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08 September 
Experiences 
We set out on the Grootbos Florilegium journey over four years ago with the idea to showcase the fynbos and share the fascinating stories of the Cape Floristic Kingdom through this collection of intricate botanical illustrations.
We now have over 124 plant species represented in 248 artworks that needed a permanent home in which to be exhibited. And so, the vision of the botanical art gallery as well as a botanical art book came to fruition. Both a ground-breaking step in our floral journey.
A First Of Its Kind In The Southern Hemisphere
The exquisite artworks of the Grootbos Florilegium draw on art, science and storytelling to share the treasures of our botanical heritage, diversity and sustainability. Artworks that are as unique as the very biome it depicts, deserve a home of equal distinction.
Designed by Vaughan Russell of Field Architecture, this innovative space is a masterpiece of architectural design. Its walls are adorned with the intricate collection of botanical art that celebrate the Cape Floristic Kingdom in exquisite scientific detail.
Walking through this serene space you journey through the different facets of the fynbos and are immersed in the wonder of this exceptional biome.
Each consecutive room within the gallery highlights key themes of the Cape Floral Kingdom. These themes and rooms include the ancient indigenous forests,, the narratives of Diversity, Ecology, Fire, Heritage, Threatened Species and Pollination.
The gallery experience captivates the nuances of this unique environment and is a call to action to conserve our vulnerable botanical heritage.
Diversity
Grootbos falls within the majestic Cape Floristic Region, a region with some of the greatest species diversity in the world. The low-lying areas, slopes and valleys of Grootbos, with over 900 different plant species on the 3,500 hectares, are a perfect microcosm of this region. The plants selected to represent this room in the gallery are a visual record of the rarity and endemism that thrives on Grootbos.
Ecology
The living landscape of Grootbos is shaped by the unique variables that influence it such as the high winds, infertile soils, summer drought and fire. But it is these very characteristics that have resulted in the flora of this region to develop its unique ecological processes involving characters of the fynbos. With so many natural-dramas and ecological stories to convey, devoting a room to these tales was a necessity.
Fire
Fire is often seen as a destructive force but in the case of fynbos, it is regenerative and a catalyst for new life. Fynbos is reliant on this naturally recurring element, and plays a fundamental role in driving the diversity of the Cape Floristic Region. The botanical art in this room plays tribute to how fire maintains, sustains and gives life to the intriguing tapestry of fynbos flora.
Heritage
For thousands of years, the people of the Cape have been dependent on the flora and fauna for survival. For these early inhabitants, nature became their larder, chemist and hardware store. Featured in this room are artworks that celebrate these ancient landscapes, the people who have held them sacred as well as our botanical heritage to which we owe so much.
Forest
This landscape is dominated by the fire-loving fynbos, but scattered throughout the region are small pockets of subtropical African forests. They have spent millenia developing their fire-proof ecology to be able to grow full and dense with their own unique characteristics. The room dedicated to this biome gives us a glimpse into the fauna and unique flora of this forested habitat.
Threatened
The flora and fauna in this region has been used for thousands of years by the early inhabitants of the Cape, with little to no effect on biodiversity. It is only in modern times that these natural frontiers have been pushed back. This room dedicated to the threatened flora of the region highlights the need for conservation and protection of this unique biome.
Pollination
A region as botanically diverse as this has developed fascinating and intricate methods of attracting pollinators and as such has forged a world of unique relationships with these pollinators. In this room, the botanical illustrations reflect these complex relationships and highlight the unique ways the flowers lure in their pollinator friends.
The Grootbos Florilegium and the mindful curation of the botanical art gallery narrate the unique floral and natural intricacies of this biome. For now, the gallery is open to guests staying at our Forest Lodge, Garden Lodge and Private Villas.
The gallery will soon be open to the public by appointment only. All proceeds from sales of the artworks go towards the conservation of the biome as well as uplifting the community through the arts.
To own your own pieces of botanical artwork and bring the Cape Floral Kingdom alive in your home, or to find out more about gallery tours please email art@grootbos.co.za.
A Collaborative Masterpiece Of Botanical Storytelling
Our Grootbos Florilegium Botanical Art book lyrically details the botanical artworks through detailed narratives of both the fynbos flora and associated pollinators and insects. The aim is to connect the reader to a deeper artistic view of the Cape Floral Kingdom revealing the complex relationships between the environment, plants and their pollinators.
The floral structures , bursting seed pods, foraging ants and pollen dispersing insects are meticulously detailed and brought to life on the page to tell the distinct stories of each plant and its relationship to the biome it inhabits.
All this together with artist's notes, landscape photographs, working drawings and archaeological finds of the area create a holistic and immersive insight into this fascinating and unique world of fynbos.
All proceeds from the sale of the botanical art book goes towards the conservation of this rich and diverse biome as well as to uplifting the community through the arts.
Bring the heart and soul of the Cape Floral Kingdom depicted in these unique artworks into your home by purchasing your own copy of our Grootbos Florilegium Botanical Art Book. For more information on when these books will be available or to pre-order please contact art@grootbos.co.za.
08 September Experiences
Grootbos is a world leader in sustainable tourism and has been awarded some of the highest international accolades possible, making us one of only a handful of lodges to achieve this.
The last year has been a busy one at Grootbos. We rebuilt our beloved Garden Lodge entirely and re-opened it in April 2022. We also officially launched the Grootbos Florilegium - Africa's first contemporary florilegium - which is a collection of botanical illustrations created by local and international artists, depicting the charismatic plants found on our reserve and the surrounding regions.
Click below to learn more about these exciting developments.
See New Garden Lodge See Florilegium
