Suburb of Gardens in Cape Town

A Brief History

The Gardens is named after the Dutch East India company gardens and the rich heritage goes all the way back to the initial permanent settlements in the Cape that was a popular food supply stop for ships that travelled around the Cape of Good Hope.
The very first garden was landscaped by Hendrik Boom in 1652 in close proximity to the Fresh River. This garden expanded and soon it was more than eighteen hectares in size. The infamous Government Avenue that is also known as “The Gardens” originally featured lemon and orange trees and was later lined with oak trees during the era of Simon van der Stel, and still remain today.

Amenities in the Area

Schools
Cape Town High School, Lycée Français du Cap, Jan van Riebeeck High School, Good Hope Seminary High School, and Gardens Commercial High School are just some of the schools found in the immediate vicinity.

Healthcare
The Medic Clinic is the nearest hospital and is easily accessible to Gardens residents. The Netcare hospital is five minutes away, and there are also numerous other smaller GPs and healthcare facilities in the area.

Gardens Shopping Centre
The Gardens Shopping Centre is the best and largest shopping option in the suburb of Gardens in Cape Town that offers both locals and visitors the ideal one stop destination. The Gardens Shopping Centre is home to 86 shops that range from retail stores and bookshops to a large supermarket, and unique artisan shops. The selection of stores offer anything from daily essentials, to everything else from DIY, dry cleaning, hardware, and stationary.
You also have access to business services (forex bureau, travel agents, mobile stores, major local banks). Professional services include GPs, optometrists, attorneys, dentists, hairdressers, beauticians, and more. But, that is not all, the centre also offers authentic cuisine restaurants, like the North Indian Restaurants, various eateries where you can stop for a quick bite, coffee shops, and decadent delight options where you can buy delicious tea-time goods and patisserie. Whatever you need or want, you can find it here, all under one roof.

Airports and CBD
Gardens is located a short 13-minute drive from Cape Town Airport and is close to the CBD.

Other Eateries
The Gardens have a broad range of fantastic restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops where you can stop for breakfast, lunch, or enjoy a relaxing dinner.

Unique attractions
You can find the statue of Sir George Grey, the very first statue erected in our country, in front of the Public Library. The oldest museum in South Africa which was established in 1825, the South Africa Museum still stands and is found in the Gardens. You can also pay a visit to The Gardens Shul, which is found in the original synagogue, which is the oldest Jewish museum (built in 1905). The newer twin-tower synagogue was constructed in 1905. Other worthy attractions to visit include, the Iziko South African museum, Iziko National Gallery, The Planetarium, and the Michaelis School of Fine Art.

Conclusion

The Gardens suburb in Cape Town is a one of a kind suburb and well worth a visit. It encompasses a fantastic blend of historic buildings, natural beauty, and is centrally located. If you are looking for the best holiday accommodation while visiting, be sure to consider Gardens Centre Holiday Apartments which is overlooking the Gardens Shopping Centre with breathtaking views of the city and Table Mountain. They offer secure parking, free Wi-Fi, self-catering facilities, laundry/dry-cleaning services, and more.