Take a walk on the wild side at the Vineyard Hotel
The Vineyard Hotel, Cape Town‟s favourite country hotel in the city, will once again offer guests a chance to escape into their secluded oasis, with their popular guided garden walks.
The 90-minute tours will take guests through the hotel‟s award-winning gardens – comprising seven acres of landscaped parkland – and will be hosted by group environmental manager, Chris van Zyl or horticulturist, Dewet Bezuidenhout. This experienced team will share their wealth of knowledge with guests, while providing interesting botanical facts and entertaining anecdotes.
With the garden walks continuing from April until December, guests can look forward to a beautiful display of plants, flowers and trees that changes each season – giving visitors a different „show‟ each month. Enthusiasts will also have the opportunity to meander through the hotel‟s vineyards – 100 vines planted along the banks of the Liesbeek River – and hear the fascinating history of the „vineyard‟ in the Vineyard.
Heading into autumn, van Zyl says, “Guests can expect to see a range of indigenous flora, from the African flame tree, to the beautiful wild iris. The Spur flower and Ribbon bush will light up the gardens with their vibrant purple flowers, while the Wild Dagga bushes bring flecks of bright orange. There is never a dull season in our gardens.”
It‟s not only plants that guests will encounter on their wanderings – the hotel‟s gardens are home to numerous well-camouflaged birds, leaping squirrels, and eight resident tortoises.
These lush grounds were designed in the early 1980‟s by landscape architect Anne Sutton. A number of water features add to its tranquil ambience and the large, natural rocks scattered throughout the gardens were collected from across the peninsula by the hotel‟s late owner, Francois Petousis, who had a passion for geology.
Walks start at 09h30 and are followed by a selection of tea and pastries. The cost is R65 per person. While walks are suitable for of all ages, the hotel requests that guests wear sensible walking shoes.
Booking is essential – to make a reservation, phone 021 657 4500 or email eat@vineyard.co.za.