The upcoming Darling Wildflower Show for 2017 will be celebrating its 100th year and promises to be a spectacular setting of natural beauty. Locals from nearby areas along the West Coast and even further out toward the city look forward to this gorgeous annual event in high spirits. As is the case each year, this flower show will be showcasing an array of plant species to excite lovers of nature and inspire visitors to embrace the wonderful elements of the earth. This beloved event will offer various family-friendly activities to keep everyone entertained, over the course of 4 days.
Darling is a small, charming village that is only a 45 minute drive from the Bloubergstrand area along the West Coast of Cape Town. For those enjoying a winter holiday in surrounding towns, a scenic drive a little further up to Darling to attend their famous flower show will be a rewarding and memorable experience. Since its first show dating back all the way to 1917, the Darling Wildflower Society has traditionally held a show every year and has entranced its guests with fragrances of natural bouquets decorating the entire hall area and providing a rainbow-like display of rare and indigenous wildflowers. The setting is meant to conjure up images of the blooming landscapes of Darling on the West Coast, which is rich in floral and botanic diversity.
Darling, the ‘Flower of the West Coast’
Because of its undeniably beautiful flowers, colourful landscapes and rich species diversity, Darling is known as ‘the Flower of the West Coast’. Even out of the regular flower season, this stunning area has a lot to offer visitors to the coast who seek out these natural wonders in anticipation. The 1840 quote by traveler and flower lover James Blackhouse ‘There are no wildflowers like those at Darling’, is a sentiment that is still true to this day.
The small town of Darling lies in the centre of the threatened lowland sandplain and renosterveld fynbos, found within the Cape West Coast Biosphere reserve – these interconnected veld types create the perfect environment for flowers of all shapes, sizes and colours to bloom. There are also a number of threatened species found in the darling area, such as the Rooi Kalossie, Kelkiewyn, Pienk Kalkoentjie and the Darling Froetang – The Darling Wildflower Show promotes awareness to visitors as well as promoting the conservation of these flowers among farmers in the area. The constant expansion of developments along the West Coast will eliminate large tracts of this internationally unique flora over time.
The famous and alluring Cape Floral Kingdom is home to over 12 000 species – the richest species diversity in the world. Darling itself contains more than 10% of these species from the Cape Floral Kingdom but in less than 1% of the area.
More about the upcoming Flower Show
Naturally, there will be a breathtaking showcase of wild flowers, floral arrangements and natural displays that reflect the unique geographic diversity of Darling’s surrounding fields. All the flowers featured and sold at the event will be picked under strict supervision of the Darling Wildflower Society. Expect to find a few gems along the way and look forward to purchasing indigenous plants at great prices.
This year’s Darling Wildflower Show will be the 100th event and the displays will spotlight the Wildflower Society’s development over the past century, with a focus on their ‘Herbarium Project’.
What can be discovered at the show?
• The event’s landscaped hall depicting Darling’s flowers in their natural habitat
• A large entertainment area for children with plenty of rides
• Over 100 craft and gourmet food stalls, with a variety of flavours and styles to appeal to everyone’s tastes
• A veteran tractor/car display
• A range of workshops and interesting talks for children and adults to enjoy
• An entertainment tent with like local music from artists like Klassik
• A stunning orchid display by Orchid Creations
• A free ride on the tractor-drawn wagon along the pristine wetland at Oude Past – a unique experience as this area is not normally accessible to the public
How to book your ticket:
The event will be held at the Darling Golf Club in the village of Darling, from the 14th – 17th September 2017. Ticket prices vary from R40 to R60 and can be booked by emailing info@darlingwildflowers.co.za. If you are planning to enjoy a vacation in Cape Town’s West Coast area, click here to view Blouberg Holiday Rentals stunning selection of luxury self-catering accommodation options.