Elgin Open Gardens

About the Elgin Open Gardens

There will be 20 open gardens in the Elgin, Vyeboom and Bot River districts over two weekends. They range from large established country gardens (some over 50 years old), to young, recently planted gardens in villages and on smallholdings, all in a setting of great natural beauty an hour’s drive from Cape Town.

Because the area is wetter and cooler than elsewhere in the Western Cape, visitors can expect to see a wide range of interesting and unusual plants, such as rhododendrons, Japanese maples and flowering cherries. The area is also famous for its roses.

Many of the gardens will be offering teas or light snacks, some have plant sales, and others are hosting painting and sculpture exhibitions. At the same time many of Elgin and Bot River’s now-famous wine estates will be opening their doors for wine tasting.

There are a number of nurseries in the area, and you can also take a tour of Elgin Roses, where roses are grown for cut flowers. There will be a craft market during the first weekend, and a special Wine Tasting Day where all the wines of the Elgin Valley can be tasted in one place on the second weekend.

To avoid disappointment it is advisable to book your accommodation well in advance for this event. Visit the Elgin Accommodation pages to find guest houses, hotels and self catering places to stay and for additional info about Elgin which includes attractions, restaurants and things to do, see Elgin Info.