Gardens Area Information

Gardens at a glance

Gardens at a glance

Gardens is an inner-city suburb of Cape Town located just to the south of the city centre located in the higher elevations of the "City Bowl" and directly beneath Table Mountain and Lion's Head. It is populated mostly by young professionals and contains numerous chic restaurants, hotels, boutique shops and loft apartments. The suburb is also a hub for the Cape Town creative industry, and is also home to the world-famous five-star Mount Nelson Hotel.

A brief history of the area

Named after the Company Gardens or Dutch East India Company Gardens, this suburb has a heritage that dates to the earliest permanent settlements in the Cape when it was used as a fresh food supply stop for ships navigating round the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1652 the first garden was laid out by Hendrik Boom, the Company's master gardener, on a site close to the Fresh River (near to the Grand Parade). Later that year, the garden crossed the Fresh River (where Adderley Street is today), and included a medicine garden. Within a few years it was 18 hectares in size.

As more produce became available from the Company's gardens at Newlands, the town garden was slowly converted into a botanical and ornamental garden, although the growing of vegetables did continue for a number of years.

The famous kilometre-long Government Avenue, which runs from the top of Adderley Street, also known as 'The Gardens', was originally planted with lemon trees and in 1700 with orange trees. During the time of Simon van der Stel, it was lined with oak trees, which remain today.

Climate

Gardens's climate can be a little windier than the Atlantic Seaboard but is still more protected than the neighbouring Vredehoek area. Generally, summers are warm and slightly windy, with colder, rainy winters. Many historic Gardens homes have lovely fireplaces, ideal for the chillier evenings.

Schools in the area

Jan van Riebeeck High School, Cape Town High School, Lycée Français du Cap (Cape Town French School), Gardens Commercial High School and Good Hope Seminary High School are just some of the schools in the immediate Gardens vicinity. St Cyprians and Tamboerskloof Primary are also close by.

Healthcare in the area

The Mediclinic is the closest hospital and is readily accessible for Gardens residents. The newer Netcase hospital is also a quick 5-minute drive away. Because Gardens is home to older residents, healthcare facilities abound in the form of smaller GPs and any other necessities.

Shopping centres

Garden's Shopping Centre is the largest and most obvious choice for everyday shopping with some extras. It offers visitors and locals alike a one stop shopping destination with a mix of food, beauty, health and craft outlets and is a favourite among residents. However, the V&A Waterfront is not far away, and the Lifestyle on Kloof Centre too is a popular local option.

Distance from key points (Airports/CBD)

Gardens is a mere 13 minutes from Cape Town Airport and borders the CBD so is approximately 2-5 minutes into town depending on your street location.

Restaurants

Gardens is home to a plethora of fantastic restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes. For something special, Kloof Street House is an alluring and always popular dining option. Manna Epicure does a wonderful breakfast, and Deluxe coffee, as well as Bootleggers abound for a good caffeine fix. 

Special attractions

The first statue erected in South Africa, that of Sir George Grey can be found in front of the Public Library. The South African Museum, the oldest in the country, was established in 1825 and is still standing. The small Jewish museum, housed in the original synagogue, known as 'The Gardens Shul', is the oldest in Southern Africa built in 1862. The twin-towered 'new' synagogue was built in 1905. At the top end of Government Avenue is Cape Town High School, built on the grounds of which once stood the Hope Mill, one of five water mills which operated along the banks of the Fresh River. Also within the Gardens area can be found the Iziko South African Museum, The Planetarium, the Iziko National Gallery and the Michaelis School of Fine Art.