July hikes to Blackburn Ravine, Black Hill, Silvermine and Simonsberg

  

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

 in Cape Town, South Africa

 

Hiking among wildflowers

in the mountains

around Cape Town

 

Silvermine to Blackburn Ravine for the view of Hout Bay (rained off in March). Cape of Storms lived up to its reputation this past weekend. Roads to the city closed, a bridge swept away! Then a gently rippling millpond.

 

Looking at Hout Bay

A different subspecies to our usual pink wheels Erica abietina constantiana.

 

Erica abietina constantiana

Jonkersdam trail to Black Hill. I miss watching these pincushion flowers in my garden. Slowly opening from tight buds, to candles, to unfurling, to golden glory. Leucospermum conocarpodendron.

 

Leucospermum conocarpodendron

A yellow hike. Just a little warmer till the ballerina spreads her arms wide Pauridia capensis. Yellow Leucadendron salignum wherever you look. Delicate spike of Microdon dubius. A new one Stylapterus fruticulosus in Penaeaceae.

 

Yellow flowers at Blackhill in July

Deep yellow Bulbine praemorsa has fleshy leaves. Small perfection of Protea scolymocephala. Oxalis luteola. Othonna undulosa leaves wrapped around the stem. Moraea collina with dark stripes on buds.

 

with Protea scolymocephala at Blackhill in July

Red Babiana ringens with its sunbird perch. Aloe succotrina on its preferred high cliff, but we found some in reach. Hebenstretia repens has an orange throat. Soft leaves for Muraltia ericifolia. Looking back the other way, we saw a HUGE Lobostemon montanus absolutely covered in blue flowers! Today's yellows paired with ivory Metalasia.

 

with Aloe succotrina at Blackhill in July

Just the 2 of us so I could see the Silvermine Waterfall! We get a glimpse from OU Kaapse Weg as we drive past, but I had never been down those steep steps to the bottom of the waterfall. Enjoyed lunch at Scarborough.

 

Silvermine waterfall in July

From our usual hiking route, I like to deviate to greet this little group of Widdringtonia nodiflora (first observation there on iNaturalist). Our Southern African mountain cedar.

 

Widdringtonia nodiflora
near Silvermine waterfall

Delightful waterfall thundering down the rocks and veiled in trees.

 

Silvermine waterfall in July

Silvermine circling Spitskop. Phylica plumosa long feathers and tiny red flowers. A pink head of Metalasia compacta.

 

Phylica and Metalasia at Silvermine in July

Deep blue Salvia africana. Sea mountains and sky in soft blues, the slope rich with russet restios. Our annual hike to Simonsberg for Serruria hirsuta, buds and first flowers. Erica pulchella burgundy bracts with a white stripe.

 

Simonsberg in July for Serruria hirsuta

Our winter days vary between turn back early to avoid the rain, and brilliant sun when the winter Cape is magnificent.

 

I invite you to join us at Elephant's Eye on False Bay. Please subscribe as you prefer

via Feedly,

or my Facebook blog page

Pictures by Diana Studer

of Elephant's Eye on False Bay

 

Teal blue text is my links.

To read comments if you are in a Reader,

first click thru to the blog)

 

Thanks for comments that add value. Your comment will not appear until I've read it. I welcome comments on posts from the last 2 months.

 

Google and Blogger comments uncooperative? Use Name / URL instead.