You’ll find a huge variety of flowers at Nieuwoudtville, bulb capital of the world, as well as dazzling carpets of daisies.
Head up the West Coast and cruise over Vanrhyns Pass to the top of the spectacular Bokkeveld Mountains and you’re on the edge of a plateau that scores more rain than the hinterland. This gives rise to a diversity hotspot, with the highest concentration of Namaqualand’s almost 500 bulbs and cormous plant species recorded in the Nieuwoudtville area. That’s five to 10 times the number of bulbs typically found in other winter-rainfall deserts, and the highest speciation of bulbs in the world. August and September are peak flowering months, tapering off into October.
Matjiesfontein Farm 13 kilometres south of town currently has a good show of daisies, yellow marsh bulbinella, red romulea, the aptly named cup-and-saucer and a host of dainty delights. There’s a farm-style eatery during the flower season where they serve egte boerekos such as curried afval (offal), lamb bredie and venison pie. The thick-walled stone building was once the first school in the district.
Hantam National Botanical Garden just outside town comes into its own in early September and is known for the delicate beauty of a great diversity of bulbs.
I stayed in one of Van Zijl’s Guest Cottages, all built of local stone which have been painstakingly restored by the owner, Hendrik van Zijl, who is also the genial host at Smitswinkel Restaurant in Nieuwoudtville. This is a gathering point where visitors swop flower-sighting tips in front of a cosy log fire while their meals are being prepared and admire the current exhibition of artworks by Dale and Mel Elliot. The menu varies daily and the food as good as any you’ll find in Cape Town.
Hendrik is passionate about the place, its people and its plants and is a font of information. “˜It’s always a good year in Nieuwoudtville,’ he says. “˜Some years the flowers are just better than others.’
This year is turning into a better one. Hendrik often gives short talks in the restaurant and takes guests for a walk in the veld to show them some of his favourite flowers.
Contact Van Zijl’s Guest Cottages and Smidswinkel at tel 027-218-1535, cell 082-829-6855, email [email protected], www.nieuwoudtville.co.za
Note: There is now a special bathroom at Smidswinkel for the mobility challenged and visitors are welcome to use it.
