(flôrəˈlējēəm), n. a collection of illustrations featuring plants from a specific garden or region.
The Grootbos Florilegium is the first contemporary African florilegium and the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Its gallery is named after Hanrie Wenhold, a long-standing supporter of Grootbos’s conservation efforts.
The florilegium was established to celebrate and honour the botanical heritage of South Africa’s Cape Floral Kingdom while recording the many rare, endemic and endangered plants of the region. The gallery also pays homage to the ecology of the Cape Floral Kingdom and Grootbos’s commitment to creating awareness, promoting conservation and providing education regarding the area’s natural wealth.
Proceeds of the florilegium go back into conservation and the local community, with a focus on the arts.
The Grootbos Florilegium is a global collaboration, featuring hand-picked botanical artists from countries that include:
The Grootbos Florilegium brings together over 40 highly acclaimed local and international botanical artists, each with their own passion for telling stories through art.
To create these marvellous art pieces, artists used live specimens to gain a deep understanding of each plant’s unique anatomical structure. They then applied their observations to their unique drawing skills.
The following artists are currently on exhibit in The Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery:
The Grootbos Florilegium forms part of two tours at The Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery.
One tour is a gallery-only visit offered by Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. The other is a half-day experience managed by Schneider’s Cape Floral Kitchen at Bellavista Country Place, a neighbouring conservancy member.
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Duration: 4.5 hours
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Read about Schneider’s Cape Floral Kitchen at Bellavista Country Place, here.
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is the permanent home of Grootbos Florilegium’s Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery.
The reserve’s 3,500 hectares form part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms. This award-winning pioneer in sustainable tourism provides a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in nature while exploring the fynbos and milkwood forests. Featuring over 900 plant species while observing the birds, animals and insects that live within them.
With luxurious lodges, private villas, world-class restaurants and a host of experiences set amidst this spectacular floral wilderness, Grootbos allows you to reconnect with nature in style.
Read more about Grootbos Private Nature Reserve here.
The Grootbos Florilegium and its use of botanical art to activate conservation is the cherry on top of the Grootbos Foundation’s cultural programme.
All profits from the sale of Florilegium prints, books and tours will go towards the foundation, to be split equally between its conservation and cultural programmes.
The Grootbos Foundation was set up by Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in 2003, to conserve critically endangered fynbos and empower local communities by focusing on training and skills development.
Read more about Grootbos Foundation here.
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