Reviews of Pretoria National Botanic Garden

Dear Person-in-Charge
A friend and I visited the Botanical Garden yesterday (2011-Jan-11). I have been there quite often during the past year, so am not a once-off visitor.

The gardens were clean, we didn't see any rubbish lying around, the staff at the entrance were friendly and efficient. After the recent rains everything is very lush and green.

Unfortunately the weeds are also lush and green: noticeably in the beds in the enabling garden" and also in other parts. Flowering Lantana near the Herbarium buildings, pom-pom weed in the grasslands, Solanum creeper on the dassie trail - I could go on.

I do hope that with the onset of the new year this situation will be rectified - it is very disappointing to find a bed marked "Agapanthus" actually filled with enormous weeds. One's fingers actually itch to pull them out!

In spite of the above, the Garden still remains my favourite walking spot. Please don't let it get neglected.

(3.0/5)

I visited this garden in May 2010 and found it to be well maintained and extremely interesting - a lovely place to spend a day. Take a picnic and wander around and see many of South Africa's truly amazing indigenous plants and some wonderful trees. Staff and general ambience of the place were all very welcoming.

(4.0/5)

I have sent the e-mail below to the Botanical Gardens in Pretoria.

Sir/Madam,

I write this letter as a concerned citizen and on behalf of my fellow visitors to the park.

I have been making regular visits to the Pretoria Botanical Gardens for many years. Lately it has become obvious that the maintenance of the park have become substandard, to say the least.

Right from the moment one enters the car gate, it is evident that the management and supervision is below par. At the gate, the guard is either absent or busy reading a book, eating, or drinking some beverage. He hardly notices the visitors.

Members of your security company (GS4?) are sloppily dressed and conduct themselves no better than unskilled car guards.

At the ticket office, the personnel seem to be eating non-stop, pausing only to sell tickets. Your personnel have clearly not been sufficiently trained in customer relations, or how to conduct themselves in a professional manner.

Pathways have become overgrown by weeds, lawns are not cut regularly, plastic bottles and rubbish float in the ponds, weeds have started to invade some of the flower beds, dead birds are left to rot on the grass, park benches are filthy – the list goes on.

It is indeed a pity that through lack of commitment; and because of incompetent management, this once beautiful, tranquil, park is allowed to deteriorate and be turned into just another piece polluted terrain.

I have taken photos (one attached) in the park – showing examples of the lack of maintenance – and will be monitoring the situation over the next few months. Thereafter, I shall write an article regarding this issue to the newspapers. I shall also publish the story and photos on the Internet – linking it to your website.

Furthermore, I will petition visitors to the park to sign a list, voicing their displeasure at the situation. This will also be published on the internet.

Our country’s assets are being systematically destroyed by people who have no idea of the value these resources have in the tourist market.

I, for one, will not stand idly by and allow this to happen.

Finally, I have these questions. Who is in charge of the Botanical Gardens? And - why, Sir or Madam, are you not doing the job you are paid to do? You should be ashamed of yourself.

Sincerely,

E. de Clerk.

(1.0/5)