The Stellenbosch University (SU) Botanical Garden has found its new curator after appointing Dr Donovan Kirkwood on October 1 and he says it has been amazing thus far but there is a long road of hard work ahead of him.
“I feel like people come here and see the cool plants but they are not really, even with the foreign plants, making the connection to the landscape,” says Kirkwood.
Dr Donovan Kirkwood. PHOTO: Stellenbosch University
“We have the unfortunate situation, where virtually everything which is not mountain in the Western Cape is either endangered or critically endangered to postage stamp sized pieces of habitat.”
Essentially, people are not aware of the situation of plant life in South Africa.
“We have something like 9000 plant species in the Cape Floristic Region which is centered on the Western Cape, and 40% of those are listed as threatened, in one or another threat category. There are hundreds of narrow plant endemics where their global population is the size of this botanical garden or less,” added Kirkwood.
An up-close shot of a South American “Stake-like Prosthecea Orchid”. The plant has a very pleasant scent to it when in bloom. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
The very pretty “Pink Lantern”, or “Rose Grape Orchid”, is native to the Philippines. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
Kirkwood, who completed his Phd at the University of Cape Town where he focused on population ecology and vegetation, believes starting to address this issue requires is to educating the public by properly communicating with them.
“A huge part of that communication has got to be visual communication to be inspiring. This is the world of Pinterest and Instagram. We’ve got it right here. So I do think those visual communication skills are pretty key. Babylonstoren is so effective at getting people really worked up about plants. Here at SU Botanical Garden we can do the same thing but also emphasize the biodiversity and conservation messaging a little more strongly ”
A yellow water lily in full bloom. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
An old wild olive tree stands…not so tall among the garden’s famous bonsai collection. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
Although Kirkwood says the SU Botanical Garden needs to start getting people more excited as well as aware of plant life in South Africa, the foundations are there.
“Let’s just say this place didn’t have a boss for 6 months and when I got here it was in pretty ship shape. It would not have been like that if he had not laid down a good foundation to start with. So he has done a brilliant job in terms of getting things working. He had the tropical house renovated and worked on the pool that made the garden so famous.” says Kirkwood regarding the previous curator Martin Smit.
Martin Smit. PHOTO: Stellenbosch University
Smit has recently been appointed as the new curator of collections at Hortus Botanicus, one of the world’s most famous botanical gardens in Amsterdam.
Commenting on the new appointment Smit says, “I resigned last year already and it has taken the university some time to find someone new, but I have been in the Netherlands since April this year.”
According to Smit his new job is a bit different from the last, adding that, “the curator’s function over there [Amsterdam] is a bit different from Stellenbosch’s garden. There are a lot more visitors on a day to day basis and there’s just more ‘capacity’ if I can put it that way.”
Although Smit does not know Kirkwood personally, he is well aware of him as they have many mutual colleagues. According to Smit, “Donovan has a very good reputation and I think most people are rather excited to have him there. In my time we started to get things back in order, especially by sorting out the facilities, and I think Donovan is the right person to take over. With his conservation background Donovan is sure to take it to the next level.”
Kirkwood’s assistant curator, Pharo, also happens to be his long-time pet dog. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
Bonakele Mpecheni adds a special dye to the water lily pond. The dye maintains the pond’s dark appearance. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
“Let’s give him some time, he’s a new guy. You have to see what has to be done and he has his own strategy. People won’t be the same because each new guy wants to do the changes. So let’s give him a chance and see what he does,” says Bonakele Mpecheni one of the three gardeners at SU Botanical Garden.
Mpecheni has worked in the gardens for four years now and he does not hide his love for the job.
“Personally, I enjoy working with plants. I think plants can show you different things and they know how to talk. When they are grouped together, they look nice and beautiful. We [humans] need to copy what plants do.”
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– Jeremy Ryall and Wilhelm Schumann