July 2009 

 Langeberg Mountains,  Bontebok National Park July 2009 

 Recently burned fynbos in Bontebok National Park July 2009

 Fynbos in Bontebok National Park July 2009

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.  After 6 mostly rainy days in Cape Town, then 6 mostly sunny days in the beach town of Hermanus, I spent 6 days of variable weather in the small town of Bredasdorp on the Agulhas Plain. I stopped at Bontebok National Park on my way from Bredasdorp to Swellendam.

From the website: A part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, now heralded as a world heritage site, Bontebok National Park always offers something in bloom. The Park is proud to promote its achievements in biodiversity conservation, from the endangered fynbos veld type, coastal Renosterveld to the namesake bontebok! Once these colorful antelope numbered a mere 17, and through effective management we are proud to affirm that the present world population amounts to around 3000. The Park offers much more for nature lovers, from a diversity of indigenous animal life to over 200 remarkable bird species. The Breede River provides an idyllic western border to the park and offers guests scenery, bird watching, fishing, and a refreshing swimming spot. Visitors can also get a profound familiarity of the Park’s endless sights and sounds while on one of the various hiking trails or on a winding bike trip.

From my journal, 7-27-09: At Bontebok National Park I walked through a forest of thorn trees (Acacia karoo) 15 feet tall & Aloe ferox 10 feet tall.  The effect was very strange, African & (with all of the sharp thorns) somewhat menacing.  There was Podocarpus elongatus closer to the Breede River.   As I was walking, I heard a loud snort.  I took out my camera & walked cautiously around a bush to see a hartebeest charging away through the underbrush.  I got a picture only from a distance.  The forest floor was mostly Oxalis & Asparagus.  There was Carpobrotus edulis where it was more open.  I saw 2 groups of bontebok, another hartebeest & a steenbok from the car.  There was fynbos with Protea compacta, Leucadendron salignum & a tall Erica with pink flowers.  But mostly it was short Luecadnedrons, short restios, grass & a few short, undistinguished gray shrubs.

De Hoop Nature Reserve

De Hoop Nature Reserve July 2009.  De Hoop Vlei (wetland) then the Indian Ocean in the distance.

Protea compacta De Hoop Nature Reserve July 2009 

 

Protea compacta De Hoop Nature Reserve July 2009 

 Papio ursinus (Chacma Baboon) De Hoop Nature Reserve July 2009 

Potberg Mountains De Hoop Nature Reserve July 2009 

Protea neriifolia De Hoop Nature Reserve July 2009

Click here to see more photos from De Hoop Nature Reserve.

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.  After 6 mostly rainy days in Cape Town, then 6 mostly sunny days in the beach town of Hermanus, I spent 6 days of variable weather in the small town of Bredasdorp on the Agulhas Plain.  I stayed at the Voorhuis, a private home & guest house built in 1841.  On the 3rd day I visited the De Hoop Nature Reserve.  

From the website: Only three hours from Cape Town lies a special nature reserve situated in the Overberg region, near the southern tip of Africa. De Hoop Nature Reserve is approximately 34 000 ha in size.  It is a favourite destination for hikers, cyclists, bird watchers and during the winter and early summer months, whale watchers.  The adjacent De Hoop Marine Protected Area, which extends three nautical miles (5 km) out to sea, is one of the largest marine protected areas in Africa.  De Hoop Nature Reserve forms part of the world's smallest and most threatened plant kingdom, the Cape Floral Kingdom. Fynbos is the dominant vegetation group and is largely confined to nutrient-poor soils in the winter rainfall areas of the Western Cape.  De Hoop is important for the conservation of lowland fynbos for it has the largest conserved area for this rare vegetation type.  The reserve has 86 mammal species. Most notable are the rare bontebok and Cape mountain zebra, as well as eland, grey rhebuck, baboon, yellow mongoose, caracal and the occasional leopard.

From my journal 7-24-09:  It was actually cold that morning.  I could see my breath.  It warmed up quickly as the clouds disappeared.  I drove to De Hoop on endless dirt roads.  There was beautiful fynbos near the gate house, but no trails.  I parked beside the road & walked along the edge.  I saw eland, baboons & bontebok in grassy areas closer to the ocean.  I saw southern right whales from the dunes.  Even with binoculars, I could only see their tails, spouts & a bit of their heads.  It was low tide. Tide pools were filled with anemones & urchins.  I drove to the Potberg Mountains at the other end of the reserve.  I hiked through fynbos along the mountain trail to a cave with alleged paintings by Bushmen. There was no way I could climb the steep rocks into the cave to verify that.  On the drive back through rolling pastures, I saw many sheep.  I was stopped by men with red flags driving sheep up the road toward me.  Cape vultures perched around the edge of a water tank & beautiful blue cranes stood in a field near the road.

