The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, one of the best botanical gardens in the world, is a significant garden in Cape Town, located at the eastern foot of Table Mountain. The garden is one of ten National Botanical Gardens in South Africa, representing five of the country's six biomes, and managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). The institute was previously known as the National Botanical Institute until September 1, 2004.

Kirstenbosch lays a considerable emphasis on indigenous plant cultivation. Kirstenbosch was the world's first botanical garden with this concept when it was built in 1913 to preserve the flora native to South Africa's territory, at a time when invading species were not considered an ecological and environmental hazard.

The garden includes a large conservatory (The Botanical Society Conservatory) that displays plants from various places such as savanna, fynbos, karoo, and others. Outdoors, the emphasis is on plants endemic to the Cape region, with the stunning protea collections standing out. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum have accredited it as a level IV arboretum.

Created: in 1913
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Area: 528 hectares (1,300 acres)