Johannesburg Botanical Gardens — Attraction in Johannesburg Ward 88

Pictures Copyright ©️ blackjohannes. Pictures as is and was not Edited or manipulated. The botanical gardens leave you with mixed reactions. The rose garden is a mess. It looks sad and neglected. Hardly any roses and the water fountains are dry. Parking areas are better demarcated and there is now an "official" entrance near the rose garden for visitors. If you use the other entrances you don't have to pay. There are guards now to enforce bylaws. However people still walk dogs at wrong places, ball games where not allowed and most annoying is the many number of people with loud sound systems. Terrible. People openly drink alcohol in the parking areas from bottles and many having a picnic openly drinks in public. The grass is well kept and so are most trees. Many areas are suitable for picnic. The dog park is a good walking area as well, as long as people keep their dogs on leash. The public toilets are vandalized and bad condition. What lack all the years is a good restaurant or kiosk. The kiddies playing area is in good condition and offers a variety to kids. Also many paved walk ways to walk on around a very large area of the park. No pictures are allowed for gatherings of more than 15 people. In is mind boggling they in an Era when most people have cellphone cameras and many phone cameras have become so good, that there is a bylaw to get 21 day permission for pictures of groups to be taken. That with...

I took an overseas friend to see one of my favorite parks (Johannesburg Botanical Gardens), but unfortunately, they searched our bags and told us we weren't allowed in because my friend had a camera. The security guards don't seem to care that my friend is an amateur photographer, not some professional trying to stage a covert wedding shoot or something. This park goes through stages of being lovely, and stages where aggressive and rude security personnel harass you. They harass people smoking cigarettes and accuse them of smoking weed, the try to throw you out for taking pictures, and yet, people still get mugged in the park and they don't seem to be able to prevent that... It makes me not want to go, but unfortunately little is likely to change. The city doesn't care about hospitality for tourists, or locals feeling welcome in their own parks. They enacted the 'no camera' rule to stop people from having disruptive professional shoot all over the park, but now everybody has a cellphone camera and they allow that... so it becomes a bizarre Kafkaesque drama of stopping people with certain types of cameras but not others, and making ordinary people feel like criminals for just wanting to go to the park. I've felt like Joburg has been dying a slow and painful death over the last five years, and this is just another symptom. Shame on...

A magical escape in the heart of the city.

The Johannesburg Botanical Gardens is hands down one of the most magical and special places in the city. Whether you're taking a peaceful solo stroll, planning a dreamy summer picnic, or attending a joyful outdoor event, the gardens have a way of making every visit feel calm, beautiful, and full of life.

The landscape is stunning—lush greenery, towering trees, tranquil lakes, and vibrant flowers that change with the seasons. It’s a place where nature wraps around you and the chaos of the city fades into the background.

It’s also the kind of place where love stories begin. If you're ever thinking about proposing to someone special, this is definitely the spot. There’s something incredibly romantic about the quiet pathways, shaded benches, and open lawns that just feel right for a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

And let’s not forget about weddings—summer weddings at the Botanical Gardens are picture-perfect. The scenery creates a fairytale backdrop for vows, laughter, and dancing under the trees. It's the kind of venue that feels both grand and intimate at the same time.

Whether you're there for love, leisure, or a bit of both, the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens is a space that will always leave you feeling refreshed, inspired, and grounded. Truly one of Joburg’s...