Kloof Conservancy’s Open Gardens attracts crowds
The focus was on the open areas in Cotswold Downs Estate rather than the individual gardens this year.
VISITORS enjoyed a beautiful day in the country at the Kloof Conservancy’s Indigenous Open Gardens at the weekend.
The conservancy’s largest fundraiser took a slight change in format this year, showcasing efforts made by Cotswold Downs Estate to develop a large property in an environmentally-sensitive manner.
The focus was on the open areas in the estate rather than the individual gardens. The planning team created a great line-up of activities, which included bird walks with Dereck Spencer and BirdLife Port Natal, a butterfly garden and walks with Steve Woodhall, Old Forest Tree walk with Richard Boon and Wilf Sperring and Aloe Garden with Ben Botha. There were also a number of self-guided walks, including a beautiful riverine forest walk.
Visitors also enjoyed the usual offer of garden crafts and nurseries, and authors – Elsa Pooley, Geoff Nichols, Richard Boon and Charles Botha – also attended.
The tea garden lay in a beautiful setting on the edge of the dam with the KZN Youth Wind Orchestra close by on Saturday midday and the Thomas More College marimba bands on Sunday midday.
