I’ve always wanted to visit Babylonstoren and if I could have my way it would be this weekend.
Babylonstoren is a Cape Dutch farm with vineyards and orchards surrounded by the dramatic mountains of the Drakenstein Valley. Roughly 60 km outside of the city of Cape Town, South Africa, it has an exceptionally well–preserved werf dating from 1690. The garden is at the heart of the farm. It was inspired by the Company Gardens of the Cape, where for centuries ships would replenish with sweet water, vegetables and fruit at the halfway station between Europe and Asia. It also hales back to the mythical garden of Babylon.
The garden lies behind the main house and borders the guest suites. Every one of over 300 varieties of plants is edible. The garden is divided into fifteen clusters spanning vegetable areas, berries, bees, indigenous plants, ducks and chickens and includes a prickly pear maze. Gravity feeds water into waterways from streams into the garden as it was done for 300 years.
I can imagine wandering around smelling indigenous herb gardens, blossoms and flowers from whatever may be in bloom. Can you think of a better way to spend the afternoon than at the glass enclosed restaurant or under the Plain trees in the courtyard?
