The Durban Botanic Gardens lie between the City of Durban and the suburb of Berea on the hill behind. The Gardens were started in 1849 and, like the Gardens in Cape Town, were intended to provide food and medicinal plants for the settlement. Today the Gardens hold important collections, including the Cycads and Palms, and undertake research and conservation in addition to providing relaxation for the local people. The Gardens should be a stop on everyone’s tourist trail – and the Café has marvellous cream teas!
The Cycad Collection is wonderful – I could have photographed for hours, and then returned day after day for more!
The lake draws people – when I visited there were wedding parties, picnics, birds and their young – and beautiful lotus flowers.
The trees in the Gardens are amazing. This banyan tree was walking and growing and spreading.
The amphitheatre is in a corner of the Gardens – you can easily miss it.
The palms are planted around the Gardens, and in Avenues.
I loved being in these Gardens – do not miss them if you are in Durban!