Top of Caledon Traditional Cache

Small container in a beautiful garden. BYOP

Situated at the top of Caledon Street, in the town of George, the Garden Route Botanical Garden is worth a visit for its value as a 'green lung' but also for the role it plays in raising awareness about the unique kind of flora that exists in the Garden Route.

Because the Cape Floral Kingdom is one of the richest and yet one of the smallest and most threatened floral kingdoms on Earth, the Garden Route Botanical Garden plays an important part in both conservation and study of this critical floral kingdom. The gardens border mountain forests and the Outeniqua Nature Reserve, whilst the southern parts of the garden closest to town are principally given over to two wetland areas filled with water-loving plants, in amongst fynbos and trees.

As such, it is a wonderfully restorative space in which to simply rest and study both flora and animals that make this area their home. The central part of the garden is a Medicinal Mound filled with healing indigenous plants.

Described as a photographer's paradise, the gardens make a wonderful space for families as somewhere to escape into nature. Don your hiking boots and take the trail on to the mountains to see rarely-seen plants. There is also a succulent rockery, pioneer forest, a welcome garden, and soon-to-be-khoisan maze and scented beds.

Guided walks take in the history of the gardens that go back two hundred years – the original water furrows and storage dams that fed the town of George are still in evidence. The walk also focuses on the plants and birds found in the area.

Contact Details & Opening Hours:
The Garden Route Botanical Garden is open to the public at no cost.
Opening Hours: September to April from 07h00 to 19h00 and May to August from 07h30 to 18h00.
Address: 49 Caledon Street, George, Garden Route.
Telephone: +27 (0)44 874-1558.