Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross, officially opened the Majik Forest Renosterveld Garden in Durbanville on 4 September, marking the occasion by planting 20 locally indigenous Wild Peach and Wild Olive trees in celebration of Arbor Month.
Conservation and Community Collaboration
Majik Forest is a conservation area in Durbanville, allowing the City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department to manage the site as a sensitive natural system. The Renosterveld Garden was developed by the Wildflower Stepping Stones Project Group (WSSP), a local group dedicated to conserving pockets of locally indigenous wildflowers to combat habitat fragmentation.
The garden showcases the beauty and diversity of the indigenous Swartland Shale Renosterveld, an endangered vegetation type that has largely disappeared from the area due to agricultural and urban development.
‘We are pleased to open this garden for all Capetonians to enjoy this precious part of our natural heritage. Thanks to all our partners who made this happen,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
Designing a Garden for Education and Enjoyment
The garden was designed and created by world-renowned landscaper Leon Kluge and artist Tristan Woudberg, who recently won a gold medal for South Africa at the Chelsea Flower Show. This project was a partnership with WSSP and the Recreation and Parks Department.
‘This garden shows how important collaboration is with public entities and friends groups, like WSSP. They seek to improve public open spaces through creative thinking that can lead to improving natural landscapes within the city, and at the same time create a space for people to learn and enjoy our beautiful biodiversity,’ said Councillor Van der Ross.
The Renosterveld Garden allows the public to learn and interact with various iconic plant species found in the historic vegetation of the Greater Tygerberg Hills and with those passionate about restoring this critically endangered vegetation type.
