Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden — Attraction in Stellenbosch Local Municipality

SUBG is one of the oldest university botanic gardens in South Africa, dating back to Gert Nel in 1922. Under the current manager, Martin Smit it is undoubtedly the best run and most innovative garden in South Africa, and as a university garden, possibly in the world.

In only a handful of years and through his brilliant management, Martin has managed to obtain significant funding and both extend and improve nearly every aspect of the garden. Through a combination of international seed sharing and local field collections, Martin has greatly developed the botanical assets with a growing number of fascinating plants. Besides a plethora of flagship species such as the enormous Victoria lilies or the titan arum (Amorphophalus titanum) bearing the largest unbranched flowerhead in the world, it is worth visiting the extensive Oxalis collection, the succulent glasshouse, the carnivorous plants and the assortment of species that focus on the early collector and curator, Hans Herre. T

he structural assets include a new glasshouse, environmentally friendly solar panels and heaters, a new bonsai section, the acquisition of nearby historic buildings, improvement of the shop, revamping of the Victoria lily pond and the rationalization of the nursery. With a keen focus on technology and in particular making strong use of Iris curation software, Martin and his team have labelled, georeferenced and provided additional botanical information on nearly every species. The garden is now a wealth of information making the SUBG unparalleled as a botanical teaching resource in South Africa.

If you are the sort to enjoy a ramble around a beautiful garden, you'll come away enchanted, but if you are a connoisseur of plants, then the collections in SU will cast you into a unparalleled universe of plants beyond the imagination. For its sheer magnificence and botanical diversity, SUBG is a praiseworthy paradise rivalling Babylon, with the innovation and herculean efforts wrought by Martin Smit making him the esteemed king of this tiny yet thoroughly...

Honestly don't see the point in paying R10 per person to visit a small park that used to be better maintained when it was free to enter.

Edit:

To elaborate on my point : The gardens entrance on Plein street has plants growing far over the pathway, there also seems to be quite a bit of dead leaves piling up in the garden. I know this might be nit picking but it left quite a big impression especially paired with the effects of the drought. And surely you can remove dead plants , it's not like they die overnight.

Secondly I used to frequently use the park as a scenic route or as a place to get some reading done and this isn't really possible now given the fact that each visit would cost R10 which isn't a lot, but definitely discourages frequent visits. This fee also becomes even more unwelcoming if you visit as a family. Surely donations I understand but a mandatory fee doesn't make sense for a park this small. This just further establishes Stellenbosch as an elitist town and university, and it's very disappointing to say the least. Could you not perhaps allow residents with free entry once a week or during non prime tourist hours? Or even allow separate entrance to the restaurant, because surely they are also losing business because of...

In the heart of Stellenbosch you will find the Stellenbosch University Botantical Gardens. The diverse vegetation in the gardens is amazing and there are numerous paths exploring different areas spread throughout where you can take in the beauty, learn about the different plant species and even bring a picnic to enjoy there. When we visited the entrance fee was R 15.00 per person which is very budget friendly and as they are open every day of the week, excluding certain public holidays, there is no reason to not visit even just for a quick walk around. The Katjiepiering Restaurant (reviewed separately) is also located within the garden and is a good option to grab breakfast or brunch. Whether you are a couple wanting to go for a romantic walk, a family with kids or even on your own, this is a great place to spend some time and take in the natural...