The iconic landmark Lowveld National Botanical Garden (LNBG) celebrated its 50th anniversary on Thursday. This piece of paradise in the Lowveld is one of a network of 10 national botanical gardens in South Africa.

The LNBG comprises an area of 164 hectares and was established in 1969 through the support of both the local municipality and H.L. Hall & Sons.

Christopher Willis, chief director of conservation gardens and tourism division, said shortly after the garden was started, it was and continues to be supported by a local branch of the Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc).

“As an environmental NGO, it has been supporting our network of national botanical gardens since 1913, a period of 106 years, when Kirstenbosch was started in the Western Cape.

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“I am very pleased that the Lowveld branch of BotSoc has always been an active branch of the society, always very supportive of the garden and its successive curators, of which there have only been five in the past 50 years, Koos Nel (1969-1975), Peter Kruger (1975-1980), Johan Kluge (1980-1998), Rudi Britz (1998-2008) and Avhatakali Mamatsharaga (2008 to present) who is the current curator and host and has provided leadership in the Garden for the past 11 years,” said Willis.

In his speech, SANBI board chairman, Beryl Ferguson, said the aim of the event is to celebrate this very special garden, what it has meant to the community and how it has been supported by government, corporates, NGOs and civil society over so many years.

He acknowledged stakeholders that made a contribution towards the development and growth of the Lowveld Garden over the past half-century.

“Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Botanical Society of South Africa, Hall & Sons, Sappi, Greater Riverside Biodiversity Initiative, Riverside Park Precinct Association, the University of Mpumalanga, Mpumalanga Plant Specialist Group, Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency, Birdlife SA, Lowvelder and Get It Lowveld.

“All of these organisations continue to play a significant role in promoting and supporting the garden, whether it be for the purposes of conservation, research, education or making the garden a very special nature-based tourist attraction,” said Ferguson.

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Willis added that the Lowveld garden has always had a close association with the surrounding community in Mbombela.

“With some of the largest and consistent sponsors over the years being Sappi, BotSoc, Tsogo Sun Casinos and Southern Sun Emnotweni, always supported by our local media, especially Lowvelder and more recently Get It Lowveld.

An excellent recent example of the involvement of civic organisations and private companies in ensuring the sustainable development of this piece of paradise in Nelspruit is the development and construction of the labyrinth in the garden in 2016.

“The Garden has been an active participant of the Riverside Park Precinct Association for many years now, and we look forward to participating as a key role player in the development of the Greater Riverside Biodiversity Initiative,” he concluded.
The 33rd annual Curators’ Week meeting was also held last week in the Lowveld Garden.

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