Durban — This week’s feature on Durban then and now features a long-time favourite spot for a quiet break, but without the tranquil sound of falling water.
It is a soothing green lung in the heart of the CBD, where trees and plants muffle the noise of the city and office workers can seek refuge in nature during their lunch hours.
The gardens are overseen by the Durban City Hall and are near the old Durban railway station and St Paul’s Church.
The soothing sound of trickling water from the fountain commemorating Grace Amelia Osborn, who was mayoress of Durban for six years, now stands empty.
Osborn died in 1957 at the age of 62, while in office. Her husband Percy Osborn served as mayor of Durban from 1933 to 34, 1950 to 54 and 1956 to 57.
These small gardens (about 7000m²) were named after botanist John Medley Wood who served as curator of the Durban Botanic Gardens for 30 years, from 1882 to 1912 when he retired.
Under his care, the Botanic Gardens became one of the best in the world and the oldest established gardens in Africa.
Wood collected plant specimens from all over Natal and Zululand and has an impressive list of publications to his name.
His six-volume series on Natal Plants included information on the distribution and economic value of the plants and their indigenous names.
In 1913 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of the Cape of Good Hope (now Unisa). He died in 1915 while he was working on volume seven of Natal Plants.
Independent on Saturday