Durban Botanical Gardens, Durban

Durban Botanical Gardens, Durban

Laid out in 1851 over an area of 15 hectares, the Durban Botanical Gardens are Africa's oldest surviving botanical gardens.

Laid out in 1851 over an area of 15 hectares, the Durban Botanical Gardens are Africa's oldest surviving botanical gardens. The grounds have various spaces dedicated to specific collections, such as the Natal Herbarium which contains over 100,000 specimens of dried, pressed and catalogued plants mostly from KwaZulu Natal, Fern Dell, Japanese Garden, Bromeliad Garden, Permaculture Garden, Indigenous Forest, Palm Walk, and the Ernest Thorp Orchid House collection of over 9000 plants. The highlight of the garden is the extensive collection of rare cycads from South Africa and from other parts of the world, including Wood's cycad. There are ponds, fountains, and sculptures throughout the gardens.