Page 17 - Landscape-Issue150

FEATURE

CONSTITUTION HILL NATURAL

HERITAGE GARDEN

The Botanical Society of South Africa (BOT SOC), in collaboration with Constitution
Hill, unveiled the newly upgraded Constitution Hill Natural Heritage Garden in

March 2025. This initiative, situated in the courtyard of the Women’s Jail, is designed
to showcase the wide biodiversity of South Africa, with plant species representing
all nine biomes of the country.

he project serves as an educational
and conservation-driven installa-
Ttion, offering visitors insight into
South Africa’s botanical heritage and
the socio-political significance of green
spaces in the country’s history.
A celebration of nature, history
and restoration
A launch event for the project began with
an overview by Richard Hay, BOT SOC’s
conservation project coordinator for the
northern region and project lead. He
highlighted the vision behind the project,
emphasising its role in honouring natural
heritage while reclaiming an important
space within the historic precinct.
Grant Morrison, BOT SOC council
member and treasurer, spoke about the
six conservation focus areas that drive the
organisation’s work and underscored the
importance of the partnership between
BOT SOC and Constitution Hill. He
emphasised how the garden aligns with
BOT SOC’s focus to grow and protect South
Africa’s indigenous flora.
Siyabonga Hlongwane, acting CEO
of Constitution Hill, reflected on the
transformative power of the garden and
explained that for many incarcerated at
the Women’s Jail, the act of gardening
offered moments of solace, hope and
purpose.
An address by Fani Miya, junior
researcher from We, The People,
examined Section 24 of the Constitution
in relation to Section 30, highlighting
the intersection of environmental and
cultural rights.

Guided tour
A guided tour of the garden was led by
Richard Hay, who detailed the process
behind its design and implementation. He
explained the significance of the species
chosen, the challenges of maintaining
an ecologically accurate biome
demonstration in an urban setting, and
the historical impact of botany in South
Africa. He stressed that while horticulture
is often considered an apolitical field, its
history in South Africa tells a different
Eucomis autumnalis bloom in the Grasslands biome of the garden. These unusual-looking bulbs are story.
renowned for their medicinal properties. The Women’s Jail is in the background.

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