Kirstenbosch: the final victory of botanical nationalism.
Abstract
• Opsomming:
Alhoewel die Nasionale Botaniese Tuine by
Kirstenbosch eers in 1913 tot stand gekom het, was
Botaniese tuine reeds vir 60 jaar ʼn kenmerk van die
Kaapse stedelike gemeenskap. Die ou tuine van die
Duits-Oos Indiese Kompanjie in Kaapstad het by
verskeie geleenthede botaniese elemente gehad.
Hierdie tuine het daartoe bygedra om belangstelling
in die Kaapse flora in beide Europa en die Kaap te
bevorder. Die vestiging van Kirstenbosch het die
belofte vir die oorwinning van Suid-Afrikaanse
botaniese nasionalisme ingehou. Laasgenoemde is
egter vir 76 jaar vertraag weens die kloof tussen die
Kaapse en Pretoriase botaniese ondernemings. • Summary:
Though the National Botanic Garden at Kirstenbosch
was established in 1913, botanic gardens had been a
feature of Cape urban society for over 60 years, before
which the old Dutch East India Company garden in
Cape Town had at various times a botanical aspect.
These gardens helped foster an interest in the Cape's
flora both in Europe and at the Cape. The foundation of
Kirstenbosch brought with it the promise of the victory
of South African botanical nationalism but this was
delayed 76 years due to the division of botanical
enterprise between Cape Town and Pretoria.