Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens, Pietermaritzburg

KwaZulu Natal Tourist Attractions

Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens, Pietermaritzburg

One of eight national botanical gardens, Pietermaritzburg's Botanical Gardens occupy an ancient floodplain and hillside on the edge of a mist belt that creates an atmosphere, on days when the mists roll in, something like that of a Dickens novel. The city is not known as the City of Flowers for nothing, and private gardens and public parks here are filled with lush vegetation and seasonal blooms, particularly bougainvilleas that thrive in the intense heat of this part of the world. It is fitting that one of the most beautiful national gardens resides in its heart.

The Pietermaritzburg Botanical gardens were established in the early 1870s and essentially focus on conservation and propagation of rare and endangered indigenous plants, and the cultivation of east coast grasslands. There are some fantastic examples of northern hemisphere plants too, such as tulip and camphor trees, giant figs, magnolias and swamp cypresses. The birdlife, as a result, is magnificent with over 150 recorded species.

Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens, Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg’s Botanical Garden is famed for its long avenue of plane trees, planted in 1908, at the end of which is a bell tower that houses a ship bell from the HMS Princess on which King George V crossed the channel in 1918.

There is also a muthi garden of indigenous medicinal plants, displayed around a traditional Zulu hut, a series of lovely walking trails through grassland and indigenous forest, and a popular guided walk programme.

Contact Details and Opening Hours:
Address: Mayor's Walk, Pietermaritzburg
Telephone: +27 (0)33 344-3585
Hours Daily (365 days a year):
08h00 - 18h00 Summer (October to April); 08h00 - 17h30 Winter (May to September)
Guided Theme Walks: +27 (0)33 344-3585
Restaurant: +27 (0)33 344-2207 (Closed Mondays)
Plant Nursery: +27 (0)33 344-1044.

Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens

Accommodation nearby

For accommodation nearby see:
• Pietermaritzburg Accommodation
• Pietermaritzburg Hotels
• Pietermaritzburg Guest Houses
• Pietermaritzburg Bed & Breakfast
• Pietermaritzburg Self Catering
• Pietermaritzburg Holiday Cottages
• Pietermaritzburg Holiday Homes
• Pietermaritzburg Conference Venues
• Pietermaritzburg Wedding Venues

Or to see all accommodation in this region, visit Natal Midlands Accommodation.

Attractions / Activities nearby

Natal Museum

Situated just south of Pietermaritzburg’s City Hall in Jabu Ndlovu Street, the Natal Museum is one of South Africa’s five national museums, set in a particularly pretty building that dates back to 1905. The name, Natal Museum, which is in the process of changing in an attempt to reposition itself as it has shifted with the changes ... more information

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destinations / attractions in kwazulu natal