Duckitt Orchid Nurseries Open House – May to November

Duckitt Nurseries Annual Orchid Show: 15 – 18 Sept 2011

The Duckitt Nurseries Annual Orchid Show takes place from 15 – 18 September 2011 on Oudepost Farm 3km outside of Darling (follow the yellow banners).

Landscaping done by Attie Hofmeyr with thousands of exotic orchids and rare species.

Various orchid potplants, spikes and all the necessary accessories for sale in the sales area.

Tearoom serving light meals hosted by the Presbyterian Church.

Entrance: Adults R25 / Scholars R15 / Seniors Thurs & Fri R15 

For more information contact (022) 492-2602

Visit: www.duckittnurseries.com

Darling Spring Flower Report: 9 Sept 2010

LOCATION OF FLOWERS:

Beautiful flowers are now out in full bloom in all reserves around Darling as well as on roadsides.  It seems that with this year’s peculiar weather it is going to be an exceptional year for the wonderfully scented Blue Pypie, Bobbejaantjies,  Kelkiewyn Moraeas, Romeleas and many others. The yellow and white daisies are also out in abundance

Darling Renosterveld Reserve (At top of village behind the Darling Primary School);

Darling Groenekloof Reserve (R315 alongside the SPCA premises) Park at the SPCA and enter through the small gate in the corner;

Tienie Versfeld Reserve (R315 Darling – Yzerfontein);

Contreberg (along R307 to Mamre)

– at all the above reserves visitors need to park their cars and walk in the veld

Duckitt Nurseries Wildflower Reserve – farm road through reserve (R307 Darling – Mamre – in front of Duckitt Nursery); No buses

Waylands – farm road through reserve (R307 to Mamre)

Visitors must please take care not to drive off the road in the Waylands and Duckitt Nurseries reserves as the veld is very wet and they may get stuck. No buses.

The Darling Hills road past Groote Post wine estate is looking beautiful at the moment so well worth a drive along there (gravel road but in good condition)

Wildflower game drives at Burgherspost Nature Reserve.

Leaving 9.30 every morning except Sundays and depending on the weather @ R150 pp (min. 2 people) from Cloof Cellar.

Please book two days in advance – Contact Jacques vd Merwe  Conservation Manager  Tel: 022 492 2830   Fax: 086 653 7479  Cell: 084 606 3470

e-mail: nature@cloof.co.za www.burgherspost.co.za www.cloof.co.za

TYPE OF FLOWERS:

Waylands Wild Flower reserve is looking really beautiful. There are lots of the White Stars and Sundews out. We saw a lot of the yellow Ixia and the little yellow Geissorhiza, as well as the very pretty Babejana that look like a Kelkiewyn. We even saw some Kelkiewyn, which is very early for them. All in all it looks as if the flowers are already out for Spring Day! The chincerinchees are out, but not yet in flower. Hopefully they will be opening by the weekend. The late Flax has started flowering, and together with the early Flax which is still out, give the veld a very pretty blue haze. This weather seems to suit the daisies very well, as they are looking particularly colourful this year.

Tienie Versfeld

Awash with white and yellow daisies as well as a large variety of bulb species.

Darling Renosterveld Reserve

Spiloxene (poublom), muggiegras (acrosanthes); sneeuvygie (pharnaceum) bokbaaivygies, yellow spiloxene; purple romulea; orange romulea; pink ixias just starting, bloukappie (sparaxis) butterfly lily (wachendorfia) will be out soon; lewertjie (indigofera); lachenalias also starting, moraeas, a few bloupypies, bontrokaandblom (hesperantha); hermannia (poproos); sandgeelgesiggie (hemimeris) Reserve is bushy and visitors must walk off the path to see best flowers – walk to right in front of reservoirs

Darling Groenekloof Reserve:

Hermannia (lanterns-Poproos), Arctotis (daisies), Drossera (Snotroesie), Chlorophytum, Moraeari tripetala (blue), Homeria flaccida (Moreaea), Indigofera (Lewertjie), Dimorphotheca pluvialis (rain daisies) , Muraltia, Arums, Lachenia, Oxalis, yellow Spiloxene – all looking good – people must walk through and around the reserve to see.

