Hyde Park Corner brings Cape Winelands garden experience to Johannesburg

Johannesburg welcomed spring with a burst of colour and garden-inspired glamour as Babylonstoren in Bloom opened at Hyde Park Corner on September 1.

The activation offers city dwellers a chance to experience the spirit of the Cape Winelands farm without leaving the city.

Read more: Local creativity shines as Field Market puts women entrepreneurs in the spotlight

Open to the public from September 2 to 14, Babylonstoren in Bloom is the centrepiece of Hyde Park Corner’s Made for the Season campaign and marks the farm’s first activation of this kind in a shopping centre.

Set against a backdrop of lush greenery and vibrant spring blooms, the event brings together a love of gardens, design, food and everyday living.

For visitors, the sensory introduction to the season recreates elements of the farm’s iconic Puff Adder walkway on a smaller scale.

The 70m walkway on the farm follows the banks of a stream beneath a dome-shaped lattice structure, with its planting changing throughout the year.

Among the blooms on display is The Hyde Park Double, South Africa’s first double clivia, grown and bred by independent Clivia grower André Swart. The flowers provided a vivid reminder of the beauty and renewal associated with the start of a new season.

Also read: Comic Con Africa brings pop culture action to Joburg in 2026

Visitors were also able to discover a selection of Babylonstoren’s much-loved products, ranging from bath and body products and home fragrances to linen, decor, honey, pantry favourites, wine and gifts.

Many of these products draw inspiration from the farm and its gardens, with ingredients and materials grown or created at Babylonstoren.

The result is an experience that blurs the lines between garden, lifestyle and retail, inviting shoppers to slow down, explore and embrace the pleasures of spring.

Partnership brings unique experience

Hyde Park Corner general manager Tevye Block said the partnership was a natural fit for the centre’s seasonal campaign.

“Babylonstoren has such a distinctive sense of place that people recognise immediately, whether through its gardens, its food or the beautiful products that come from the farm,” said Block.

“Bringing a taste of that experience to Johannesburg gives our customers something genuinely special to discover at Hyde Park Corner this spring.”

Block added that the installation captured the spirit of Made for the Season, the centre’s wider spring campaign.

Also read: Parkmore community gives derelict property a new life

“Made for the Season is also about the pleasure of discovering what is new as we move into spring. Babylonstoren in Bloom brings that idea to life in Centre Court, while our stores are introducing new fashion, fragrance, swimwear and homeware for the season,” said Block.

Spring refresh brings new arrivals

Babylonstoren in Bloom formed part of a broader spring refresh at Hyde Park Corner, with new brands and seasonal collections adding to the excitement.

South African lifestyle brand Freedom of Movement opened at the centre on September 3, bringing footwear, apparel, bags and accessories, while RedLine Paris South Africa opened its first African boutique on September 1.

At Moss, the Mii-Ã-Table collection brings garden-inspired detail to the table, while Le Corset welcomes the latest Pain de Sucre swimwear for warmer days. Avenue 2A, the exclusive South African stockist of Brunello Cucinelli fragrance, is also showcasing the Italian fashion house’s fragrance collection.

But at the heart of the spring celebrations was the simple pleasure of flowers. With its colourful clivias, botanical inspiration and distinctly Cape Winelands character, Babylonstoren in Bloom gave Johannesburg a beautiful way to welcome the new season.

Babylonstoren in Bloom runs in Centre Court from September 2 to 14 during normal Hyde Park Corner trading hours.

Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!