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16°C
June 4th, 2015
We often get asked what the best time of year is to visit our garden. To answer we like to quote Gilles Guillot, the head gardener at Prieuré d’ Orsan: “a garden is like someone you love, it is beautiful in every season.” Winter at Babylonstoren certainly has its own charm…
The animals and plants may be taking it slow in the cooler months, but our gardeners certainly do not lose any speed. It’s the time of the year when we do most of our pruning and planting in the garden and on the farm. In late July the first of our fruit trees start to blossom, and fills the air with a sweet perfume. The highlights of the guided farm walks in winter include arum lilies, king proteas and a Boland native, waterblommetjies, that flourish in the vlei. After their summer siesta, the dormant fynbos bulbs on the Babylonstoren koppie reappear with fresh green leaves and flowers, a feast for birds and bees.
Once indoors, rug up and enjoy the warm glow of the open wood fire, get lost in the pages of a book from the well-stocked library, or sip on a spicy, peppery Shiraz. The hot pool or hammam in our Garden Spa also offers an escape from the frosty chills, and the soul-warming meals at Babel restaurant is the perfect cure for a big winter appetite.
Sounds tempting? Then make use of our hot winter rates: visit us during the week and choose between two complimentary dinners; or two back, neck & shoulder massages per stay. Alternatively, stay four nights and pay for three. Book here.
Hallo
I’m fascinated not only by your gardens but also by the woven and wooden structures in the garden.
Do you perhaps do a workshop on e.g., how to weave a conical bottomless basket from vines? It would probably fit in with your winter, pruning schedule.
Thanks very much.
Best regards
Ek gaan nou dadelik ‘n bottel Shiraz koop en ‘n spa afspraak maak 🙂
For the past 6 months I have visited the spa once a month for a soul restoring treatment. Early morning appointments when everything is still fresh and cool. Afterwards stop for refreshments at the glass house and on the way out buy a freshly baked bread. Lovely. Never during the 1st 5 months was I required to pay the entrance fee. Saturday however, all that suddenly changed and now an entrance fee was also required.
Since I have an deep aversion to companies seeing clients as money machines I will now, sadly, no longer go there. Someone suddenly realised they where missing out on another R10 I suppose. The guy at the gate did explain that there were complaints by somebody, at leas that is what I gathered.
This means missing the tiny little veld mouse that lives in the lavender at the Babel restaurant, Remy the rat who scuttles past near the glass house, the birds and the, mostly, very friendly and professional staff -, but so be it.