Geelkop Private Nature Reserve

Leucadendron modestum Geelkop Private Nature Reserve July 2009

Leucadendron salignum Geelkop Private Nature Reserve July 2009

Leucospermum heterophyllum Geelkop Private Nature Reserve July 2009

Protea pudens Geelkop Private Nature Reserve July 2009

Protea pudens Geelkop Private Nature Reserve July 2009

Half  a sign at Geelkop Private Nature Reserve July 2009

An unidentified succulent at Geelkop Private Nature Reserve July 2009

Click here for more photos from the Geelkop Private Nature Reserve.

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.  After 6 days in Cape Town, then 6 days in the beach town of Hermanus.  I drove to Bredasdorp on the Fynbos Road.  Along the way I stopped in Elim to visit the Geelkop Private Nature Reserve.

There is very little information about reserve on the web.  I have assembled what I found:  Geelkop (private nature reserve) is about 450 hectares (1100 acres) in size. It derives its name from the mass of yellow flowering plants, particularly Leucadendrons, which cover the hills during spring.  Geelkop means Yellow Hill in Afrikaans.  Geelkop is owned and managed by the Elim community. Though small, it is one of the botanical hotspots in the world. The Geelkop is the only home of several very rare dwarf-species of the protea and other families. Geelkop is located on the Fynbos Road, next to Elim. There are no signs indicating the Nature Area, but the tourism bureau can give you directions. The tourism bureau can also recommend guides to show you around. Since you are looking for dwarf species you might want to take an expert.

From my journal, 7-21-09:  I drove south to Pearly Beach, where I took a dirt road to Elim.  It was a very good dirt road.  I was able to do 80 kph.  I stopped at the tourist information centre, which was a small office with a desk just inside a side door of the old community hall.  If some tourist women hadn't directed me there, I would never have found it.  The village of Elim was row after row of about 200 white-washed stone cottages with thatched roofs.  Everything belonged to the Moravian Church of South Africa, including Geelkop Private Nature Reserve.

I told the old woman at the desk that I wanted to see the reserve.  She said, 'Oh no, not now.  The rains have washed away the trails.'  She looked at my shoes.  'You would need to have boots.'  I said I had boots.  'Oh well then.' She sighed. 'You take the road to Napier, cross the river & turn right up the hill.'  She pointed to a hillside in the near distance.  'That's Geelkop.  I don't know if the sign is still up at the gate.'  I found a likely-looking gate: a space between 2 fence posts where the barbed wire didn't cross.  There were 2 wheel-ruts & a board face-down on the ground.  I turned it over to find half a sign.

NATURRES

GEELK

NATURE R

I drove down the very bumpy road until it forked.  I stopped the car.  I found a small sign on the ground, still attached to a post: car park.  There was no evidence that cars had parked there.  I moved the car slightly off the road, smashing a number of plants.  I found the other half of the entrance sign.

ERVAAT

OP  

ESERVE

The site was very dry & quite different from others I had seen.  I saw 2 types of Protea that sprawled across the ground.  1 had red flowers resting on the ground.  The other had white flowers facing downward from a height of 6 inches.  Both types had flowers that were quite large (6 inches across) & filled with fuzzy black-tipped feathers.  They were the most amazing flowers I saw in South Africa.  I later identified them as Protea pudens.

The sun was mostly behind dark clouds.  But it was still very bright & not very hot.  Elim was beautiful in the distance with the sun shining on it.  I never found a trail, but walked across a landscape of short restios & grasses, skirting the few large Protea shrubs.  I drove the car a bit farther down the road. until I came to a place with tiny Leucadendron shrubs less than 18 inches tall & flowers less than an inch across. I later indentified them as Leucadendron modestum.  I thought they were fascinating.  Although I wasn't there long, it was a very rewarding experience.

