Lowveld National Botanical Garden

Lowveld National Botanical Garden located just outside of the city of Nelspruit . It has two major rivers that run through it, the Crocodile River and the Nels River. The two rivers that run through the Lowveld National Botanical Garden converge to create the magnificent Nelspruit Falls. The surrounding forests line the eastern bank of the Crocodile River. The plush vegetation comfortably rests within the rocky gorge-like structures found throughout the garden.

There are over 650 trees located in this beautiful garden, many of which are of the evergreen variety. This spectacular garden is home to over 500 species of plants that are native to the area. A large portion of the garden goes undisturbed, to promote conservation and tourism in the area. Upon entering the gardens, you are greeted by clivias. The clivias are truly a remarkable sight to behold when in full bloom. The rainforests that surround the garden are only a reminder of the ever-dwindling number of rain forests located in Africa. The botanical region is home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of fig trees. Because of its biodiversity, the beautiful garden makes for the perfect learning environment.

The Transvaal Nature Conservation authorities work closely with the Lowveld National Botanical Garden staff to ensure that the conservation needs of the garden are properly met. The garden also provides a major educational opportunity for those interested in learning about conservation methods and efforts.

Should the authorities find that their efforts are lacking in any way, measures are quickly developed to maximize the full potential of the garden. The staff regularly attends to the ongoing maintenance of the garden where it is needed. Some of the staff even hand-pollinates the grounds with seeds from the struggling species to help the species continue to thrive in the area.

The Lowveld National Botanical Garden is one of the eight gardens run by the National Botanical Institute of South Africa. Its efforts to protect the many endangered species indigenous to the land have shown promising results. Under the program’s guidance, the species have been able to naturally flourish with minimal interruption from man.