The Green Cathedral

The Green Cathedral; beyond perceptual boundaries

Soekershof; Private Mazes & Botanical Gardens in South Africa represents a globally unique concept of an entertaining and inspirational Interactive Exploration of Life in Mazes and Gardens. Unlike other (botanical) gardens Soekershof does not thrive on coffee corners, restaurants and craft (made in China) shops; it's a very personal Down to Earth experience and nothing is what it seems. There are surprises around every corner and the venue is ideal for day outings. The average prepared visitor stays 4 to 6 hours to undergo it all.

  Community based land art objects grounded in local folklore and African roots are scattered around on this 10 hectare large estate with the world's largest hedge-maze (surprise around every corner) and an extraordinary outdoor collection of more than 2500 different, registered, succulent plants from around the globe.

 
 
Talented people from local communities use the workshops of Soekershof to enhance their skills by creating unique Soekershof Signature garden accessories such as seed boxes, plant hangers and furniture. As the only Botanical Garden in South Africa Soekershof is certified by Fair Trade in Tourism in South Africa. Once taken the psychological barrier to experience the world 'beyond normal' virtually all visitors (at least 99.5%) praise the decision to cross their own perceptual boundaries.

Soekershof is located in Klaas Voogds West; 8 kilometres East of Robertson in the Western Cape, South Africa; 2 hours drive from Cape Town. Visitors are welcomed by two elephant statues at the entrance.

 

Not your usual garden visit (partly Dutch and partly English spoken. Broadcasted by Dutch TV)

Shot in 'his' garden; the graves of Marthinus Malherbe and his wife Molly Darling

Earlier today we did some (snap-)photo shooting in our garden (Soekershof, South Africa; also named The Green Cathedral of South Africa).

This garden is the breeding place of cacti in South Africa. In 1910 Marthinus Malherbe started to exchange seeds of South African succulent plants with those from the Americas and with that he introduced (except for the prickly pear) virtually all cactaceae in South Africa. The oldest cactus of South Africa is 99 years old and this giant is the pride of our garden. Opposite this Pachycereus weberii Malherbe and his wife Molly Darling (see pictures left) are burried. Malherbe was an amateur botanist and in American (botany) archives there is more known about him than in his homeland. The memorial tablet of his wife was gone but thanks to relatives we were able to make a new one with the original text (born with Christmas and passed away with Ascending Day; how symbolic for her).

After his dead in 1976 the Soekershof gardens, in Robertson (Western Cape, South Africa), were not only neglected for 24 years but also 'robbed' of some valuable species. During the past 9.5 years we have been busy in restoring and extending the garden. At the moment we have an outdoor collection of more than 2500 different registered species (subspecies, cultivars, etc.) and we cultivate all plants in the gardens and our nursery fully organically. We try to find a balance between habitat and cultivation. We rather have healthy plants than 'smooth looking' plants which need chemical warfare every week or so. Honestly; we are fairly proud on what we've achieved so far. Not the best pics but it provides you with an idea.

   

Happy Hikers: Tirmanmak Hike Club from Cape Town at Soekershof

Dutch always express them with flowers. This time a succulent one in the Soekershof succulent gardens in South Africa. Not everything is green in The Green Cathedral in South Africa. Yearround floral display:

Testimonial of a guesthouse

We prefer to work with only those guesthouses and other kinds accommodations of which we are sure that also these intend to deliver a high standard of quality. This might sounds pretentious for some; for others it's not. And we keep in contact with the proprietors/management. Just to exchange, every now and than, feedback to the benefit of all; especially guests.

This small note we just received from The Habit in Worcester, Western Cape, South Africa:

Fantastic, thank you so much. It is such a treat for us to suggest "Soekershof" and each and every time our guests come back more enraptured and captivated than the last. They are just so in awe of your passion....long may it last!

 

Best wishes always

Judy & Bridget

 

There are about 20 guesthouses, between Worcester and Swellendam mention in the useful links section of our website. Of these (in different price classes and star gradings) we know that there is a consistent high quality of hygiene and personal hospitality. The owners/managers also experience all activities, etc. first before they can recommend these to their guests.

