A revered herbalist from Franschhoek said several months after his entire botanical garden was engulfed by relentless floodwaters last September he is still trying to pick up the pieces and restore the garden to its former beauty.
Judah James (51), who was born and bred in the area, identified the piece of land in Franschhoek’s Main Road in the early 2000s.
He turned it into what is known today as the Franschhoek Medicinal Plants Demonstration Garden.
Under the guidance of organisations such as Cape Nature and the Botanical Society of South Africa, James managed to lease the piece of land legally from the Department of Public Works for conservation purposes.
At least until last September the garden used to attract both local and international indigenous plant lovers, where one can feel, touch and taste a spectrum of natural medicinal plants on a guided tour offered by James himself.
On a recent visit to the garden he recalled how the September floods were the final nail in the coffin of flooding he was still reeling from, after waters had swept through the area in June as well.
“During the June floods the wendy house essentially shifted, but there was no major damage. I managed to salvage what I could.
“It was the last episode of floods in September that really put me back quite far. Not only did the structure sustain irreparable damage, but I lost so many of the indigenous plant species we had here.”
He said since no-one had come forward to offer their assistance it could take ages for the botanical garden to be restored to its former glory.
“Look around and see that there is so much sand and rubble that came with the floodwater I’ve reached out to the local authorities about possibly assisting with a digger, so we can at least remove all the sand. I have yet to hear from them.
“This used to be an educational space. With Franschhoek a popular tourist attraction people would come from around the world to learn about our beautiful fynbos.
“As optimistic as I am about this garden’s future I fear that if I do not speed-up the restoration process this piece of heritage will lose its value.”
James spoke of the importance of promoting the healing power of many indigenous plants found among the Western Cape’s diverse and blooming fynbos.
“So many of the plants found in our very own soil can save you a trip to the pharmacy or doctor. That is essentially our aim with this initiative – to educate people on how they can heal themselves naturally.”
- Get in touch with James on 069 271 3073.
