Green Route KZN

14/10/2025

This week’s green spaces newsletter is all about nurseries, in Claremont and Welcome Glen, and the power of plants and open gardens in Noordhoek.

Training programme offers a fresh start

07/10/2025

Last weekend’s first Open Studios Fish Hoek and Clovelly was a whirlwind of lovely creative people meeting and mingling with art appreciation fans from all over Cape Town.

Last weekend’s first Open Studios Fish Hoek and Clovelly was a whirlwind of lovely creative people meeting and mingling with art appreciation fans from all over Cape Town.

30/09/2025

Take a slow stroll to view artists' spaces in Clovelly Road

23/09/2025

There's a special spot in the Deep South where goats and chickens roam

16/09/2025

The disruption is real, but so is climate change, and building climate resilience.

What's going on at Surfer’s Corner?

09/09/2025

Artists invite you into their creative spaces at the first Open Studios Fish Hoek & Clovelly event

28/08/2025

Spring Leap Fest is NEXT SATURDAY
Date: Saturday, 6 September 2025

Time: 6:30 – 16:00
Ticket Link: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/319187-spring-leap-fest-2025/ #/

Venue: The Old Mushroom Farm, 11 Karkloof Road, Howick, KZN Midlands

Your ticket unlocks unlimited access to our day-long lineup of movement classes, interactive workshops, inspiring talks, and creative experiences — from yoga and Qi-Gong to foraging, dance, art, meditation, sound journeys, and more.

MOVE – Dance, yoga, Pilates, bootcamp, biokinetics, and kundalini sessions to energise your body and lift your spirit.

LEARN – Talks and workshops on nutrition, meditation, kinesiology, creativity, and self-development.

EXPLORE – Foraging for edible weeks, mindfulness walks, grounding through clay, collaborative art mural, and sound journey.

CONNECT – Live music from What We Are and a vibrant community atmosphere.

26/08/2025

I am a huge fan of community projects and non-profits with a social conscience. This week my community spotlight is on Welcome Glen Farmhouse near Glencairn in Cape Town.

Five years ago, Welcome Glen residents applied to restore a National Monument building in their neighbourhood to set up a community centre for residents. A place where people could meet for coffee and a chat, buy some locally-made crafts or browse the secondhand clothing rail. They also wanted a space for co-working and workshops. And they’ve done it.

Welcome Glen Farmhouse opened its doors after five years of restoration work, and it is a very welcoming space.

I took a friend there for coffee and a catch-up. Okay, I also had some delicious baked cheesecake covered in chocolate ganache, topped with raspberries. The coffee was excellent, and the chat was good. We met Conway Lotter, chairperson of the Welcome Glen Community Voluntary Association committee, and I recognised him from Collaborate in Kommetjie Road, Fish Hoek.

On a second visit, I had an open toastie with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and pesto. Delicious, and the coffee was excellent, again.

Welcome Glen Farmhouse

Welcome Glen Farmhouse opens doors to neighbours

19/08/2025

The quarterly Friends of Silvermine Nature Area Community Work Party met on May 31. The focus of the 2-hour session was alien clearing in the wetlands, as well as a propagation workshop offered by Fay Howa, from the City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department.

Fay demonstrated how to propagate plants suitable for the wetland area between Fish Hoek and Clovelly.

Power of community propagation creates plants for wetland area

12/08/2025

Seeking green spaces and eco-friendly places

05/08/2025

The sand used to blow across the road and would need sweeping up most mornings to allow cars to pass. Now the sand stays in the dunes, anchored by indigenous plants that grow in the sand. Windbreaks protect the plantings.

This is prevention, mitigation, and preparation for climate change in action. When the windbreaks went up, there was a lot of grumbling from the grumblers who don’t like change.

Steadily rising sea levels pose a threat to coastal communities in South Africa. To combat this City of Cape Town contracted a company to plant up dunes on Fish Hoek and Clovelly beach with indigenous, waterwise plants.

See the bigger picture

01/07/2025

I’m back, after a month-long pause in regular programming. June was challenging and the ‘ensh*ttification’ of the world (it’s a real word) felt too overwhelming to publish a newsletter. I went to a bookbinding workshop with a wonderful woman called Zanele and I’m ready to write again. Small steps.

Take a break from the world