In the “company” of history lies the conservation of our future

Ancient trees, lush green lawns across which squirrels are scampering, pigeons are squabbling. Add to this beautiful ponds and water lilies, and you have a rich, diverse garden - in the middle of a big city? Yes. The Company's Garden is one of South Africa’s oldest pieces of cultivated land. Jan van Rieebeck founded the garden on the instructions of the Dutch East India Company to create a food garden to supply passing ships. Today the garden is located in the middle of Cape Town's CBD. Rory Phelan, manager of the Company's Garden, is in charge of maintaining this oasis, which is one of the city's major attractions.
 
“What many people do not realise is the significance of the garden. Without the garden to re-supply ships in the Cape; ships would have had to travel up the East coast of Africa, to Kenya and then cross the Indian Ocean. Whereas from the Cape, they could make use of trade winds, and that made their trips much shorter. This means that the garden was very important to trade and the spice route. This garden made the link between the East, West and Africa,” said Phelan.
 
The garden played a major role in helping ships in their journey to supply the spice used in the spice trade. This trade is what funded the wealth of the industrial revolution. Today, Phelan hopes to restore the garden to its former glory. It is already a National heritage site, but Phelan’s long-term goal is that the park will be awarded the status of World Heritage site.
 
Over the last three years, using a grant from the City of Cape Town, renovations have taken place in the garden. Recently Phelan has completed work on the Japanese garden room. In 1932, the Japanese government donated the lantern statue to the City of Cape Town, in recognition of the hospitality received by Japanese sailors. However the commemorative plaques had been stolen a few years ago. Recently the new Japanese ambassador, noticing the loss, brought the attention to the Mayor, and new new granite plaques were donated by Gardiner Stone. The Mayor of Cape Town then took up Phelan’s suggestion to create a Japanese themed garden around the lantern and made funds available to re-landscape the garden with a Japanese theme. Over the last three years, three million Rand, donated by The City has been used to renovate the garden. The Paving has been redone in the oak grove.
 
However, there is much still to be done, “we want to appeal to private individuals and companies to donate money towards the garden” said Phelan. He continued, “We want to build an organic eco-friendly children’s play area. We want to include things like giant wicker bird like nests by Porky Heffer. I would also like to turn what is now the staff parking lot, outside, into a vegetable garden. This is the original site of the vegetable garden and I would like to recreate a Dutch style vegetable garden and citrus walk. The garden could then be used to educate the public about growing vegetables in an urban environment. Children could learn methods of growing their own vegetables.”
 
Included in other plans for the garden are schemes to build a new visitors centre out of the old directors house. “That has already been budgeted for this year and should be open in time for the World Cup,” said Phelan. Phelan also appealed to private individuals, for funds to redo the aviary, which he wants to turn into an eco friendly enclosure, which will house native bird species. He wishes to re-do the aviary with natural species of plants, which would also be used to educate and conserve. You can look at all the plans for the garden here. 
 
The Company's Garden is a stunning place to go and have a walk, and relax from work in the centre of Cape Town. It boasts a Gum tree that is in a 200-year-old painting and a pear tree that is 358 years old. Be sure to visit this tranquil garden or contact Rory Phelan to contribute towards the proposed projects for the garden. “I want local businesses and residents to think of the Garden as their own garden. I want them to help out with it and spend time in it,” concluded Phelan.
Rory Phelan can be contacted on 084 512 5975 or 021 400 2521.