Historic Stellenbosch wine farm Spier has launched its new Elemental Play Garden: an outside space where families can explore and play.
Adjoining the farm’s historic Werf (farmyard), the Elemental Play Garden is just a stone’s throw from Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery and Spier Farm Café.
Conceptualised by landscape architects Ed Brooks and Danielle Croly, focusing on indigenous plants and using local artisans and materials, the garden is divided into quadrants representing the four elements - water, air, fire and earth.
Intersecting all four is a spiralling waterway that symbolises the Fibonacci Sequence – a set of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.
Features of the garden include a slide landscaped into earth mounds, a tunnel to crawl through, a Charl Conradie wind sculpture and a swing bridge.
The water in the water quadrant has been treated and is safe to splash about in – perfect for hot summer days.
This summer, the Elemental Play Garden will host workshops for kids on Saturday mornings.
Each costs just R100, starts at 09:30am and will last roughly an hour. Bookings can be made on Dineplan or www.spier.co.za.
Covid-19 precautions will be in place, and a maximum of 12 children permitted per workshop.
Holiday schedule:
MAKE A FIRE, AND COOK WITH IT
In the Garden’s Fire quadrant, the Farm Cafe’s Chef Hennie will teach the kids how to build the perfect fire. Under his guidance, they will then make their own stokbrood, braai a sosatie and finish with the most delicious s’mores. For ages 8-14.
When: November 7, 28
2. CREATE YOUR OWN KITE
In the Wind quadrant, kids will listen to a story about a beautiful breeze before letting their imagination take flight by creating their very own kite to take home. For ages 8-14.
When: November 14, December 5
3. BUSY BEES, BIRDS AND OTHER CRITICAL CRITTERS
As kids explore the Earth and Water quadrants, gardening guru Megan McCarthy will explain the important role that bees and other critters play in the garden. For ages 6-12.
When: November 21, December 12