It is supposed to be mid-winter in South Africa, but with daytime temperatures in the comfortable low 20’s centigrade recently, we just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to visit the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in Johannesburg again this past Sunday. We enjoyed a lovely day walking and picnicking with good friends, soaking up the glorious sunshine under a cloudless sky, and of course our cameras went along!
Even in winter the garden is a feast for the eyes, and especially the winter-blooming aloes and carpets of daisies are a sight to behold. You are seldom far from water anywhere in the garden, with the Crocodile River flowing serenely through it and the Witpoortjie Falls being the focal point for all visitors to the gardens.
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid gardens at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Scenery at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Bee on succulent flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Splendid flowers at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Yellow Pansy
Leopard Tortoise
Leopard Tortoise
Anyone with a love for or interest in birds, especially photographers, will really find a visit to the gardens worth their while. Apart from the highly visible nesting pair of Verreaux’s Eagles, the garden absolutely abounds with birdlife, even now in winter when so many of the summer migrants have departed for warmer climes. The hide at the Sasol Dam in a quieter corner of the garden must surely rank as one of the best facilities of its kind in the country in terms of the variety and quality of sightings on offer.
African Black Duck
Amethyst Sunbird
Blacksmith Lapwing
Bronze Mannikin juvenile
Cape Robin-chat
Cape Sparrow male
Common Moorhen
Dark-capped Bulbul
Egyptian Goose
Green-backed Heron
Grey Heron
Hadeda
Hamerkop
Kurrichane Thrush
Laughing Dove
Pied Kingfisher
Red Bishop female
Red-eyed Dove
Reed Cormorant
African Sacred Ibis
African Sacred Ibis
Southern Boubou
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Verreaux’s Eagles at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens
African Wattled Lapwing
If you’d like to know more about the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens, have a look at our post about our visit in November 2014 or visit their website.
DeWetsWild 
Quite lovely, thank you!
Glad you could join us in the garden!
I’d love a wintry day like this. 🙂 🙂
You have to make the most of them when they come around, Jo!
Wonderful photo series – a gorgeous botanical garden, a little oasis:)
So true, Inger – you feel worlds removed from the city, even though the garden is surrounded by our country’s biggest metropolis!
Nature is the best treasure that human being can haveso far ❤
We certainly agree!
This is so lovely, right near my old home, thanks for sharing 😊
You were lucky to have grown up near such a beautiful place!
Yes, we were just on the other side of the koppie, wilropark, it was (still is, I think?) a very nice area 🙂
Did you spend a lot of time at the garden?
We used to go a few times a year, sometimes on a Sunday, also to see the eagles and their chicks 🙂
Lucky you!
Besonderse foto’s
Baie dankie, Tina!
Looks amazing, you know how to capture the birds on photo’s. Thanks, I’ll keep the place in mind when we visit SA again
Thanks Antoinette! You definitely won’t be sorry for including the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens in your next itinerary!
Lovely post Dries – for an urban park it has great diversity of plants and bird species. The hammerkop- from large to the littlest mannikin show the variety and marvellous to know there are black eagles there.
Thanks, Liz! Walter Sisulu’s black eagles are probably the most “accessible” of their kind in the country, as far as I am aware.
Amazing pictures, Dries! 🙂 It´s a wonderful place you live in. I love the waterfall and your picture of the beautiful birds, especially the hamercop that you shot so good!
Thanks a lot, John, The hide at Walter Sisulu Garden is a wonderful spot for taking bird photos – I was surprised that it wasn’t packed with photographers and long lenses!
Wow! Who knew winter could be so beautiful!
The gardens offer an escape from city life AND winter!
What a lovely place!
janet
Oh, Janet, it really is!
I could easily spend more than one day at Sisulu. Thank you for this information and the wonderful photos!
You would go back home with some incredible photos, Hien!
Beautiful place! love the water fall and the array of birds! 🙂
Stressed out city dwellers really need places like this that are easy to get to yet still feels far removed from the hustle and bustle!