South Africa for the concious traveller

As mentioned before somewhere in this blog: South Africa has more to offer than Cape Town, Kruger and Garden Route with all their mainstream attractions. Still a niche but a growing market (against a significant drop in tourism) is the one for the more concious and exploration minded traveller who is not afraid for the challenge of mixing with local communities besides the state-financed/subsidised  township tourism traps. Africa Inside Out in Cambridge, UK, is, amongst others, marketing the travel programs of the Dreamcatcher Foundation with representives in North America, South Africa and Europe. The different programs (see links below) offer a mix of mainstream and less known destinations. A visit to Soekershof (or 'Green Cathedral of South Africa') is also mentioned in these programs. Gerla of Africa Inside Out can inform you about the touroperators with these arrangements in their own South Africa program.

http://www.africainsideout.com/scheduledtoursgardenroute.php

http://www.africainsideout.com/scheduledtoursdelectable.php

http://www.africainsideout.com/tastyscenicrainbowcuisine.php

http://www.africainsideout.com/kidsmeerkatmanor.php

http://www.africainsideout.com/communitywesterncape.php 

Incentive Travel in South Africa; the concious way

The last few weeks Soekershof; Private Mazes & Botanical Gardens in South Africa has made long term agreements with the first upmarket tour operators regarding Incentive Tours. Except a standard visit this also includes an incentive which is typical exclusive Soekershof Signature and handcrafted in the Robertson Wine Valley.

The Incentive consists of visit plus a Soekershof Signature gift. Choice between a set of 10 plant hangers; laminated wooden seedbox (2 models) with embedded cotyledon; Earth Works Jewellery (earthy necklace and earthly earrings in earthy box) and a one wire lizard.

The Earth Works Jewellery is new and about to go into production. Only earth of Soekershof (different textures and earth colours) is used and the past year Soekershof and their local partners developed a process in sustainable binding the particles. It's weather and shock proof.

Soekershof (also known as The Green Cathedral of South Africa) is a 10 hectare large estate in Klaas Voogds West between Robertson and Ashton/Montagu along Route62. Locally Soekershof is known for its Klaas Voogds Maze with visualised local folklore as orientating beacons. Internationally Soekershof is highly acclaimed for its huge outdoor collection of succulent plants (>2500 different and registered species/subspecies/cultivars/etc.) and is recommended as one of the four 'must visit' gardens in South Africa. BBC's TV garden program presentor and known Irish landscaper Diarmuid Gavin reckons Soekershof as his favourite garden in South Africa (UK Sunday Times). His latest submission to the Chelsea Flower show was clearly inspired by Soekershof. Recently Soekershof was exposed in Garden & Home (Dutch edition), ZAM-Africa Magazine, Sculpture Net (USA), Reckless Gardener and Gardening on the Edge (UK), Saturday Star (SA) and INDWE (inflight magazine South African Airlines). In the near future publications will follow in amongst others GardenZine, Arise Magazine, Country Life Magazine and The Independent (UK).

 

Dreamcatcher Foundation (UK, Canada and South Africa) and Africa Inside Out (UK) can provide you with all details. These incentive packages are designated for the concious traveller who want to discover a different (more real) South Africa than as the known mainstream destinations.

Other tour operators with 'reponsible' South Africa packages are amongst others Kaia Travel and Gemsbok in The Netherlands, Tribes in the UK and Imagine Reiseservice in Switzerland. Just google to find out more about these trendsetters.

What a garden should be

Some people ask us why we don’t have a restaurant on our premises or a craft shop like the botanical gardens of Kirstenbosch in Cape Town, Harold Porter in Betty Bay and the Karoo Botanical Gardens in Worcester; just to mention the ones of the National Botanical Institute of South Africa within the Western Cape.

“Soekershof is in the first place what a garden, in our view,  should be; a place of calmness, relaxation and contemplation”,

is every time more or less our answer.

Don’t expect the banter of restaurants, coffee corners, craft shops but an experience ‘Pure from the Heart’.

For us it sounds crazy to get a subsidy of 3.2million Rand (approx. 500,000.00 USD) to make a parking at the entrance with a restaurant next to it as happened at one of the mentioned gardens. We are not in the 'game' for quantity but Qualitly (indeed; with a capital).

Favorite prickly blog from USA = Cactusjungle. Real cactusweirdos stick together even link to each other in blog posts. http://bit.ly/8Ol7y7

"Old woman's tight"

South African common names http://ow.ly/EmJW
Photo (in centre): "ou meid se boude" (="old woman's tight")