Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens won gold at the annual Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show for its display. This is the 37th win for South Africa in the international show’s 44 years.
The announcement was made on Tuesday May 21 at the RHS, which is taking place in London until Saturday May 25 2019.
Today the #ChelseaFlowerShow opens to the public. Visit the @SANBI_ZA #Kirstenbosch #MountainsOfAbundance exhibit at stand GPD 173 to see the magnificent display of the Biodiversity of the indigenous plants of #SouthAfrica, shown as they occur in nature. pic.twitter.com/aSMeO1My4t
— Kirstenbosch (@KirstenboschNBG) May 21, 2019
According to Good Things Guy, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) team in London was made up of designer Leon Kluge, Tristan Woudberg and Chris Randlehoff from Leon Kluge Garden Design, dedicated volunteers, and Sanbi staff.
WOW, at last, we have a sneak peak at the @SANBI_ZA #Kirstenbosch exhibit at the#ChelseaFlowerShow2019
Looking fantastic. @The_RHS #MountainsOfAbundance pic.twitter.com/C2B1hLM4Q1— Kirstenbosch (@KirstenboschNBG) May 20, 2019
SANBI’s 2019 exhibition on display at the show is titled “Mountains of Abundance.”
In a statement on Instagram, SANBI said that the designer of the display Leon Kluge’s aim of the exhibit was to recreate the way proteas, aloes, disas, restios and fynbos occur naturally.
Proudly presenting GOLD winner @The_RHS #MountainsOfAbundance
Inspired by our unique floral kingdom, #TableMountain and the #Magaliesberg
What a beautiful display. pic.twitter.com/niGN0pazRg— Kirstenbosch (@KirstenboschNBG) May 21, 2019
“There is also a fusion of South African cultures, as evidenced by the Ndebele hat which acts as the source of a river through the design,” SANBI said.
The exhibit is a three-meter slate mountain representing a silhouette of Table Mountain from one side. From the other side, the slate structure represents Magaliesburg. Both are the mountain ranges where the varieties of proteas on display are found.
Picture: Twitter @KirstenboschNBG