Arderne Gardens | Lee-Ann Olwage

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Arderne Gardens

Ongoing work exploring spaces of celebration.

Arderne Gardens was established in 1845 by Ralph Henry Arderne in Claremont, Cape Town. Arderne was a successful timber merchant and cabinet maker who hailed from Cheshire, England. Arderne started to collect plants from all over the world and would plant them at his estate. In time the gardens became famous. Development of the garden was continued by his son, Henry Mathew Arderne into the early part of the twentieth century. Henry Arderne Passed away in 1917, leaving the ownership of the property in question. Fortunately, the Director of Parks and Gardens in the Cape Town Municipality, Mr. A. W. van den Houten, realized what a loss it would be if this garden were destroyed and the gardens were later purchased by The City of Cape Town. The gardens fell into a state of neglect in the late 1980's. In 2004, the Friends of the Arderne Gardens (FOTAG) was established as a public benefit organization with the objective of working with the City of Cape Town to protect, preserve and promote the garden.

The gardens host a rich diversity of celebrations. On a sunny afternoon you can see the gardens come to life as a limousine pulls up to the front gate filled to the brim with a wedding party from the Cape Flats dressed in their Sunday best, while families from Congo create cherished wedding photographs wearing beautiful designs in vibrant African fabric lovingly brought from home while families from the surrounding neighbourhoods enjoy a picnic or birthday party in the gardens.