NikonGear'23
Travelogues => Travel Diaries => Topic started by: elsa hoffmann on February 20, 2016, 17:49:18
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Beautiful day and good light on this tour - Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is probably one of the most beautiful in the world. World renowned and stands up to it's reputation. One can spend a whole day there. Also plenty of birds to see.
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By the time I get to South Africa....
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haha you can come re-shoot my images in a sharp fashion :)
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Clarity blurs my mind :)
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Great Elsa,
It's impossible not to get inspired when visiting places like this.
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Cool series. Nice spider-shot. A selfies garden ;)
Is it (sub)-tropical?
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That is a nice looking spider! :)
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thanks guys
Is it (sub)-tropical?
not really (I think) Cape Town isnt tropical - but this Botanical Garden is in a high rainfall area - which helps to make it lush and green. Kirstenbosch enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with a long, hot, dry summer (November-March) and a short, cool, rainy winter (June-August).
The Kirstenbosch estate covers 528 hectares, of which 36 ha is cultivated and the rest is a protected area supporting natural forest and fynbos.
They have exactly 100 gardeners. It is well kept and extremely popular. Kirstenbosch is also home to a research department. It is a must see in my opinion of one is slightly interested in this kind of thing.
I understood from Bjørn that many Botanical Gardens do not allow photographers to do their thing - Kirstenbosch is different. They encourage photographers and many photographers use the gardens for outings. Kirstenbosch hosts many photographic competitions during the year to encourage more visitors.
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Spidey shot is spectacular Elsa. I also like image "Kirstenbosch 056" also with pond and Cycads like plants. Which plants are those?
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The Plant referred to is very likely Dicksonia Antarctica, a species of evergreen tree fern native to eastern Australia, ranging from south-east Queensland, coastal New South Wales and Victoria to Tasmania. These are not related to Cycads at all. Interestingly this species was planted here at Kirstenbosch and has actually become a problem. They have now invaded the natural indigenous forest around Kirstenbosh. Our own indigenous Cyathea species are very similar and point to the time when South Africa and Australia were once connected in the old continent of Gondwana.
The spider in the first picture is the Black legged golden orbweb spider (Nephila fenestrata) which only as recently as 2002 has crossed over the formidable mountain barrier to the east of Cape Town and can now be seen on the Peninsula. They make huge orb webs and interestingly the females are large, measuring 15 - 40 mm in length, with a leg span of 100 - 120 mm, while the male is only about 5 - 9 mm, with leg span of up to 25 mm, and it is only about one thousandth of the female's weight. They can inflict a nasty bite!
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Thanks Richard - this is why I take Richard on tour with me he knows his onions, plants and spiders.
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Thanks Richard for the detailed explanation.
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Interesting ! Thanks for explaining, Elsa and Richard.
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Stunning Elsa
I am so cross with myself that I didn't get to Kirstenbosch in December.
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thanks Peter - don't you stress about that - see you soon - then we go :)
Actually many places to go :)
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Looking forward to that Elsa.
I think people at the airport are going to look at me funny with my '500 hanging over my shoulder!
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: soon..
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I have fond memories of two past visits at the Gardens and look forward to next time, about late Sept this year.
Fortunately, there is no populous/littered flip side as shown in the linked page on Elsa's other post..
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wow Bernard - beautiful shot!
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ah.... you mean you would have trouble photographing this place :)
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Beautiful Bernard.
I see myself shooting those flowers for hours :)
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We do have other things to photograph you know ;) (and to do for that matter ;D ;D )
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Like what? :)
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oh let's exchange private mails haha
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Wonderful. Looking forward to seeing more.
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Wonderful. Looking forward to seeing more.
Very easy Peter - COME to Cape Town :)