Duckitt Nurseries Reserve:

Masses of blue flax (Heliophila); white raindaisies (dimorphotheca pluvialis); yellow cape daisies; bloupypies (gladiolus gracilus); hermannia (poproos); bobbejaantjie (babiana); gifkool (chlorophytum undulatum) and in the dam rhysblommetjie (onixotis atricta)

Burgherspost Wine Estate & Cloof Wine Estate:

Sandveld

Bloupypies (Gladiolus carinatus) – widely distributed, one-one

Cape rain daisies (Dimorphoteca pluvialis) – starting to come out now

Botterblomme (Arctotis breviscapa) – here and there, not abundant

Babiana ambigua – a beautiful little bulb starting to flower now – never abundant, but nice to see.

Gymnodiscus capularis – weedy – loads on the old fields – tiny yellow flower

Ganskos – Cotula turbinatata – also a weedy – loads along the sides of the roads and on old fields

Sugarbush (Protea repens & Protea burchelli) – almost at the end of its season.

Wetlands

Geel pypies (Gladiolus trichonemifolius) – dense patch in the wetlands – smells really nice

Leipoldt-se-bobbejaantjie (Babiana leipoldtii) – Critically endangered – quite a few – one-one

Sterretjies (Spiloxene spp.) – patches here and there.

Bleek Viooltjies (Lachenalia mutabilis) – nice little bulb flowering in patches here and there.

Leucodendron lanigerum – flowers throughout the year, but looks at its best now – not a colorful shrub, but very rare and has some interesting value.

FLOWER SHOWS:

Name: Darling Wildflower Show

Date & Time: 17 – 19 September 2010

9am  – 5 pm  daily

Venue: Darling Sports Club

Admission: Adults R25 scholars R15 / Special discount for pensioners R15 ONLY on Friday

Contact detail: Enquiries 022 492 3361 info@darlingtourism.co.za

Stalls:     083 655 4237

Name: Duckitt Nurseries Orchid Show

Date & Time: 16 – 19 September 2010

Venue: Oudepost Farm

Admission: Adults R25 scholars R15 / Special discount for pensioners R15 ONLY on Thursday and Friday

Contact detail: 022 492 2606 info@duckittnurseries.com

Darling Wildflower Show Info

Here is more information on the upcoming Darling Wildflower Show (17 – 19 September 2010) and the Duckitt Nurseries Orchid Show (16 – 19 September 2010). A map of the Flower Reserves is included for your convenience.

Click to enlarge:

Click to enlarge: Flower Show brochure 2010

Darling Wildflower Show and Duckitt Nurseries Orchid Show

A blooming good time in Darling!

Darling Wildflower Show: 17 – 19 September 2010
It’s almost time for the mother of all Wild Flower Shows… Diarise 17 – 19 September 2010 and spend the weekend in Darling where you can embrace your sense of adventure and enjoy a flower safari, straight from nature. Expect to see a colourful display of wildflowers in a new landscaped design each year. Come and join in the fun at the show. There’s more to enjoy than just the flowers: Antique tractor displays, interesting talks, wine tasting, delicious country food, live performances and indigenous plant sales are also on the programme. Potjiekos and Braai meals are served in the marquee tent while Darling College Coffee Shop operating in the small hall serves light meals and something sweet. Entrance fee applicable.

Duckitt Nurseries Orchid Show: 16 – 19 September 2010
Duckitt Nurseries presents an annual orchid show to coincide with the Darling Wildflower Show in September. Thousands of orchid species, including rare and exotic hybrids are displayed. Large sales area for orchid plants and flowers. Tea room and refreshments available.

Duckitt Nurseries, the largest orchid nursery in the southern hemisphere, is situated on the farm Oudepost, just outside Darling. From May to November, on the first Saturday of each month, their doors are open to the public from 9h00 until 12h00. (Please Note: the greenhouses are closed at all other times).