Wachendorfia, Aristea and trees

One hundred years by 2013! The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden was in several ways the first of its kind. The first to conserve and present plants in its particular way, the first of a national series of locally relevant South African National Botanical Gardens and the first in the minds of many people who count botanical gardens among the most hopeful signs for the future of humanity.

It is hard to imagine that a century ago the place was neglected, given to herds of free range pigs. There are good stories of people with vision, dedication, skill and fortitude that made this and similar places special and are still doing so.