Botanical Gardens, Pretoria

Founded in 1946, this is the home of the South African National Botanical Institute. Thus it serves as a recreational space and also as a scientific research centre. Besides having 50 hectares of the total area set aside almost exclusively for South African plants, the garden is also home to more than 198 species of birds, a number of reptiles and small mammals such as the common duiker. The gardens also feature a special collection of medicinal plants, cycads, aloes, tree species, succulents and natural ridge vegetation.  The Garden is really a spectacular place to visit. The Pretoria Botanical Gardens was declared a National Monument under old NMC legislation on 3 August 1979.