We stood there, utterly incredulous, our breath catching at the sheer wonder of it all – the veld at Darling on the West Coast in its fantastic Spring glory. We were at Waylands, one of Darling’s flower reserves that is open to the public for viewing of the wild flowers in Spring.
Exquisite little purple cups with deep red basins – commonly called Kelkiewyn because of its resemblance to a tiny wine goblet – dotted the veld liberally, between them lilies, romulea, daisies, the pink-and-blue pyjama bush creating awesome splashes of colour as far as the eye could see.
The Duckitt Nurseries Reserve next door to Waylands – and also the Tienie Versveld reserve, were equally stunning, and open to visitors. If you want a good walkabout amid the flowers, the Tienie Versveld Reserve is a good bet. Waylands is chiefly a drive-through reserve.
From here we went on to Yzerfontein (about 23km from Darling). What a sight it is to arrive at the beachfront where a thick band of yellow gazanias ribbons the shoreline. Beyond that, the water glinting in the sunshine …
We also walked the fabulous Bokbaaivygie Trail – a half-hour stroll through a vivid collage of colour, about midway on the road towards the town of Yzerfontein. The Bokbaaivygie Trail sign is easy to miss, so look out for it on the right-hand side heading towards Yzerfontein. Open the gate, enter and park at the designated space and lose yourself in the dazzle of colour of vygies, daises, and lots more besides.
This is a particularly good year for flowers. Treat yourself to a hefty dose of Spring and go and see the flowers on the West Coast during September / October. Read more about the wild flower reserves in Darling.
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