Cape Town Flower Shows
The Western Cape has several Spring Wildflower Shows celebrating the coming of spring and its varied flora. Many of these offer floral displays, a variety of workshops, cafés, and indigenous landscaped gardens showing off the vibrant flowers that bloom at this time of year. You can see these flora collections at the following flower shows:
#Darling Wildflower Show
Photo credit: Darling Wildflower Society / Show
- When: The 2022 Darling Wildflower Show Weekend takes places between Friday 16 September 2022 and Sunday 18 September 2022
- Where: Visit the Darling Wildflower Show at the Darling Museum | 22 Pastorie Road, Darling
- Contact details: 068 151 5692 | [email protected]
- Wildflower Show Tickets: R90 per individual | Children under 12years of age are free | R60 for pensioners on Friday 16 September only
- **Click here for more information & everything you need to know
- **Online tickets from Quicket available here
#Hermanus Flower Festival @ Fernkloof Nature Reserve
Photo credit: Fernkloof Nature Reserve
- When: Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September 2022
- Contact details: Hermanus Botanical Society Office | Fernkloof Nature Reserve: 028 313 0819 | Flower Festival inquiries: Mary Ann Verster: 082 784 4179
- Where: Fernkloof Nature Reserve in Hermanus
The Fernkloof Nature Reserve covers 18 square kilometres in the Kleinrivier Mountains in Hermanus and ranges in altitude from sea level to 824m.
The Fernkloof Nature Reserve comprises 0.002% of the Cape Floral Kingdom but contains 18% of its plants in just 18 square kilometres. There is no other place on earth where so many different species can be seen growing in such close proximity. More than 1250 species of plant have thus far been collected and identified in the Reserve.
Photo credit: Fernkloof Nature Reserve
The Reserve lies across almost the entire northern side of the town with a 60 km network of trails. These provide the opportunity for people of all fitness levels to enjoy some exercise and fresh air. The various trails offer magnificent and unequalled views of Walker Bay, the Hemel en Aarde Valley and Maanskynbaai.
A display of some of the flowers that can be found in the veld at any specific time is permanently maintained at the Fernkloof Visitors’ Centre.
The custodians of Fernkloof Nature Reserve include the Overstrand Municipality, the Fernkloof Advisory Board and the Hermanus Botanical Society. The Hermanus Botanical Society has a mandate to protect the flora and fauna and is heavily involved in educating people on the need for conservation of the Reserve.
- What to expect:
Visit Fernkloof Nature Reserve in Hermanus and be inspired by the hundreds of plant specimens on display. The Fernkloof Nursery will be offering a wonderful variety of plants for sale.
Buy your raffle ticket and hope to win one of the fabulous prizes.
- Raffle Tickets: R10 per ticket | Available from Fernkloof Nursery or Linda Margetts 082 570 3222
Other Flower Shows in Cape Town & surrounds:
- Caledon Wildflower Show
- Hopefield Fynbos Show (typically takes place at the end of August)
- Clanwilliam Flower Festival
- The Bergrivier Flower Affair
Best Places to see the Cape’s Spring Wildflowers
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
- The Renosterveld Reserve
- Tienie Versfeld Wildflower Reserve
- Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens
- Namaqualand National Park
- Citrusdal
- Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens
- Ramskop Nature Reserve
- Cape Columbine Nature Reserve
- Agulhas National Park
- Bontebok National Park
- Fernkloof Nature Reserve
- Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens
- Elgin Open Garden
- Darling
- Paternoster
- Velddrif
- Aurora
- Piketberg
- The Cederberg
- Swartland to the Overberg and Southern Cape (Swellendam)
- Blaauwberg Nature Reserve
- Tankwa Karoo National Park
- Bracken Nature Reserve
- Hopefield
- Hermanus
- Porterville
Tips for experiencing Cape Wildflower Season to the maximum
- Since the flowers tend to disappear as suddenly as they sprouted, it’s crucial that you plan your trip carefully, paying close attention to when the first winter rains are predicted to fall. Generally, the flowers begin to bloom in the north, starting in Namaqualand, and occasionally as early as late July. From there, they spread like fire along the west coast until they reach Yzerfontein and Darling by late August/beginning of September.
- If you’re going to be visiting the southern regions in search of wildflowers, keep up to date with the local temperatures leading up to your holiday. The flowers don’t cope well in warmer weather, so if the days heat up too quickly, they won’t last nearly as long as they would if the cooler temperatures stuck around until the start of October.
- It’s also vital that you book your trip well in advance to avoid disappointment. The good news is that, due to COVID, many travel suppliers are offering a greater level of flexibility when it comes to changing bookings. So, if the weather in the area isn’t behaving as predicted, you can move your visit slightly forward or back to ensure that you don’t miss the stunning floral display when it finally presents itself.
- It’s becoming pretty clear that Cape wildflower season is all about timing, and that goes for the time of the day that you go flower viewing, too! Most will agree that the flowers look their best either in the late morning (10 am – 11 am) or the late afternoon (3 pm – 5 pm).
- Remember, while you’re welcome to hop out of your vehicle and walk amongst the blooms to fully appreciate them up close, please do not pick them. Rather leave them where they are for others to enjoy just as much as you have!
**Make sure you check out our ‘Flower Season in Cape Town: The Official Guide’ blog & our ‘Where To See The Wildflowers In The Cape‘ blog to find out EVERYTHING you need to know about the array of Cape wildflower hotspots and floral gems you ABSOLUTELY have to add to your Mother City flower season bucket-list!**
Also check out our ‘Everything You Need To Know About Flower Season in Cape Town’ blog for all the need-to-know Spring flower season information, tips, tricks & everything in between.