Kogelberg Nature Reserve

 Mimetes culcullatus at the Kogelberg Nature Reserve July 2009

Termite mound at the Kogelberg Nature Reserve July 2009

Kogelberg Nature Reserve July 2009

  Kogelberg Nature Reserve July 2009

  Kogelberg Nature Reserve July 2009

  Kogelberg Nature Reserve July 2009

 Kogelberg Nature Reserve July 2009

Click here for a slideshow of photos from the Kogelberg Nature Reserve.

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.  After 6 days in Cape Town, I spent 6 mostly sunny days in the beach town of Hermanus.  On my last day there I drove to the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, where I hiked for 3 hours.

From the website: Lying within the southern extension of the Hottentots Holland Mountain range about 90 kilometres south-east of Cape Town and 8 kilometres from Kleinmond, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve has managed to remain largely unspoilt, in no small part due to its ability to remain relatively isolated in its position along Route 44. This isolation has helped protect it's floral wealth and keep it clear of alien vegetation. The Kogelberg Nature Reserve is filled with generous mountain peaks, craggy kloofs and valleys along which several tributaries of the Palmiet River run. Kogelberg Nature Reserve, often touted as the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, has exceptional quality fynbos held within its 100 000 hectare expanse.

From my journal, 7-20-09:  I hiked for 3 hours at the Kogelberg Nature Reserve along the Palmiet River, which was brimming with water.  The river valley was completely untouched, the fynbos pristine.  The mountains, valley & river were very beautiful.  It was as lovely as any place I had seen in the USA.  The sun was very hot.  Even the breeze was warm.  I tired quickly.  Since I was seeing more of the same, I finished off the litre of water, ate some food & turned around after 90 minutes.  I drank another litre of water as soon as I got back to the guest house.  I had been sweating profusely.  When it was raining in Cape Town, many said I had come at the wrong time of year.  But after those hot days on the Whale Coast, I knew that it was best to come in the dead of winter.

Fernkloof Nature Reserve

Lobostemon montanus July 2009

Leucadendron salignum July 2009

Pelargonium July 2009

 Phaenocoma prolifera July 2009

Protea longifolia July 2009

Protea longifolia July 2009

Saltera sarcocolla July 2009

 Fernkloof Nature Reserve, Hermanus, Walker Bay July 2009

Click here for more photos from Fernkloof Nature Reserve.

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.  After 6 days in Cape Town, I spent 6 mostly sunny days in the beach town of Hermanus.  I chose to stay there mainly because I wanted to see Fernkloof Nature Reserve.

From the website: Fernkloof Nature Reserve covers 1800 ha in the Kleinrivier Mountains above Hermanus and ranges in altitude from sea level to 842 m. In late 1957, the Reserve was proclaimed by the Provincial Council of the Cape. It protects coastal and fynbos and a small patch of evergreen forest. There is no other place on earth where so many different species can be seen growing in such close proximity. In Fernkloof 1474 species have thus far been collected and identified.The name of the principal vegetation type of this region is derived from the Dutch word 'fijn bosch' which is the collective name for a myriad of evergreen shrub-like plants with small firm leaves, often rolled - but also includes woody plants with hard leathery leaves, usually broad, often rolled.

From my journal, 7-16-09:  At the Potting Shed Guest House, I had a breakfast of fruit salad, porridge (oatmeal) toast with plum jam, yogurt & rooibos tea.  I walked the cliff path to the centre of Hermanus.  Men were repairing thatch on the roofs of several houses.  Later in the day I drove to Fernkloof Nature Reserve.  It was amazing, hallucinatory.  Almost all of the plants & flowers were strange & unusual.  So many plants had yellow flowers & foliage that the landscape gave off a golden glow.  It was far more dense & diverse than the Harold Porter Botanical Garden.  There were many Protea & Leucadendron flowers, plus ferns & trees by the stream in the kloof (ravine).  I saw colorful birds with long, curved beaks (Malachite Sunbirds) feeding in the Protea flowers.  Birds with 16-inch tail-feathers like scissors (Cape Sugarbirds) were bathing in a small pool beside the path on the mountainside.  In flight, they looked like airplanes trailing banners.  Frogs were singing in the seeps.  On a recently burned slope, there were many seedlings.  I hiked for 3 hours.  In retrospect, it was the most amazing place I visited in South Africa.  7-18-09: I returned to Fernkloof Nature Reserve.  I took a different path than I had before, this 1 around Lemoenkop (Lemon Hill).  There were spectacular views of Walker Bay.  The day was cooler than the previous few.  I wrote down plant names from many flowers in labeled bottles in the visitors’ centre.

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