Explore nature’s garden at Melville Koppies

If you’ve had enough of seeing virtual gardens, you can still visit nature’s garden on the Melville Koppies.

The grass is still brown, the ground dusty and dry and, lurking amongst the dryness, the resilient plants are now in full bloom. With food stored in deep roots or tubers like potatoes, they can withstand droughts, fires and lockdowns and as soon as the days lengthen and get warmer, they’re up and showing their faces. Not as plentiful as their famous counterparts that need spring rains, they’ll still surprise you. Some are as small as your pinkie, others as big as your fist.

Koppies guide Jenny Grice added you don’t have to walk far off the paths – many grow directly in the path and sometimes you’ll have to get down on your haunches to really appreciate them. Other times a flash of colour buried in dirty dry grass will be the clue that another little gem is lying in wait for you while you smell the air. Many have a sweet fragrance that attracts the bees and other insects. With others, it’s as if you’ve opened the honey jar. There are even some whose smell will make your kids say, ‘yuk’.

Then there are the ones that have no smell, that rely on their bright colours to get the insects to pollinate them. Just one section near the top of the koppies is green from being burnt. White pebbles make a Hansel and Gretel-like trail up the hill, while termite mounds dot the landscape.
You can arrive from 8am on certain Sunday mornings and guide yourself and be out by 11.30am. Don’t worry about parking, its secure at Marks Park and security is provided on Melville Koppies.

Make your way there on 18 and 25 October. R80 for adults and R40 for scholars.

Details: Wendy Carstens wendavid@mweb.co.za; 011 482 4797.