Hi Daisy,

Hope you are doing good and that there are still a few flowers left back home.

Please see some more pictures of my last visit to Concordia, Namaqualand. I loaded much more at my flickr page “http://www.flickr.com/photos/28513238@N06/sets/72157606114046395/”.

Feel free to drop in and view. All of the best!

Art

It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why. Eddie Cantor. Wise words from a comedian.

Dearest,

As this flower season slowly winds down, so will the postings on this blog.  Not yet but soon.

For those of you who are still to visit, it is important to realise that, even though the “fields of flowers” will soon be no more, there will still be a lot of flowers playing hide and seek and waiting for you to discover them in their natural habitat. Unfortunately you won’t see these little treasures whilst driving in your car, you will have to stop frequently and take long leisurely walks.  If you leave the high heels and shiny brown Barkers behind and instead pack a good pair of walking shoes, hat and lots of sunscreen, you will be thoroughly surprised at the amount of flowers still around. Take time to chat to the “locals” who are always the best source of the whereabouts of the “real” flowers.

It is also important to take note of the quaint habits of the Namaqualand Flowers, best illustrated by the following sketch:

Scene: Honnehok Chalets 10am on a chilly and overcast morning.
Enter Mr. and Mrs. Jones,  out of breath and awfully stressed.
Daisy: “Good morning, how are you?
Mrs Jones: “Not too well, where are all the flowers everybody is raving about? We drove all the way from Springbok to Hondeklip Bay and have not seen one flower yet!”
Daisy: “What time did you leave Springbok this morning?”
Mrs Jones: “We left quite late, 8.30am to be precise”
Daisy (flabergasted): “Springbok! That is at least a two hour drive!”
Mrs Jones: “We left Springbok early because we still want to see the flowers in Vanrhynsdorp and Clanwilliam today and we have to be back in Johannesburg by tomorrow! Sooo…..where are the flowers?”
Daisy: (cool calm and by now not very collected): “Oh dear Mrs. Jones, I am sooo sorry, I forgot to switch on the sun this morning at precisely 8am and thus the flowers will now only open at 11 am.  I also neglected to order the rains for early April so I will have to take the blame for an early/late flower season as well.”
Mrs Jones (indignant and higly upset): “But…..everybody assured us that the flowers this year was going to be excellent! Come Mr. Jones, we have wasted our time and money – lets go, lets go, we still have to get to Clanwilliam before lunch!”

I rest my case.

Have a good week, enjoy spring and slow down, it is the only way to enjoy and experience the real Namaqualand,

Yours as always,

Daisy

Hi All,

I’ve posted good number more flower photos to the flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmmavocado/sets/72157622086660278/

Malcolm Manners

This is a summary report for the Flower Route Map. You can also get up to date information at the Flower Information Centres indicated on the back of the map. Remember the vygies only start opening after 12 in the afternoon and display at their best between 2 and 4 in the afternoon. If you want to see the vygies, plan your trip to go for a scenic drive in the morning. The flowers in general are going down, but at some places still good. It is a good idea to walk trails were they are available. * Purple vygies with other colours in between can be seen on the Springbok-Pofadder tar road from Springbok to about 20 km east of Springbok. * Goegap Nature Reserve not only has a very interesting succulent collection of Namaqualand plants, but at the moment the veld is covered with purple vygies. Well worth seeing, but only after 1 pm. * If you have a bakkie or 4X4 (need high road clearance, not 4X4 drive) you can take the very scenic Wildeperdehoek road (please drive slowly) in the morning and then continue to Soebatsfontein. At the beginning of the town there is a 4-way crossing. Turn left and continue to one of the gates of Namaqua National Park. Drive through the gate (please close it again) and go up a windy road. Be aware of waterhumps. When you reach the top you will be greeted by expanses of orange daisies. Enjoy! Please pay your conservation fee at the gate when you leave the Park. Continue to Kamieskroon. * The Skilpad section in the Namaqua National Park is still looking very good, and should continue to do so for at least the next week. The flower composition has changed markedly over the past week as the season progress. Prominent flowers to be seen at Skilpad: Orange daisy carpets (Ursinia cakilefolia) are slowly being replaced by another daisy, (Ursinia calenduliflora). Romulia species are prominent, as is Varkiesknol (Conicosia elongata); Gazanias (Gazania sp.) and T’neitjie (Pelargonium incrassatum). Tulips (Moraea sp) are more common in the wetter seepages. You will also start finding some Spinnekopblomme (Ferraria sp.) Now is the time for persons more interested in variety. For the walker, there are 2 trails in this section and a great variety of flowers can be seen. A photographer’s paradise. The gravel road to Skilpad (Namaqua National Park) has been damaged by the last rains, but is drivable by normal sedan vehicles, provided you drive slowly. * The Caracal Eco route (4×4 only) will take the flower enthusiast past an amazing variety of flowers, from Skilpad down to the coast and Groen River. There are some large patches of beetle daisies (Gorteria sp) and various Arctotis species. Please note that this trail is 153km and takes all day. A map is required from the Skilpad office, Namaqua National Park. * The flowers on the Kamiesberg are now peaking. From Kamieskroon take the Kamiesberg Pass up to the mountain and continue to OuTuin & Bovlei with flowers. From here the road to Leliefontein is bad, but passable in a sedan car if driving slowly. The road from Leliefontein to Karas has been graded and it is well worth while to go to Karas. However sedan cars should go back to the crossing and turn westwards to Garies via Studer’s Pass which has also been graded. For those with bakkies and 4X4’s the road from Karas to Doornkraal and Garies has some good flowers. * The road from Garies to Hondeklip Bay has beautiful purple vygies. Hondeklip Bay is a very rustic little town with a beautiful bay and beach (very photographic) and there are also flowers to photograph. Towards the Aristea shipwreck a variety of flowers can be found. Good fish & chips can be enjoyed looking onto the bay. Please note that there is no petrol at Hondeklip Bay. * Some flowers, mostly shrubs, can be seen from Wallekraal to Sarrisam to Soutfontein to Sabies and Nariep. Turn west to reach Groen River mouth and the sea or continue to Garies to see purple vygies all along the route. * There are flowers, especially perdeblomme at Groen River mouth. This is one of 2 places where the sea can be reached. There is a beautiful lagoon with waterbirds and a beach and sanddunes. * Some purple vygies can be seen between Bitterfontein and Vanrhynsdorp, but only after 1 pm. * In the southern part of Namaqualand, the most flowers are between Strandfontein and Doringbaai. * Flowers can be seen at the Hantam National Botanical Garden. Also at Matjiesfontein & Papkuilsfontein. The roads are in a reasonable condition. * The town and golf course in Loeriesfontein has a good display of flowers, orange, yellow, red, pink and white. There are areas (private land) were the tourist can walk (no cars allowed) with flowers. For information on how to get to these areas contact Loeriesfontein Hotel. * The Grannaatboskolk road has good daisies.