HANTAM|
NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Nieuwoudtville, South Africa
PO Box 08, Nieuwoudtville, 8180
Tel: +27 27 218 1200
Fax: +27 27 218 1201
Email: hantam@sanbi.org

The Hantam National Botanical Garden was established in 2007 and is located just outside the town of Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Nieuwoudtville is located 52 km north east of Vanrhynsdorp and about 350 km north north-east from Cape Town on the Bokkeveld Plateau and forms the north-western border of the Cape Floristic region. The Garden comprises a total area of 6 200 ha and lies about 730 m above sea level.

The Garden will serve as a centre for biodiversity research in the Bokkeveld Plateau and Succulent Karoo region. Focus will be on promoting long-term ecological research, conservation, nature-based tourism and education relating to the region's biodiversity, working closely with local and regional stakeholders, bioregional programmes, conservation agencies, universities and museums. The official launch of the new National Botanical Garden took place on the farm Glenlyon outside Nieuwoudtville on Tuesday, 28 August 2007.

The Garden comprises over 6,200 ha of land on the Bokkeveld Plateau, and is world renowned for its incredible diversity of bulbous plants. Some 40% of the flora comprises bulbs that create spectacular displays in autumn and spring each year. The Garden also comprises large natural patches of renosterveld fynbos and succulent karoo vegetation.

Some 1,350 plant species have so far been recorded on the Bokkeveld Plateau, including 80 range-restricted or endemic species (6% of the flora). Almost a third of the species endemic to the Bokkeveld Plateau are threatened with extinction. Due to the incredible diversity and density of bulbs, Nieuwoudtville's biodiversity is of international significance and it is often referred to as ‘the Bulb Capital of the World'.

Read more about the history and wildlife of this garden. See the What's On pages for events taking place in the Garden.

Hours and fees The Garden is open weekdays from 07:30 – 16:30 (except during flowering season, when it's also open over weekends). Entrance to the Garden is free with the exception of the three flowering months, usually August to October, when entrance is R10 for adults, R5 for children and senior citizens and free for Botanical Society Members (with valid BotSoc membership cards).

How to Get There