Biodiversity Garden Update

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What's happening in the Biodiversity Garden these days? It's the end of summer, so not many local Cape species are in flower. But fynbos is all about foliage textures, so there is plenty to enjoy.

In the photo above there is Leucadendron 'Blush' - a selection of Leucadendron salignum with gorgeous wine-red involucral bracts - shown off against fine-leaved grey Slangbos (Stoebe plumosa) growing behind.

Wild Dagga (Leonotis leonurus) is in full flower in the Medicinal Plants display. Much to my delight we spotted a sunbird visiting the flowers last week, feasting on nectar.

Blombos (Metalasia muricata) is a wonderful texture plant - seen here in the Coastal thicket. The beaded creatures have taken on a slighty faded hue, and are now lurking among plants, instead of a stark new landscape...




In the Amazing Cape display we have an exciting addition: Aloe commixta, a rambling aloe which is endemic to the Cape Peninsula (bottom left, above). A member of the public kindly offered these plants from his garden. The story of this aloe gift and their planting has been documented by SABC Greenline, so look out for it on tv.

The Khoikhoi huts are looking more natural, surrounded by soft grasses and renosterveld. Below: Hyparrhenia hirta (left), Cymbopogon (? middle) and Eragrostis curvula (right)

In the water Bolboschoenus maritimus is in flower. I like it - one of my favourites.

The lake level is high - at its maximum - and the school of fish are happily frolicking in the water. Hopefully they will receive company some time soon: the Park Manager is busy organising the introduction of local Cape fish (Galaxia sp) - which involves Cape Nature, breeding permits etc. So please DON'T introduce any alien fish - rather wait for the locals!

Up & Down Table Mountain

On Sunday a friend and I went up Table Mountain, while over 32 000 cyclists were making their way around the Peninsula on the Argus cycle tour. Luckily the road closures still permitted us to get to Camps Bay, the start of our walk.

The weather was perfect: wind still and cool. We walked up in the shade of Kasteelpoort, stopping a few times to catch our breath and take in the views. Once at the top, we went to the Valley of Isolation, which offers great views south down the length of the Peninsula. Below one can see the end of the Woodhead Dam, and Grootkop on the right.


After an early lunch on some comfy restios we climbed out of the Valley of Isolation, and turned left (west) on a little-used track going down Ark Valley. We were using Mike Lundy's walking guide, but missed an even less-used turnoff, so ended up right on the edge of the escarpment. Just then the clouds set in, swirling around us, offering partial glimpses of the world below.


Yikes - there were steep butresses and precipitous cliffs everywhere - were we really meant to go down here?


We decided to play if safe and went back to the route description and found a path which took us back to the Valley of the Red Gods. Along the way, in a damp kloof we came across this little cluster of blue disas.

Disa graminifolia

And then we started a spectacular descent known as Diagonal Route. The path starts at Barrier ravine, crosses Jubilee ravine and after a short traverse one dips into Porcupine ravine. It offers breath-taking views, but is quite exposed in places - not for those with a fear of heights.

And then the real downhill started: a steep descent on rock which looked like it would be a little stream in winter. Mike suggested that 'when one runs out of terra firma (in the ravine) one should look out for a path along a bushy ledge' - and we did just that, which took us around Porcupine buttress and back down to the Pipe Track.

Thanks Jana - that was a great walk.

Walk above Llandudno

Thursday afternoon we went for a sunset walk from Suikerbossie up Hout Bay corner to Llandudno Ravine. The views are spectacular - first over the Houtbay valley:


And once you've ascended Hout Bay corner, views over Little Lions Head and Llandudno. There are a few places where one has to scramble or climb - with the aid of stainless steel handles - so the Mickey dog needed some help.


Much to our surprise we came across a Himalayan Tar - obviously one which the rangers missed out during the relocation programme a few years ago. It was a male, and totally unafraid of our presence. Min gepla. I didn't know whether to look at the tar or the bird of prey sitting on the rock above!


I noticed the tar browsed a few leaves of the Wild Camphor, Tarconanthus camphoratus. So much for the plant producing aromatics and secondary compounds as a defence against animals!


Once we rounded the corner we were on the exposed west side. I noticed a distinct increase in succulents (Cotyledon, mesembs and Tylecodon grandiflora, in flower) and some shrubs, notably Coleonema, were looking stressed, with yellow leaves, all rolled up. March is a tough month for fynbos.



I made a bee-line for the shade in Lekkerwater Gulley, where we enjoyed a sunset drink of water and some fruit. I'd love to go back and continue to Judas Peak next time, returning via Myburgh Ravine.

Looking back along Eureka Face towards Karbonkelberg and beyond.

Looking in the other direction, towards Oudekraal are steep slopes clothed in fynbos, as far as the eye can see, with a totally unspoilt coastline. It is wild and inaccessible - untamed Nature.

Peter Slingsby, who has created such an informative map series of the Peninsula, writes:
These very very empty slopes - perhaps the least frequented parts of the whole of the Cape Peninsula - are mostly private property and not conserved as part of the National Park.

May we hope that this truly untracked wilderness within the City boundary remains forever for future generations as a tiny glimpse of this whole Peninsula as it was before 1652.

I feel incredibly fortunate to live in a City with such natural beauty and biodiversity - right on our doorstep.