Green Cathedral; a metaphorical gem in the Robertson Wine Valley

A day in the Philosophers Garden

soekershof — Wed, 11 May 2011 11:18:52 +0000

11 Years ago a farmer from our neighbourhood said: “Nothing will grow over there”.

We haven’t seen him since….

Nowadays this is our Philosophers Garden. It’s philosophy with a smile and the living proof that a garden visit, at least to this garden, is a FUN OUTING

Proud as a Zulu

soekershof — Thu, 05 May 2011 05:31:59 +0000

Today we are ‘as proud as a Zulu’:

Audit: 9 0f 10 visitors say their experience at Soekershof goes beyond that of any other garden in South Africa.

Most (inbound) tour operators (including the ones in Cape Town) are not aware of a special 2 night arrangement of nearby guesthouse Fraai Uitzicht including all meals, a game drive and THE Garden Experience; all within the fabulous Klaas Voogds hamlet where you can find the whole world within 10 square kilometres.

We invite you to spread the word around the world. (Thanks)
Yvonne and Herman.

A historical site in Klaas Voogds, South Africa

soekershof — Wed, 04 May 2011 11:04:45 +0000

What you see in this picture is history. In the background (together with nearby guesthouse/restaurant Fraai Uitzicht) the oldest house (anno 1798) between Swellendam and Tulbagh in the Western Cape, South Africa. According to arborist Jean Crous from Barrydale the Tree Aloe (Aloe bainesii) is as old as the house and the big cactus, P…achycereus weberii, is the pride of THE Green Cathedral of South Africa. Anno 1910 it is the oldest recorded cactus in South Africa, sown and planted by South African cactus pioneer Marthinus Malherbe who with his wife is buried in the gardens near this giant cactus. Malherbe started a hundred yrs ago with exchanging seeds of South African succulent plants with those from the Americas. The prickly pear was already a few centuries (since 1732) in South Africa.See More After Malherbe’s passing away in 1976 the gardens were neglected for 24 years. During the past years we have restored it to the glory of old and extended it. At the moment with an outdoor collection of more than 2500 different registered succulent plants species (subspecies/cultivars/etc.) from around the globe.

What real men really want!!!

soekershof — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 04:48:42 +0000

Made of soil from the fabulous Soekershof Gardens by people from local historically disadvantaged communities.
Dedicated to the national rugby team of South Africa.
Real men don’t buy this for their wives; they rather keep this precious for themselves!

Go for it Bokke!

Hug a cactus!!!

soekershof — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:02:25 +0000

Despite the fact that there are still a few local accommodation proprietors, employees of the Robertson Tourism Bureau and tour guides from Cape town who don’t know the difference between a large nursery with a small garden and a large garden with a small nursery we keep being that positive that we don’t even bother to explain the difference between paying 10 Rand for buying plants or R 60.00 to undergo a true garden experience (admission to Our Little Nursery is free BTW).

We rather tell it in pictures but prefer to take all the time for visitors who want to enjoy our place in rural slow pace. We love to let you hug a cactus, experience the difference in fragrances of flowers of different Frangipanis; just to mention a few things. It also explains when once been here visitors love to come back!!!

Well today an update in pictures but again; the real thing is different.

Soekershof (Green Cathedral)??? Just a Maze, Succulent Plants, Imagination and THE Spirit of Africa.

You are Welcome!

(if you think you can do it in 10 minutes you are at the wrong adress)

MEGA SUCCULENT PLANT SALE FOR WATERWISE GARDENS

soekershof — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:32:21 +0000

April Succulent Plant SALE starting TODAY
See website for PRECISE road directions (no brown sign along R60 between Robertson and Ashton/Montagu). SECOND farm right in Klaas Voogds WEST with 2 ELEPHANT STATUES and Soekershof sign at entrance.

Echinocactus grusonii with diameter of >30cm Per 5 barrels: R 1000.00

Quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma) from 1 meter high from R 600.00 each

Cyphostemma jutteae (‘Old woman’s buttock) with diameter of >10 cm From R 50.00 each. The very small ones (babies) R 10.00 each and 12 for R 100.00

Diverse agave species from R 10.00 each

Madagascar palms (Pachypodium lamerei) from R 20.00 each (approx. 7-10cm high).

Etc. etc.

Reading Teambuilding

soekershof — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:57:25 +0000

Every culture has it’s pros and contras; where-ever you go. No difference in South Africa except that South Africans belong to the poorest readers in the world and that is what hardly anybody expects from a non-third-world-country. Regulary we organise teambuilding events for third parties and people who know our maze also know this is the venue to test the reading skills of people. There are quite a few stories, path names and clues along the way to memorise. We divide large groups in smaller subgroups of 5 to 10 participants each who are tied together with a rope. When they come out after 40 minutes or so they get 10 questions to answer. South Africans score average 5.5 out of 10; Europeans 9+, Zimbabwans 8+ and Americans 7.7.

This morning first year tourism students of Northlink College in Cape Town did their ‘test’ (Northlink visits us every year and is the only tourism school in Cape Town that organises educational tours outside Cape Town!!!). A lot of fun we all had but the performance was poor…. average 4 (5 groups of 8-10 participants). The winning group however did fairly well: a 7. Congratulations and they all got a large version of the famous Klaas Voogds Elephant!

An embarrassment for tourism

soekershof — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:03:18 +0000

The Cape Tourist Guide Association (CTGA) has a ‘Code of Conduct and Ethics’ which serves as guideline how the tour guides have to behave themselves. Unfortunately not all tourguides behave themselves like that. Today another one with a guest insisting that he is a ‘tour operator’ and that ‘tour operators’ never pay admission, etc. etc. We should be glad that there are ‘tour operators’ who bring guests in, etc. etc. Obviously we send him out and we hope that we will never see this guy back anymore. His guest was quite upset. She wanted to pay but was not allowed to, saying to him: “You are an embarrassment for tourism”, followed by “Bastard”. Well that will be a pleasant drive back to Cape Town with the guest sitting in the backseat of the microbus ……….

This kind of behaviour is not exceptional. We and other colleagues in tourism experience this very regular. Protests (according to colleagues) to the CTGA are not responded to. A tour guide can be a member of CTGA but that is not a warranty for quality.

There are however tour guides who know how to behave themselves but if we have met 10 to 15 in the past years than we’ve probably said too much. Unfortunately we don’t see these good ones as often as we want to but if you need a good tour guide we can direct you to the most appropriate guide with specialism inline with your wishes. This also applies for real tour operators who organise holiday trips and are looking for a tour guide. It also explains that we received requests from a few outbound tour operators in Europe who care about their clients and received complaints about South African tour guides. We know the tour guides with international experience, their specialisms, etc. and we know also that these are fully insured; in fact complying with all strict legal regulations. Some of these also act as tour operator by organising customised itineraries for their guests; thus not (only) executing the itineraries of others.

Maybe CTGA should reconsider the membership of many …..

We always invite representives of media and tourism industry to visit us as Mr./Mrs/ A. Nomynous and experience the daily hospitality (and tell us afterwards) instead of telling beforehand what their profession is and insisting on not paying admission ….

Some ‘Hot Shots’ this year

soekershof — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:23:57 +0000

‘SEX’ in the garden

soekershof — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:39:05 +0000