1. Free State

The garden spans a valley between picturesque dolerite koppies with the natural vegetation comprising tall grassland and woodland, dominated by magnificent wild olive and karee trees. The garden covers 70 hectacres, and is home to about 400 species of plants, mainly from the Free State, Northern Cape and Lesotho, including a fine collection of decorative and hardy trees indigenous to the area.

Situated just outside Nieuwoudtville, the Garden is one of the world’s very special biodiversity treasures and the first National Botanical Garden in the Northern Cape, South Africa.

3. Harold Porter

R44, BETTY'S BAY

The garden is set between mountain and sea, in the heart of the Cape fynbos region and encompasses 10 hectares of cultivated fynbos garden and 190.5 hectares of pristine natural fynbos. The garden includes mountain slopes with fynbos vegetation, deep gorges with relict forests, flats and marshes with restios, sedges and bulbs, as well as dunes adjacent to the beach with their specialised salt-adapted plants. The main fynbos families (proteas, ericas and restios) are present as well as other important families such as irises, daisies and orchids. The garden boasts Disa uniflora in its natural habitat (flowering from mid-December to end of January) as well as the national flower, the king protea (Protea cynaroides).

TIMES:	Open daily from 8h00-16h30 on weekdays and 19h00 on weekends and public holidays.
ENTRANCE:	Adults: R16 Senior Citizens: R10 Students: R10 Children: R6 Pre-school: Free BotSoc members: Free
WEB:	Harold Porter

4. Karoo Desert

The Garden lies on the outskirts of Worcester and is unique in that it is the only truly succulent garden in the southern hemisphere and on the African continent. One of the floral highlights of the year is spring, when thousands of annuals and brightly coloured vygies come into flower. Falling within the succulent karoo biome, which includes the Namaqualand flora so famous for its spring flowers, the Garden boasts some 400 naturally occurring species. The garden is also a haven for rare and endangered plants, with over 300 species being protected and propagated.

RHODES DRIVE, NEWLANDS, CAPE TOWN

The garden is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch grows only indigenous South African plants. The estate covers 528 hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest. The cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of South Africa. A Large glass house displays mainly succulent flora from the drier parts of South Africa but also alpine plants and bulb that are in flower.

6. Kwazulu-Natal

The beautiful and tranquil KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden specialises in the conservation of plants from the eastern region of South Africa and of rare and endangered species from elsewhere. Established in 1874, the Garden's Victorian past is evident in its magnificent specimens of northern hemisphere plants. The focus of the Garden is to collect, display and promote the conservation of plants of the eastern grasslands, in particular the genera Kniphofia, Watsonia and Dierama.

8. Pretoria

The garden is home to the Head Office of SANBI successfully bridging the divide between scientific research and the recreational environment. A 50 m high quartzite outcrop divides the Garden in two sections. Its frosty south-facing section and the north-facing, warmer section present two different worlds to the visitor and botanist. Paved nature trails give access to the fascinating natural vegetation on the ridge. Fifty hectares of the total area are devoted to developed garden, using almost exclusively South African plants. The garden contains 50% of the country's tree species and offers the visitor a glimpse of different biomes such as savanna, forest, fynbos and some plants of other biomes.

This garden is set against the backdrop of the magnificent Witpoortjie waterfall and was reviously called the Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden. Covering almost 300 hectares it consists of both landscaped and natural veld areas. A breeding pair of Black Eagles nest on the cliffs alongside the waterfall. The Garden is home to an abundance of wildlife including 220 bird species. Several short walks run through the Garden and the surrounding natural areas. The JCI Geological Trail gives visitors the opportunity to learn something about the fascinating geology of the area.