The 2020 Noordhoek Open Gardens were a resounding success with the most number of gardens involved and a record number of people visiting.
Noordhoek, South Africa (08 December 2020) – This year’s Noordhoek Open Gardens was the most successful ever, says Kathy Fish of On the Verge who organises the event. With 15 gardens taking part, the most ever, plus the NEAG-run Chapmans Peak Nature Sanctuary open to visitors, and a record number of people visiting the show over the weekend – “it was a bumper year from every perspective,” she says.
Open Gardens is a collaboration between Noordhoek Tourism and On The Verge Community Project with most of the proceeds raised going to On The Verge. Thanks to the success of this year’s event, the On The Verge team can employ three more people to maintain Noordhoek’s verges and paths.
“It was fabulous,” says Fish, whose House at Pooh Corner counted 400 visitors by 2pm on Sunday. We estimate that we had about 1000 people through Noordhoek over the weekend.
“Open Gardens has become such an amazing community event,” she says. “My wonderful On The Verge team sets it up with the help of various people from Noordhoek Tourism,” she says. “This year the On The Verge team worked like mad to get the verges looking great so people could see who the money was for and what we are doing,” she says. “The Scouts and Girl Guides helped us with ticket sales and counting visitors at each gate. Sometimes, with people streaming in, it was difficult to keep an exact head count,” she says.
This was Open Garden’s sixth year. “It takes place in mid-October every year,” says Fish. “The event originated from a suggestion at the Noordhoek Tourism AGM as an idea to bring tourists into Noordhoek and to show them how beautiful it is here.”
On The Verge has been going for ten years, employing a team of six guys for most of that time. “The most wonderful thing is that with the money we’ve raised, we can enlarge the team to nine. We’re very excited about these extra hands as we’re now creating and maintaining paths as well as verges,” she says. “Noordhoek is crisscrossed with public open spaces and beautiful green belts. Many are overgrown and under-utilized. The last two years we’ve helped create and maintain these paths and keep them clear of alien vegetation,” she says.
“Lockdown forced us to use our own beautiful green belts, rather than getting into the car and driving to other places,” she says. “We are very excited about the support we are getting from the community.”
Some paths On The Verge are maintaining include the path from the Garden Emporium up Sea Cottage and onto the Dassenberg Koppie; the path along Silvermine Road, from Paddock Drive to Opal Way that has been lined with logs and kept clear; and the access path to the mountain from Sapphire Way. “These paths alone could take us all year just to keep clear of aliens,” she says.
Chairperson of Noordhoek Ratepayers Association (NRPA), Brad Bing, says, “The NRPA is very excited about this fantastic event. We’re delighted that the community supported it so well and want to thank everyone involved, especially Kathy Fish and her wonderful team.
“This event aligns with the Noordhoek Vision 2030’s ‘Noordhoek Unplugged’ goal, which aims to bring tourists to Noordhoek with community- and environmentally friendly events that contribute to the peaceful and tranquil feel of the community, just like this one.”
For more info about the Noordhoek Rate Payers Association please visit https://nrpa.org.za/
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