Darling Wild Flower Show in Darling

A hall will be landscaped with Darling wildflowers, from the most fragile and rare to the ones easily found. Stalls with all sorts of interesting goodies await, while an exhibition tent will showcase all gardening, conservation and landscaping related goods. There will also be a lecture hall with wine tastings, talks and displays of art. Entry fee includes entry to the landscaped hall and the lecture hall.

The Darling Wildflower Show has been presented by the Darling Wildflower Society since 1917, and the work is largely done by volunteers. The work of the society focusses on two significant aspects of renosterveld, namely its unique character and the urgent need for its conservation. This has led to the recent founding of the Darling Wildflower Trust, and whilst continuing to support local charities, the income from the show now mainly goes towards conservation initiatives like the Darling Flora Project.

As there are too many plants on show to label each individually, an example of each plant is provided on the specimen tables. Here you can find the full name of each plant, and view related species. In addition, this year, there is a unique display of lichens compiled by the botanist Dr. Pixie Littlewort.The show is designed around the different soil types found in the Darling district. The marked difference between the plantlife of the various soil types is due to the variations in humidity and in physical and chemical composition, although many plants happily grow in more than one habitat. Renosterveld is mostly found in the rich clay-soils of the Western and Eastern Cape, and is often confused with fynbos which grows in poorer soils. Most of the rain occurs between April and September (150 – 300mm). The show therefore represents a concentration of plants which flower in spring, although many of the plants also flower throughout the year. The Darling district represents a diverse flora of about 1200 species. Approximately 80 (6,5%) are endemic, whilst the rest also occur in other areas. One should keep in mind that during springtime there are a myriad of pollinators at work, such as wasps, flies, mice and sunbirds; the conservation of our local flora ensures healthy biodiversity of the whole area.

The Wild Flower Show takes place at the Darling Club.
Contact: 022 492 3361

Please Note: Dates for this event to be confirmed.