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December 1st, 2023
The festive season is officially underway and where better to immerse yourself in a sunny and summery South African Christmas than at Babylonstoren? Look out for our flock of feathered friends that herald in the festivities – we call them the Joy Bringers or Vreugdebringers. They’ll be hop-skipping about in the garden on 2 December, 9 December and from 18–24 December to bring a little Joy and Wonder to all. There’ll also be a unique Babylonstoren wrapping station under the Old Vine where you can wrap up your farm-bought gifts before heading home.
The sun-drenched days of summer bring a burst of energy and abundance to Babylonstoren. It is a happy time on the farm, when the garden puts forward its best foot; a feast for the senses, an explosion of colours, enticing aromas and the taste of ripe fruits. There’s laughter in the warm Cape Winelands air as little ones – gelato in hand – dodge spurts of water at the Old Bullfrog water spiral.
In the garden’s stone fruit block, the fleeting flush of rosy-cheeked apricots is almost over. Early cling peach varieties like Transvalia are just starting to ripen, along with Black Egg plums. In the Kitchen Garden (also called the Moestuin), we’re harvesting marrows in all shapes and sizes by the bucketload. Along with their fragrant flowers, they’re offering a seasonal taste of the farm in Babel Restaurant and our Farm Shop.
In the lily ponds at the lower end of the guava avenue, the first lotus flowers are peeking out after spending the winter months dormant underwater. They’ll be in full bloom towards the end of December, so keep a close eye or you’ll miss their ethereal beauty.
Be sure to toast the New Year with South Africa’s very best Cap Classique for 2024. Our darling Sprankel was awarded 5 stars and crowned winner at the Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide Awards, hosted on 16 November.
This 100% chardonnay is crafted from various vineyards on the farm to produce a vibrant, fruity and crisp Cap Classique with a fine mousse.
Shopping for loved ones over the festive season should bring JOY – for both the giver and the receiver. We’ve curated a selection of our favourite things suited to everyone on your gift list this year, from foodie friends to green thumbs and even the luxury lovers who seem to have it all.
Explore the Babylonstoren festive feeling and have your gifts delivered to anywhere in South Africa, for free.
The lavender in front of Babel Restaurant and in the fields at the foot of the Babylonstoren koppie are in full bloom. The flowers of the extraordinarily perfumed Lavandula ‘Grosso’ – with its distinctive purple and grey-green colouration and unmistakable fragrance – is used to create our own essential oil, distilled and bottled in the Scented Room.
Guests can visit the Babylonstoren Essential Oil Distillery around 10h00 every morning to see how the extraction process takes place.
Seek refuge from the summer sun in the shade of Babylonstoren’s Puff Adder walkway where you’ll find the annual bonsai exhibition on display. These miniature sculpted trees have been cultivated in South Africa for more than 85 years, and we were one of the first countries outside Asia to use indigenous trees. Come and admire the artistry of creating these living art pieces – some over 120 years old!
5, 6 & 7 December – Make your own Christmas decor
13 December – Lavender & essential oils
BE QUICK! Our 2024 workshops are now bookable online. There are more than 100 to choose from, on everything from growing a waterwise garden to bread baking, composting, keeping your own chooks and starting a veggie patch. Book now and join us on the farm in the New Year.