While the East Coast has a special place in all of our hearts, its quieter, wilder sister in the West has a magic all of her own that’s still beautifully untouched.
Also read: six of the best West Coast beach bars
This spring we visited Springbokfontein Farm near Lambert’s Bay to catch the 20th anniversary of Gerrit Burger’s annual art and music festival. The main attraction at this time of year, of course, are the swathes of iridescent flowers that reach out towards the horizon in all their different shapes, colours and sizes.
The following photos are a short selection from the weekend spent on Farmer Burger’s farm as well as from the surrounding areas which we lazily drove through in search of bigger and brighter fields of spring flowers.
Gerrit Burger hosts a Farmers’ Market on every last Saturday of the month on his farm, Steenbokfontein, found between Elands and Lambert’s Bay. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Every spring, fields of multi-coloured vygies cover huge areas of both the Western and the Northern Cape. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Spring decorations stand at the entrance to Steenbokfontein Farm. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Succulents from Steenbokfontein on sale at the Farmers’ Market. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
A type of succulent, vygies are certainly on of the most colourful plant groups in South Africa. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Steenbokfontein Farm is itself an artwork with interesting plants and sculptures dotting the garden. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Californian poppies glow in the midday sun. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Californian poppies are one of many different flower species on the West Coast. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Musicians entertain Steenbokfontein market goers. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Market goers enjoy lunch among the fields of pink vygies that cover Steenbokfontein Farm. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Sculptures, surfboards and etchings inside the Steenbokfontein Art Exhibition which was opened this year by famous actress Sandra Prinsloo. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
A collection of polaroid-sized photos on display at the Steenbokfontein Art Exhibition. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Amber and semi-precious stone jewellery is displayed alongside paintings at the Steenbokfontein Art Exhibition. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Every year the exhibition is housed inside a converted milk shed once used for dairy farming.
Croak, a four-piece alternative folk-rock band from Cape Town, performed in the evening for the opening of the exhibition.
The bassist for Croak, Badenoir, stands against an empty vista. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Lead singer and keyboardist of Croak, Martinique du Toit, performs for the visitors of the exhibition. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Artisit Anthea Delmotte creates a piece of performance art while Croak delivers their performance. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
The sun sets as Croak brings their set to an end. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
In a move very reminiscent of AfrikaBurn, Anthea Delmotte finishes her performance by setting her artwork alight. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
The grand finale of Croak’s performance as the painting goes down in flames. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
A slow, Sunday drive home reveals a breathless pond creating mirror images of its flowers. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Arum lilies fill roadside ditches between Darling and the coast. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
Patches of purple grass colour in a farmer’s field. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
The last spattering of snow clings to the peaks of the Cederberg Mountains which stand tall over the fields of luminous canola. Photo by Caitlin Leigh.
