Visitors braved the cold and rainy weather to attend the annual Rare Plant Fair and Autumn Open Garden at Tokara Estate in Stellenbosch; the one day of the year that the gates of the private gardens are open to the public.
Held on 18 April, the occasion was advertised on their website as an opportunity to “experience the autumn beauty” and to slow down and reconnect with nature.
The event connected wholesalers and smaller vendors, allowing them to show off what they brought to the plant industry; while giving plant enthusiasts and collectors access to unique plants.
Plants for sale at the West Coast Flora stand at the Rare Plant Fair. PHOTO: Hae-Won Boesack
Despite the cold weather, the event brought together over 30 vendors, and served as a fundraiser for the Camphill Farm Community in Hermanus, a residential facility for adults with intellectual disabilities. “The event is for the community, […] a little bit also for the marketing of the estate, but also a way to give back,” said Rob Olsen, one of Tokara’s marketing managers.
The Iris Queen stall with various hybrids and their bulbs of Iris Germanica on display. PHOTO: Hae-Won Boesack
According to Olsen, vendors are typically invited based on them having something “out of the ordinary”. However, some vendors, like René Snyman, applied for a spot. Snyman, the owner of Iris Queen, creates unique Iris germanica hybrids that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. She believes that irises have been forgotten and hopes to “bring the love back”.
Another vendor at the event was West Coast Flora, which specialises in selling indigenous fynbos. “We sell wholesale mostly,” said Tor Kaplan, of West Coast Flora. “It’s nice to come here and show the public what we have,” she said. By the time that SMF News arrived at the fair, all the rare plants had sold out and only the more common plants like the king protea and monstera were left.
Visitors walk through the Tokara Estate garden. PHOTO: Hae-Won Boesack
A popular feature was the Adamastor Moss Garden, created by Japanese garden expert Gert van Tonder, a private installation at Tokara which was open to fair attendees. “The challenge and actually the point of it [the moss garden] is to use local materials; local plants and my apprentices are locals. It’s a 100% South African creation,” said Van Tonder, adding that there was a strong public interest in experiencing the space.
First time attendees, like Simeon Brown said the visit had been a “cathartic” experience. “I feel so lucky to be here. […] There are things about normal plants that are easy to discover in a normal place like this,” said Brown. “This is a great way to spend my time.”