Out and About: Durbanville Rose Garden

My parents live in Durbanville,I grew up in Durbanville, well at least from my 12th year in life and I go there at least once a month to show my face, get all the lovin' I need from my mom and dad, and to add a couple of kilo's to my already ample figure.  (mom's cooking is great - totally old school - none of this organic, healthy mambo jumbo stuff which I do rather reluctantly).  

As long as I can remember I have driven past the Durbanville Rose Garden but as a teenager, who really has an interest in rose gardens?  Unless it's because your current teen heart throb is taking you there for a romantic stroll and chances are his interests do not lie in the plants.  

And so almost 28 years later I finally took the plunge (sounds far more exciting than it really is) and took my 3 very reluctant boys and my not so reluctant girl to the Durbanville Rose Garden with promises of scones and tea which had been advertised on the building which operates as the tea room.  This was definitely a winning idea and we all headed off on a Sunday morning to see roses and enjoy a real English delight.

This is what we saw: 

3,5 hectares - 500 rose varieties and 4500 rose bushes!

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
And so are you

Pointers for visitors:
*  The major disappointment was that the tea garden was closed with no apparent reason - consider packing your own picnic - however you may be lucky they apparently serve tea and scones on Sundays from October to May.
*  Flowers are not in bloom all year round. I know this sounds like an obvious comment but we moms don't always think these things through before heading out (or is that just me?)
* Lots of place for little ones to run, so no real problem taking little ones there except for the thorns, best to wear shoes just in case the occasional rose branch is lying on the ground.
*  It's free, the gates are open from sunrise to sunset.
*  Ample parking especially if you park on the Durban Road side.  They have a whole area sectioned off for parking, away from traffic which allows you to get in and out of your car with relative safety especially with small children or toddlers.
*  Lots of wedding parties come here for their photos so at times may require sensitivity -especially if your children love being in other people's photos.
*  There are no shops close by so if you did forget your picnic and the tea shop is closed, you're stuck. Unless you climb in your car and you can find a shop in about a 3 km radius either towards Durbanville or if you head towards Tygervalley Shopping Centre.
*  Not on the top of my list of things to do in Cape Town but lovely nonetheless.