The Cape floral region usually comes alive between August and September, but there are always a few late bloomers long into October – you just have to know where to go.
The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden showcases a variety of arid and semi-arid plants on the 154-hectare property in Worcester. Even when the flowers are not in bloom, the gardens are also South Africa’s only national succulent garden.
A recent visit to the Karoo Desert National Botanical showed all the vygies – Mesembryanthemum – in their true glory. Have a look.
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4900-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4887-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4888-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4890-768x512.jpg)
![Karoo botanical gardens](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4892-768x512.jpg)
![Karoo botanical gardens](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4895-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4896-768x512.jpg)
![Karoo botanical gardens](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4898-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4900-1-768x512.jpg)
![Karoo botanical gardens](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/WhatsApp-Image-2021-09-29-at-8.59.25-AM-704x768-1.jpeg)
Picture: Peter Frost
The garden is also home to a large endangered succulent collection, which is open to groups by appointment only. Take a look at these other-worldly plants:
![Karoo botanical gardens](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4872-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4858-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4857-768x512.jpg)
![](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4848-768x512.jpg)
![Karoo botanical gardens](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAM_4846-768x512.jpg)
For more information, visit The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden here.
Pictures: David Henning
ALSO READ: Ikhaya lekhaya. Home. It’s complicated.