GEORGE NEWS - The much awaited fence around the Garden Route Botanical Gardens is almost complete. The hope has been expressed that the public will feel safer using the gardens where thousands of trees have been planted over the past years, and fynbos is thriving magnificently. "Security will be taken up a notch or two, especially as we plan to lock the gates at night," said curator Dayne de Wet this week.

There have been many set-backs. Staff and volunteers who helped establish the gardens despaired at the unlawful acti-vities going on at night. This included a murder, prostitution, drug use, and theft.

Over the last few years vandals wreaked havoc in the gardens and thieves have made off with valuable plants and ornaments. But De Wet’s anger and despair have turned to renewed optimism. He is now heartened at the progress made with the fence project.
"The gardens are 80 percent fenced, and the contractors are nearly finished," he said.
Trustee member Colin Rals-ton is also heartened at the general progress made after funds were released from the Audrey Moriarty Legacy and used to replace the old leaking roof of the Moriarty Centre.

With funds - some R15 000 obtained from the Table Mountain Fund micro grant fund (administered by WESSA) - the furrows established in 1811 by magistrate Adriaan Van Kervel have been opened up.
George’s first dam, the level of which dropped dramatically during the drought, has risen substantially after the overgrown furrows were cleared to release mountain water into the dam.

"Now that we know that the gardens will be better protected, we feel we can commence with a plant and plan project in order to systematically lay out the gardens to reach a fully fledged botanical garden status," said De Wet.
Ralston feels that it will be easier to get finance for projects now that the gardens are fenced. "But funding is still one of our biggest issues - many organisations have cut back on their grants. We are therefore grateful that Transnet fenced the railway line, and all we needed to do was add razor wire."

Future plans include building a band stand with a roof for concerts in the gardens, and a lecture hall to give school children an indoor outdoor lecture when the weather is inclement.
"We hope that the public will continue to support our plant sales, concerts and other fund raisers so that we can expand the gardens. A year ago the Department of Environmental Affairs and Planning gave the Botanical Gardens the use of their land which lies to the western and northern borders. The DAF (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries) land previously used for the SAFCOL Arboretum is also being incorporated and planted up," said De Wet in conclusion.
Help has also been received from Kirstenbosch Gardens and New Plant Nursery who very generously donate plants and seedlings on an ongoing basis. One of the first changes will be to establish an aloe/succulent garden along the banks on the western side of the dam.

Two local women, Jenny de Langristin and Sally Todd, amongst others, did the brilliantly coloured mosaic -work on the benches on top of the medicinal mound. John Hughes donated his entire collection of thousands of George Lilies for further propagation, and another donor donated spekbos.
All of which is indicative of what a true community project the Gardens are.
But a lot of hard work still lies ahead, like the alien eradication programme which is ongoing. In the meantime, everyone at the gardens is smiling and tackling the work at hand with new vigour.


Colin Ralston with the new security fence along the western borders of the Garden Route Botanical Gardens.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: PAULINE LOURENS, GEORGE HERALD REPORTER