The Wild Flower season along the West Coast and further inland, brings many visitors each year.
The Wild Flower season normally is August and September of each year.
The floral display does depend on good rains during winter so in the years of drought, the flowers are not at their best.
A beautiful farm to visit is Waylands Wild Flower Reserve, near to Darling, South Africa
The drive inside the reserve is circular and the flowers this year are spectacular - don't miss the window of opportunity!
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
"The Waylands wild flower reserve was started by Frederick Duckitt in the early 1900’s. Visitors have been allowed access to the spectacular spring display of approx 300 species of wild flowers every season since then. The road allowing visitors to drive through the reserve was built in 1938 by Wilferd Duckitt. The wild flowers are at their best from about the last week of August to the end of September, with the peak being in the first 2 weeks of September."
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
"The flower reserve forms an integral part of Waylands’ farming activities, and is actively grazed by cattle and sheep from the time the seed has set in late November to the end of April before winter sets in. This grazing strategy has been used by the local inhabitants of the Cape since time immemorial, and we have found that this practice, which allows the animals to actively spread the seed, in addition to occasional autumn burning of the veld every 15 years, is imperative in promoting the growth of the wild flowers"
We can testify to the fact that cattle graze these fields during the other months of the year - there were many dried cow pats around!
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
"Waylands has porcupines, caraculs, wild cats, genets, mongoose, red meerkats, bat eared foxes, Cape silver foxes, honey badgers, steen bok, duikers, Cape clawless otters, and many more"
As we visited on a busy Sunday, we did not see any animals - however, they have an amazing habitat to enjoy during the quiet months when there are no visitors!
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
One is allowed to get out of the car to view these beautiful flowers up close.
Please take care when parking and walking so that the flowers are not trampled.
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
Being a working farm the owners also run 800 Merino sheep on Waylands. The first Merinos outside of Spain were brought to the Darling area in 1789. Merinos are a dual purpose sheep with their wool and meat being of superior quality and are well adapted to the area.
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
"Waylands also have a herd of Nguni cattle This indigenous African breed is identified by their multiple patterns and colours. Each animal in the herd is individual in the combinations of its colour pattern, horn shape, gender, status and history.
The Ngunis are hardy, adaptable, fertile and able to survive in conditions inhospitable to other breeds. They are resistant to drought and tick-borne diseases. They are heat tolerant and, being non-selective browsers and grazers, can obtain optimal nutritional value from the available natural vegetation. They are also tame, yield good beef and their skins are highly sought after".
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
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| Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
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Waylands Wild Flower Reserve |
Information on the farm is supplied by www.waylands.co.za
Photography: Judelle Drake
