NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN
Worcester, South Africa
Roux Road
Van Riebeeck Park
(off National Road)
PO Box 152, Worcester, 6850
E-mail:karoodesert@sanbi.org
Tel: +27 2334 70785
Fax: +27 2334 28719
GPS : S33 36 46.9 and E19 27 03.0 altitude 327m.
The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden is totally unique in that
it is the only truly succulent garden in the southern hemisphere and on
the African continent. One of the floral highlights of the year is spring,
when thousands of annuals and brightly coloured vygies come into flower.
This colour spectacle lasts from mid-August to the end of September. See
the seasonal highlights pages.
A must for succulent lovers, the Garden lies on the outskirts of Worcester,
120 kilometres from Cape Town. The garden is clearly sign-posted from the N1 just outside Worcester. See route
map for details. Falling within the succulent karoo biome, which includes
the Namaqualand flora so famous for its spring flowers, the Garden boasts
some 400 naturally occurring species. The garden is also a haven for rare
and endangered plants, with over 300 species being protected and propagated.
Almost 70 species of birds have been recorded in the Garden, as well as a wide range of small mammals, such as the Cape grey duiker.For more information see - Havens of Biodiversity - a booklet describing biodiversity in the 9 National Botanical Gardens (.pdf file).
The garden is has an interesting history as can be seen from an article entitled From Whitehill to Worcester that appeared in Veld & Flora in March 2006.
Approximately 11 hectares of the estate are cultivated, whilst the remaining
144 are kept as a flora reserve which has several kilometres of nature
trails.
The Kokerboom restaurant at the garden is open daily.
| The Garden is open 365 days a year from 07:00 - 18:00, but the office/information and plant sales area close earlier. Entrance to the Garden is free with the exception of the three flowering months, usually August to October, when entrance is R14 for adults and R6 for children and senior citizens. |
Facilities for physically challenged persons:
A wheelchair is available on request, from the admin. office. The main circular route is wheelchair friendly and so are some of the shale pathways. Thus about 50% of cultivated garden is wheelchair friendly. About 80% of the plant sales area is wheelchair friendly. The Kokerboom restaurant is completely wheelchair friendly and there is a toilet for physically challenged persons. Unfortunately the toilets in the garden are not wheelchair friendly, please use the restaurant facilities.
We have a braille trail of 1000m. Signage is currently being replaced (January 2008)
Take a virtual tour of the garden to see
the special features. These include:
Khoisan kookskerm - An ethnobotanical garden displaying plants
used by the people of Namaqualand.
Organised tours - Tours of the succulent collections are available
by special arrangement (about 14 persons per group). Tours can also include
slide shows and a tour of the Garden Maze.
Plant Maze - Porkwood Plant Maze
Plant sales - There is a well-stocked nursery with over 500 indigenous
species and seed of over 200 indigenous species.
Shop - Botanical books, seed and curios.
Trails - Braille Trail, just under 1 km with information
boards in Braille. Karoo Trail, illustrating the fascinating regions
of the Karoo, such as the Little Karoo, Great Karoo and Hantam Karoo.
Shale Trail, approximately 1,7 km in the natural karroid koppies
and illustrated with information boards.
