Elgin Open Gardens 2024
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Saturday 2 – Sunday 3 November &
Saturday 9 – Sunday 10 November
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The Elgin Valley is renowned for its cool-climate fruit, wines and flowers, and also its keen gardeners! This year 10 very diverse gardens will be open over two weekends to benefit local charities. Many will have plant sales, teas or lunches, and a good number of wine estates will be open for winetasting and sales.
Time: 9.30-16:00 (last entry)
Entry: Each garden sets its own entry price (some are free), and there is no need to book in advance.
Enquiries: 078 021 2101/ 083 458 3790, info@elginopengardens.co.za
Website: www.elginopengardens.co.za
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AULDEARN
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Jenny Simpson
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Highlands Road
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A plantswoman’s hilltop garden that skilfully mixes unusual indigenous and exotic plants, focusing on colour combinations. Panoramic views over the Kogelberg biosphere are framed by informal mixed plantings dominated by flowering cherries, roses, and two ponds and a stream.
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Entry: R35
Charity: GAWS
Directions: 8.5 km from N2 on Highlands Road.
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- Plant Sales
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ELGIN VINTNERS COUNTRY HOUSE
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Appletiser Road
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This recently restored formal garden from the 1920s features original stonework, a wisteria pergola, rose beds, and oak copses. Trees include a mature magnoliasa and a huge tulip tree, which must be one of the largest in the country. The garden offers magnificent views.
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Entry: Free, donations to GAWS
Elgin Vintners wine tasting and sales; light refreshments.
Directions: 2 km from the N2 on Appletiser Road.
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FRESH WOODS
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Peter and Barbara Knox-Shaw
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Rambling, romantic plantsman’s garden with a major collection of heritage and species roses, many rare trees and shrubs, some wild-collected, including rhododendrons, unusual hydrangeas, deutzias and over 80 Japanese maples. Also, there are collections of cyclamens, epimediums, lilies, a woodland garden under pine, and a bamboo walk.
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Directions: Off the N2
Entry: R45, children 2-12 half-price
Charity: GAWS
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- Plant Sales
- Food and Drink
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HOUW HOEK OUTSPAN
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Peter and Tessa Goemans
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This ever-changing garden boasts fantastic views of the Houw Hoek mountains. Each year, massed annuals are planted in the borders of colourful beds reminiscent of the English Garden style. Over 300 roses and many interesting plants encourage a vibrant bird population, making this an enjoyable experience for keen gardeners and bird lovers alike.
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Directions: From N2 as for Houw Hoek Hotel
Entry: Donations appreciated.
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- Food and Drink
- Picnic Spots
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KEURBOS NURSERY GARDEN
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Jessie Walton
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Highlands Road
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A large natural garden designed for birds, with both indigenous and exotic sections as well as acer and heritage rose beds and a large nursery area. Collections of bulbs and buchus, acers and azaleas, rhododendrons, heritage roses and more.
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Directions: 8 km from N2 on Highlands Road.
Entry: R35 (includes Sonop)
Charity: Bird Research, GAWS
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- Plant Sales
- Food and Drink
- Picnic Spots
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LAVENHAM
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Norma Bridgman
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Viljoenshoop Road
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A picturesque, look-alike Anne Hathaway thatched cottage set in a large peaceful woodland garden with extensive lawns, roses, herbaceous borders and groundcovers.
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Directions: 2 km from N2 along Viljoenshoop Road
Entry: R25
Charity: GAWS
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LIBBY FARM FLOWERS, SHANNON VINEYARDS
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Libby Downes
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Rockview Dam Road
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A boutique cut flower business situated on an apple, pear and wine grape farm with a beautiful river frontage. Wander through rows of more than 30 different varieties of fragrant garden roses.
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Directions: At Shannon Vineyards, 3 km down Rockview Dam Road.
Entry: R25
Charity: Siphila Sonke
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- Plant Sales
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SONOP
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Jessie Walton
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A 3-ha south-facing hillside of old contoured farmland is slowly rehabilitated with indigenous planting. Just about everything is propagated by the owner herself, who gardens this almost singlehandedly. There are many rare plants some unique to the Elgin area. Lovely views onto a bird lake, with a walkway on one side. A tractor and trailer will leave every hour to take you there.
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Directions: 8 km from N2 on Highlands Road.
Entry: R35 (includes Keurbos)
Charity: Bird Research, GAWS
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- Plant Sales
- Food and Drink
- Picnic Spots
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THE STONE KITCHEN
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Jane Touwen
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E22 Essenhout Avenue, Klipkop, Grabouw
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Mature waterwise organic garden on a rocky, sandy koppie with pergolas, indigenous plantings, olive trees, organic permaculture kitchen garden, stone and cob building.
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Entry: R20
Charity: Humane Education Trust, GAWS
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WILDEKRANS COUNTRY HOUSE
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Barry Gould and Alison Green
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Off N2, Houw Hoek
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Step through the gates of this historical 1811 property and into the magic of an enchanted garden. This diverse and informal garden nestled at the foot of the Houw Hoek Mountain range offers snippets of storyboards, streams and water ponds, old heirloom roses heady in scent, shaded lawns to stretch out on under old majestic trees, olive groves, fruit trees, indigenous beds, abundant birdlife and in between, contemporary sculptures. New this year, the old walls of the barn will showcase the small and affordable works of plein air painter Joanna Lee Miller and artist Caryn McArthy in their exhibition inspired by the surrounds of the Elgin area.
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Directions: From N2 as for Houw Hoek Hotel.
Entry: Donations to the Bot River Education Fund Country style food and farm shopping at the Barn. Asparagus and artichoke plants for sale.
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- Plant Sales
- Food and Drink
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