National Botanical Gardens - Johannesburg

 

Monday February 7th, we drove with Elder and Sister Swift to the National Botanical Gardens.  The Swifts are the Area Medical Advisors - they invited us to go with them on a hike - we left at 6:30 am! This is cork from a cork tree - Elder Smith broke off a couple small pieces.  They told us that the tree is stripped of the cork for commercial purposes and then it grows back!
One of the things that has amazed us about South Africa - is all the nationalities that have been involved with this part of the world - for centuries!  this monument is to the French Huguenots - 300 years ago!
Elders Swift and Smith at the monument.  Beautiful trees in the background.
There was a whole hillside of fountains - with animal heads - no water though. See behind on the hill - they were all connected with waterways and it would have been awesome to see water in there.
There is a Dam and lake at the bottom of the Gardens - these are Egyptian Geese - smaller in size to what we are used to.
This pretty creek runs into the lake - it was almost like being in the mountains - just a little!
The blooms on this tree looked like snowflakes!  
So pretty!
Some of the scenery at the Gardens - this was a wealthy family's acres and they donated it to the City for the Gardens.
A big cork tree.
An older cork tree - the back breaks off easily.
Two old people by the old cork tree!

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