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Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West, renowned for its magnificent gardens, is set to delight flower lovers over the coming months.

Dazzling daisies: A half-hectare of orange and yellow Namaqualand daisies currently forms a vibrant floral carpet near the Stables Restaurant. These cheerful blooms, already creating a favourite selfie spot, should continue flowering until early August.

Winter-blooming camellias: Vergelegen is home to the only International Camellia Garden of Excellence in Africa, and one of just 39 in the world. The best time to view these exquisite pink, white, and red blossoms is until end-August, although some varieties flower through to late October.

Keen to learn more about these beauties? Bookings are now open for guided camellia walks on Thursday 31 July, Friday 1 August and Saturday 2 August, from 10h00–12h00.

Tickets are limited to 40 guests per day and cost R295 per person. This includes access to the estate, a tour of the camellia garden with resident horticulturists Richard Arm and Chris Randlehoff, and tea or coffee with cake or a scone served in the charming Café Fleur Studio.

Scented sweet peas: The gardens team has been hard at work planting sweet peas in the East and Sundial gardens. A spring celebration is on the cards when the pastel palette of pinks, blues, and lilacs bursts into bloom in September or October.

Festive Garden Weekend: The estate’s much-anticipated Garden Weekend takes place from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 October, featuring guided walks led by Vergelegen’s horticulturists.

Visitors can also stock up on a selection of plants and trees for sale – all propagated on the farm – including hydrangeas, cannas, foxgloves, dianthus, lavender, alstroemeria, salvia, gerbera, and more.

Romantic roses: Vergelegen’s formal rose garden, laid out in the estate’s traditional octagonal design, is expected to be in full bloom from the last weekend of October into November, with a second flush in January and February.

Historic Octagonal Garden: The green-fingered team is refreshing the two herbaceous borders lining the path to the historic homestead, with a variety of traditional blooms – foxgloves, delphiniums, Dutch iris, salvia, poppies, nigella, accent grasses, and more. Expect peak flowering from October to February.

“The team has also planted 400 daffodils along the driveway from the estate entrance, as well as two rows of weeping mulberries near the Octagonal Garden gate,” says Randlehoff. “Flowering peach, cherry, and crabapple trees should display their delicate pink and white blossoms in early spring.”

The gardens offer the perfect day out for families. To keep young visitors entertained, new swings have been added to the children’s play area near the family-friendly Stables Restaurant.

The Rose Terrace Tea Room, near the rose garden, is also a perfect spot for light breakfasts and lunches, or delicious, freshly baked cakes and scones.

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.
Camellia walks: Book on the Vergelegen website under ‘events’.
Stables Restaurant: Book via stables@vergelegen.co.za or phone 021 847 2156