The Head office of the Botanical Society of South Africa is located in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, below the Marquee Lawn at Gate 2.
History and Mandate
The Botanical Society was founded in 1913 at the same time as Kirstenbosch and the National Botanic Gardens. In fact, the land for the Garden was granted on condition that the organisation be formed, to support the development of the National Botanic Garden.
The Botanical Society has faithfully fulfilled this obligation, funding numerous developments and projects at Kirstenbosch over the years. It is true to say, Kirstenbosch would not be here without the Botanical Society. The Botanical Society also extends its support to the other National Botanical Gardens around the country.
Annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale
One of the key fund-raising events of the Botanical Society is the annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale at Kirstenbosch, which is co-ordinated and staffed largely by Botanical Society volunteers. The Garden Fair is held every March, and offers a huge range of indigenous plants, as well as advice and ideas on how to grow them.
Volunteering
Members of the Botanical Society also do volunteering work at Kirstenbosch. Many volunteers help propagate and grow the plants sold at the annual Garden Fair. Volunteer guides also take many of the free Garden Walks that leave from the Visitors’ Centre Information Desk at 10h00 on Monday to Saturday.
To find out more about doing volunteer work for the Botanical Society at Kirstenbosch, please contact the Kirstenbosch Branch of the Botanical Society at Tel 021 671 5468 or email the branch secretary, Catherine Gribble at gribblec@botanicalsociety.org.za
Veld & Flora Journal
The Botanical Society publishes a quarterly journal, Veld & Flora, which carries a wide variety of articles on the National Botanical Gardens, as well as indigenous flora, gardening, natural history and conservation. It is sent free to all members.
Botanical Society Bookshops
The Botanical Society runs two bookshops at Kirstenbosch, one at the Visitors’ Centre and a smaller one at the Centre for Home Gardening. The shops carry books on flora, gardening, gardens, fauna, natural history, as well as educational children’s books, cards and stationery. Their books are also for sale by mail order via the Botanical Society website.
Botanical Society members enjoy free entry to all National Botanical Gardens and various other benefits.
Contact the Botanical Society
Tel: 021 797 2090
Fax: 021 797-2376
E-mail: info@botanicalsociety.org.za
To join, or find out more about the Botanical Society, click here to visit their website.