Visitors from as far afield as Namibia gathered at Vergelegen wine estate during the first weekend of August (Friday 1 August and Saturday 2 August) to celebrate the exquisite pink, white and red blooms of Africa’s only International Camellia Garden of Excellence.
Vergelegen received this accolade from the International Camellia Society (ICS) in 2010. It is one of only two ICS gardens in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of 39 in the world.
The Vergelegen collection is home to over 1000 camellia shrubs, some of which are several metres high. These date back to the 1920s when Sir Lionel Phillips and Lady Florence Phillips owned the Somerset West estate.
These initial plantings were boosted from 1995 onwards when ICS member and retired camellia nurseryman Jan van Bergen donated his extensive collection to Vergelegen. The estate horticultural team has, in addition, planted about 300 more shrubs over the past few years.
Horticulturists Richard Arm and Chris Randlehoff led the weekend tours, sharing the history of the camellias and offering tips on their cultivation.
Camellias can be viewed at Vergelegen from April to September. The Sasanqua camellias, which are more heat- and drought-tolerant, are the first to bloom. Japonicas, which prefer cooler conditions and shade, bloom later.
“Everyone finds a camellia they love,” says Arm. “Some flowers are small and delicate, others just show off, like the large, flamboyant reticulatas.”
He attributes the health of the Vergelegen camellias to the acidic soil, shade from surrounding trees, and plentiful water from the farm dams, which enables the team to keep the subsurface soil moist during hot summers.
Vergelegen is open to the public daily, and visitors can view the camellias near the Great Lawn and along the banks of the Lourens River.
The family-friendly Stables Restaurant, and the Rose Terrace Tea Room, are perfect for tea or lunch after viewing the camellias.
Estate hours: Open Monday to Sunday, 08h30-17h00 (last entry at 16h00).
Entry fee: R20 per person | R10 for pensioners and scholars | Free for pensioners on Mondays.