NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN
Nelspruit, South Africa
Off White River Road,(Value Mart Intersection)
PO Box 1024, Nelspruit, 1200
| Tel : +27 13 752 5531 Fax: +27 13 752 6216 |
Rugged, rocky river scenery is the perfect, spectacular setting for Nelspruit's main tourist attraction, the Lowveld National Botanical Garden, situated in the heart and at the hub of Mpumalanga. The 159 ha garden straddles the Crocodile and Nels Rivers. Viewed from the air, it is clear that the two Rivers dominate the scene and determine the character of this Garden. The Crocodile surges through a narrow, solid rock gorge that has been scoured out and pot-holed over millennia, while the Nels River tumbles down a waterfall from the west, to converge with the Crocodile in a serene pool on a bend in the river.
Nelspruit is ideally situated for tourists, being close to the Kruger National Park, Pilgrim's Rest, Graskop and the renowned Blyde River Canyon which is the focal point of the Panorama Scenic Route. The burgeoning town boasts a large assortment of accommodation options for tourists and business people.
See route map for directions to Garden.
| The Garden is open daily from 08h00 to 18h00 (September to March) and 08h00 to 17h00 (April to August). Entrance fee is R15.00 per adult and R5.00 per child or pensioner. Members of the Botanical Society have free entrance, on proof of membership. |
Take a virtual tour of the Garden and enjoy the highlights of the thematic and taxonomic sections.
From May to September, when the weather is pleasant and dry, midday concerts are often held in the garden. See the What's On page for details of these and other events taking place at the Garden.
This site has an interesting history, dating back to prehistoric times. The Visitors Centre contains a restaurant, shop and information centre- all designed to enhance your visit to the Garden. The Walkabout Corner Tea Garden situated in the heart of the Garden also offers refreshments to garden visitors and caters for functions.
Guided tours through the Garden, led by trained, enthusiatic guides, can be reserved by contacting the office at 013-752-5531. Please book tours well in advance, at least 2 weeks before the date of the tour.
Facilities available for our physically challenged visitors Great care was taken when laying out the pathways in the garden with regards to access for our physically challenged visitors, specifically those in wheel chairs and those who find it difficult to walk. Approximately 70% of the developed section of garden is accessible by wheelchair; this includes access to the restaurant, garden & décor shop, tea garden and concert stage, as well as one of our waterfall viewpoints and a section of the Sappi Aerial Boardwalk in the African Rain Forest. Unfortunately at this stage we do not have wheelchairs available at our entrances and therefore have made allowances for those people who would like to reach certain areas in the garden but are unable to walk there. These people will be allowed to be driven in. For convenience and expediency’s sake please give us a call on 013 752 5531 in advance so that we can arrange this with our gate attendants and security guards. Restrooms that accommodate our physically challenged visitors are available at both entrances as well as at the tea garden and restaurant. If you have any specific need not indicated above please don’t hesitate to call us on 013 752 5531 or e-mail us at lerouxl@sanbi.org. We will do our best to accommodate you. |
When to Visit
Seasonal highlights
In Nelspruit summer lasts for at least six months of the year, occasionally more, with the other three seasons telescoped into the remaining half year. Summers can be very hot with temperatures soaring to 35°, occasionally even higher, with high humidity and the evenings warm and sultry, sometimes as high as 20°. Rain usually falls in the form of late afternoon and evenings thunderstorms and the average precipitation is in the region of 780 mm per annum.
Winter is often so brief and mild that autumn seems to progress directly into spring. Spring and autumn are popular times for visiting the region, as the temperatures are moderate.
In winter the temperature in the Garden can plummet to nearly zero, but night lows are generally about 6 - 9°, with daytime mean around the low twenties. Winter is on the whole the dry season, but rainfall can sometimes be experienced in June or July (up to 60 or 70 mm.)
There is never that dramatic contrast between summer and winter that is experienced on the highveld, because many of the trees and shrubs are evergreen, especially in the riparian zones. The Lowveld National Botanical Garden is a joy to visit at any time of the year.
Vegetation
This Garden lies in the overall vegetation type known as Sour Lowveld Bushveld which, at an altitude varying from 550 to 800 m, is a link between the escarpment and the true lowveld, thus containing many elements of both. This linkage results in a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Altitude of the Lowveld Garden is about 650 m, on average.
Along the river banks we find typical riparian forest, belts which are evergreen. The steep slopes on the western side of the Crocodile River have more dense vegetation than the drier slopes on the eastern side of the river. (See thematic areas on map.)
The higher reaches of the Garden have been laid out taxonomically, although many of the species are also present in other sections e.g. there are cycads scattered over large parts of the Garden. (See taxonomic areas on map.)
In addition to approximately 600 plant species occurring naturally in the Garden, more than 2000 additional species have been planted. Of the approximately 1000 tree species indigenous to South Africa, over 650 can be seen in the garden --- this includes numerous species from sub-tropical southern Africa. The Lowveld Garden is like an enormous arboretum and is characterised by its evergreen lawns and wealth of trees. Its unique, park-like ambience makes it a wonderful haven for the urban citizens of Nelspruit and overseas tourists. For more information on biodiversity in the garden see - Havens of Biodiversity - a booklet describing biodiversity in the 9 National Botanical Gardens (.pdf file)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Lowveld website would not have been possible without
the contribution made by Jo Onderstall, who wrote most of the text and
provided almost all the images. Our thanks to her. Thanks are also due
to Ernst van Jaarsveld, Lindsey Milne, Duncan Butchart, John Broodryk,
Charles and Lorraine Dunn, Brian Guerin, Ernst van Jaarsveld, Rudi Britz,
Johan Hurter and Willem Froneman.
