Babylonstoren, the perfect, perfect choice to celebrate a very special 40th Birthday.
After months of talk about visiting Babylonstoren, we eventually booked a garden tour and lunch during mid winter, yes we are a bit mad to do it in winter, a vegetable garden in winter… brown and dull… yes right, think again. We’ve heard so much about this beautiful Cape Dutch Farm founded in 1690, and it felt as if we were the only people who have not yet visited this much talked about farm between Franschoek and Paarl.
Our garden tour started at 10:00, and remember to book well in advance.
The start of our Garden Tour with Gundula
INSPIRATION, VEGETABLES, FRUIT TREES, BERRIES, BEES, DUCKS, CHICKENS, BABEL, THE GREEN HOUSE/TEAHOUSE, and lots lots more, all manicured to perfection.
Perfectly manicured walkways..
Touch…..
Waterblommetjies…
See…
Waterblommetjies
Learn…
Different depth trout ponds..
Fun..
The birthday girl dancing around on the secret stones.. getting wet..
Our starter… Guavas
Seeing out lunch starter at Babel, still hanging on the tree…
Our salad…
Our salad…
Entertainment…
Entertainment along the way…
Our starter of sweet potato getting digged out…
Part of my soft roasted vegetable skewer, getting prepped for the kitchen…
And then, it rained… can you smell the soil?
Smell the soil after the rain…
The happy chickens…
The chickens…
And the secret paths to the Clivia tunnel which we will visit in spring..
Secret paths..
The prickly pear maize..
More smells along the way..
Citrus aromas…
Smell citrus..
Taste Citrus…
Taste citrus, loquats…
Creative beauty…
Creative beauty..
Gundula our very informative guide..
Gundula..
Quiet spaces..
Quiet areas in the garden..
More tasting..
Tasting Tree Tomatoes…
The Beehives…
Enter the hive area..
Different hives..
Getting up close and personal..
Making new friends…
Meeting interesting people along the way..
and then, a well deserved rest at the GREEN HOUSE / TEAROOM
During spring, we will have lunch here…
Visuals of the GREEN HOUSE
Themed, Citrus..
Refreshments in the GREEN HOUSE after our garden tour…
Refreshments..
Visual stimulating Green House…
Pretty things…
A sneak peak at someone’s snacky lunch at the Green House..
Snacks at the Green House..
AND NOW…
It is LUNCH TIME…
At BABEL…
BABEL…
WINTER AT BABEL… Citrus..
WINTER at BABEL..
Difficult choices..
What to choose…
GIFT TIME… a friendship “memory” book…
Frienship memories, captured over the last 7 years… preserved forever…
No words can describe our delicious starters… freshly from the garden…
And our mains…
and yes yes yes we did share dessert…
Honey and lime crème brule with winter fruits…
Remember to wear comfy shoes…
Not sure if Babel was ready for my farm boots but it fitted right in and was lovely and warm..
and then, at the end of the day… it was time for one last small gift from Shannon’s husband, and I had the privilege the give it to her… hope you get the clue… and next June…
The “small” little gift box from Mike..
And then we heard the ducks, we’ve forgotten all about them… and here they come, quack quack quack all in a row, all by themselves, going to their home in the middle of the garden.. this was just too sweet, and they kept coming… later on I was lying on my stomach to get the right shot, it was perfect timing , and we realized that it was time to go home…
Everything at Babylonstoren was what we expected and soooooo much more…
We will be back in Spring…
and Summer
and Autumn…
Hanlie Green 
Wow stunning!
Thanks Liesl, it was a GREAT day..