Lowveld National Botanical Garden

The Lowveld Garden has been divided into the following 8 sections:

1) BULB GARDEN:
Colourful Agapanthus praecox and beautiful beds of lilies adorn this small but beautiful section located at the front of the garden. Also contains wild bananas and palms, and strelitzias, with sunbirds when flowering.

2) TROPICAL AFRICAN RAINFOREST:
The combination of rain provided by large water towers and a naturally high water table have provided the unique conditions for plants from a tropical rainforest to flourish in the middle of the lowveld. The current indigenous canopy will eventually be replaced by the still-growing tropical trees once they have grown tall enough. A 4-metre high aerial boardwalk allow visitors a bird's eye view of the this unique rain forest.

3) SOUTH AFRICAN FOREST:
Here you will find fine examples of quinine, water pear, and water berry trees growing along the banks of the Crocodile River. Flanking the forest is a splendid collection of ferns including many rare species.

4) DRY BUSHVELD:
This relatively hot and dry section is dominated by deciduous trees, such as the wild custard apple, surrounded by aloes and succulents. Other trees include buffalo thorn and the beautiful Kalahari Christmas tree.

5) CORKWOODS AND CABBAGE TREES:
These trees have a long and interesting history, and are the source of the famous biblical spice, myrrh. The paper-bark corkwood has a easily peeled bark that lives up to it's name. Several species of cabbage trees have been cultivated, noteworthy for their enormous candelabra-shaped flowers.

6) CYCADS:
The Lowveld Garden has perhaps the largest collection of African cycads to be found anywhere. A Cycad gene bank has been established at the gardens to ensure these magnificent plants are not lost form our planet.

7) BAOBABS:
Six of the eight species of the genus Adansonia in the world can be found here, the most familiar being the curiously shaped baobab. The magnificent trees have been carbon-dated to over 5,000 years old.

8) WILD FIGS:
The garden boasts 25 different indigenous species of fig tree, including giant Sycamore Fig, Knobbly Fig, Mountain Rock Fig, and the infamous Strangler Fig.

LOCATION:
Off White River Road, Nelspruit

HOURS:
- daily 08h00 to 18h00 (October to April)
- daily 08h00 to 17h15 (May to September)

ENTRANCE FEE:
Adults -R12.00
Kids & Pensioners - R5.00