One of the oldest gardens in Hogsback, the Arboretum, was established in 1884 by the British colonial government of the time.
One of the oldest gardens in Hogsback, the Arboretum, was established in 1884 by the British colonial government of the time.
In the 1800s the steady influx of settlers, and later on the discovery of diamonds and gold in South Africa, created an endless demand for timber. It was harvested for homes, furniture, wagons, wheels, tools and ships. The indigenous forests of the Eastern Cape were pillaged and destroyed in the quest for easy timber.
Joseph Storr Lister was appointed as Conservator of Forests in the Eastern Cape in 1888 and began the difficult task of managing the Amathole forests. He initiated the first forestry trials in the Hogsback Arboretum in 1890 with the planting of non-indigenous trees brought in from all over the world to see how they'd grow in the moist uplands.
By 1910 some 80 hectares had been planted with trees. The Monterey Pine from North America, and Wattles from Australia proved to be fast-growing and thrived. The English Oaks and Japanese Cedars (Cryptyomerias) also did well, but didn't make for good timber. Too much rain results in very fast soft growth and the timber splits.
Also in the Arboretum, one can find the largest Californian Redwoods (Sequoia Sempervirens) in South Africa.
The Arboretum is Hogsback's very own living tree museum. Filled with trees from all over the world and from Africa it is now a unique public garden. It is a delightful and easy park-like walk, and visitors can enjoy the history of the garden as they go. Admire the 39 Steps waterfall, beautiful azaleas, Japanese maples, hydrangeas, arum and day lilies that grow in lush profusion. All the while keeping an eye open for the rare Cape parrots, colourful loeries (Knysna turaco) and the playful Samango monkeys who frequent the aerial landscape.
There are new delegated donation areas lovingly established by the Hogsback Garden Club, who today have undertaken the task of keeping the Arboretum cleared and beautified. There is the Garden of Remembrance and the Garden of Love where one can plant a tree as a living memorial to loved ones, and one can also enquire about booking a “Forest Wedding”.
One of the wild gardens of Hogsback is The Bluff at The Edge. It is a windy grassland area, typical of the original Eastern Cape fynbos ecology of Hogsback. Located at the top of the ridge on what was previously the boundary between the Ciskei and South Africa, The Bluff falls steeply down via a series of cliffs to the valley floor some 500 metres below.
From the garden benches placed around the one-kilometre circular walk, The Bluff is a place where one can contemplate the world as one gazes over the white, salmon and pink Ericas or look down at the view over the Tyhume Valley. One can also watch the lazy circling of crowned eagles riding the thermals above the small proteas, orange watsonias and natural brackens of this field-like nature reserve.
Occasionally a managed veld burn is done to eradicate alien species and to give the fire-loving fynbos the ash treatment upon which it regenerates and thrives.
The Arboretum is looked after and maintained by the Garden Club using funds raised at the annual Hogsback Spring Saunter, this year taking place from the 21-24 September. Also from garden tours of private gardens in Hogback, which take place from 21 September to 31 October. More at hogsbackgardens.blogspot.com, hogsbackinfo.co.za and hogsback.com.
