The best spots to snap a selfie in SA's most Instagrammable public gardens

In the age of Instagram and selfies, no-one should miss an opportunity to share the beautiful green spaces we encounter.

If you don't have your own garden, there's an  abundance of public spaces to access where you can enjoy not only a multitude of beautiful plants but also spend time outdoors with friends and family. 

Candide is a free gardening app that supports Garden Day (taking place on October 17) and has compiled a list of some of the most Instagrammable green spaces and gardens in the country.

Get some friends and a picnic together, don a flower crown and celebrate our most beautiful public gardens:

GAUTENG

THE WILDS

Selfie spot: Animal sculptures

Claim to Insta fame: The animal sculptures in The Wilds in Houghton, Johannesburg, have become a drawcard. Owl sculptures are suspended in the trees, painted in bright colours to stand out from the forest canopy. There are about 100 sculptures, from the famous 5m-tall pink and yellow giraffe to monkeys, a pangolin, ostriches, a red kudu family, klip springers and duikers.

Address: Houghton Drive, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg. Visit the Friends of The Wilds Facebook page.

THE URBAN GARDEN SANCTUARY AT VICTORIA YARDS 

Selfie spot: Urban avant-garde yard

Claim to Insta fame: Victoria Yards is an urban complex in the heart of Joburg that's become a haven for creatives. Urban agriculture is one of the elements of this hub. The buildings are interconnected with spaces filled with vegetables and fruit trees, cultivated to sell their produce.

Address: 16 Viljoen Street, Lorentzville, Johannesburg. Visit victoriayards.co.za

WALTER SISULU BOTANICAL GARDENS

Selfie spot: Witpoortjie Falls

Claim to Insta fame: The Witpoortjie Falls in the middle of the gardens is a favourite picnic spot. The falls got their name from the fact that people travelling from Joburg by train would disembark at Witpoortjie station and walk there. With luck, you'll spot the breeding pair of Verreaux's eagles that have lived in the cliffs for more than 30 years.

Address: Malcolm Road, Poortview, Roodepoort. Visit sanbi.org

KWAZULU-NATAL

DURBAN BOTANIC GARDENS

Selfie spot: Picture-perfect palms

Claim to Insta fame: The tropical palm trees, scattered across the landscape, hail from the tropics (SA has only five different indigenous palm trees). The oldest palm, planted in 1873, is behind the tea kiosk.

Address: 9A John Zikhali Road, Berea, Durban. Visit durbanbotanicgardens.org.za

THE CHART FARM ROSE GARDEN

Selfie spot: Roses galore in all shades of colours

Claim to Insta fame: A gem of a farm-style retreat with 12ha of pretty things, including the rose garden, the main attraction for social media butterflies. There are more than 500 rose bushes, some dating back to the 1900s. Stop and smell the Double Delight, Esther Geldenhuys, Blue Moon, Garden Princess, Garden Queen, Johannesburg Sun and Duftwolke varieties.

Address: 1A Klaasens Road, Wynberg, Cape Town. Visit chartfarm.co.za

NORVAL FOUNDATION

Selfie spot: Shoulder to shoulder with the Holderstebolder.

Claim to Insta fame: Head to the Holderstebolder boulder man, a creation by Angus Taylor, an “interactive anti-monument”. The catapulting figure — buttocks in the air, arms and legs stretched out — looks like he's about to roll down the hill.

Address: 4 Steenberg Road, Steenberg Estate, Cape Town. Visit norvalfoundation.org

DYLAN LEWIS SCULPTURE GARDEN

Selfie spot: The sculptures

Claim to Insta fame: Yin and yang. Wild and tamed. One of the attractions here is the mix of more than 60 sculptures and the organic, natural gardens with a focus on indigenous species, particularly fynbos, the influence of Japanese gardens, water and a rugged mountain backdrop. There are so many spots along the 4km of paths to stop and admire that it's recommended to spend the whole day. Visits to the garden are by appointment only. A privately guided tour can be arranged with advance booking.

Address: Paradyskloof Road, Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch. Visit dylanlewis.com

• The Candide app can be downloaded from the Apple App and Google Play Stores. For more information about Garden Day, visit gardenday.co.za