Discover Cape Town's Blossoming Beauty

As winter bids its farewell, Cape Town comes alive with vibrant colours and delightful scents. This is the season when the city dresses itself in its finest floral attire, inviting you to enjoy a lively display of blooms at eateries, shops, markets, and all around town.

Join us as we uncover Cape Town’s springtime transformation, where nature’s beauty takes center stage.

These are some of the best hiking routes to view flowers in bloom, Suggestions courtesy of Lauren & Johan who offer guided hikes at Mother City Hikers.

• Silvermine Nature Reserve: There are the options of Gate 1 and Gate 2 (Gate 1 is the paying side, Gate 2 is free). Just drive up OuKaapse Weg now and you will be treated to bountiful natural bouquets of flowers on both sides without even entering the reserve. My favorite route is hiking up to the Lookout Point over Hout Bay. This is something the whole family (including the dog if you have an activity permit) can do. The colour of the fynbos contrasting the blue sky and white, white sand there is just magical.
• Chapman’s Peak: This one is just bountiful at the moment. Such a great hike for early morning or late afternoon.
• West Coast National Park: Postberg, Lookout Point. Family not into hiking so much? Take a drive thru WCNP and have the fresh sea air blowing through your hair while you enjoy all of nature’s beauty. You can pay to enter the Postberg section and there are, short walks that are good for the whole family.
• Cape Point: The fynbos against the backdrop of the sea is always beautiful but especially now in Springtime you’ll see a variety of colour that will only be around for a while.
• Johan’s Walk up to the backside of Table Mountain to the Valley of the Red Gods:
  Walk up and over down to the Valley of Isolation is one of the beautiful trails. It offers an array of colorful flowers, with the open and warm sun, getting under the cool, shaded Fynbos canopy, protected by the huge cliffs. Beautiful moss and bearded lichen, covers most of these aged, very old trees, rocks, cracks and crevices. Rock overhangs that are layered with clay, sand, rock, poor nutrient white soil, grass, lichen and moss,  pierced with the roots underneath its ‘roof’, filter water from the rains and even mist. It also keeps secret or hidden caves, well-rounded rock overhangs and hidden streams. On route, expect to see lots of Satyrium orchids, colorful daisies and a variety of different Ericas. Male Sunbirds fill the air with their thin, but worried chweet-chweet-chweet calls to their female counterparts and the Redwinged starlings readily for any crumbs left from passersby. Also, expect an increase in bird of prey sightings with the warmer weather as everything is out and about warming itself in the springtime air, like the pair of Black eagles, Jackel buzzards and Peregrine falcons. And if you are lucky, you may spot a Klipspringer or even a Himalayan tahr.. just walk silently 😊.

Flower Café is a place to come and reconnect with your friends, family, colleagues, and yourself. They harness the beauty of flowers and all things floral to help you slow down, catch your breath, and live in the moment. Book one of their daily floral workshops, learn about the secret Victorian language of flowers and enjoy some barista-brewed coffee with a slice of homemade cake or quiche. They host a Masterclass series, run by masters in their fields – aimed at beginners – and invite local creatives to come and share their passion and skills.

Join the Flower Cafe team as they continue to lead, reinvent, and bring you the best in florals and innovation. www.flowercafe.co.za | @flowercafect | @floriographysa