Beautiful, bountiful Babylonstoren

Friday, October 11th, 2013

A seasonal visit to Babylonstoren on the Simonsberg slopes in Simondium is a must on any wine, food and gardening enthusiast’s calendar. Come springtime, which was late and began with a few false starts this year, the clivias are in full bloom in the tunnel and along the stream. There’s an astonishing abundance of 7 000 in total. The path winds along the banks of the stream and you can walk in the cool shade of oaks and wild olives. Fruit trees are blossoming and there are signs of budding and blooming in every corner of the garden, which is at the heart of the farm.

It was inspired by the Company Gardens where ships plying the spice route from Europe to the East would replenish their fresh supplies. The garden covers three-and-a-half hectares and its formal structure was designed by French landscape architect Patrice Taravella. It is irrigated via waterways gravity fed from the stream.

You are encouraged to really experience the garden, with signs inviting you to take your shoes off and walk barefoot on the fragrant beds of penny royal, Roman camomile and thyme, while considerately cautioning you to watch out for bees.

There are bee hives, chickens and ducks, a prickly pear maze, hanging woven bird hides and a walled meditation garden with a bench under a mulberry tree. The meandering walks cover three kilometres so you can get some exercise along with a dose of fresh country air. Set time aside to book an informative garden tour the first time you visit – it will make exploring it throughout the four seasons so much more worthwhile.

Everything in the garden is edible and grown as biologically as possible. Diversity is the theme with over 300 varieties of plants growing here. This bounty of fresh produce, from fruit and vegetables to herbs, nuts and spices, is featured on the ‘farm-to-table’ menus of both restaurants, Babel and the Green House, and in the deli, where Karen Pretorius is up at dawn to bake delicious artisanal breads in the wood-fired oven, often using what’s available from the garden – on the day we visited it was enormous spring onions.

Mushrooms are the flavour of the month and displays of shiitake and pink and grey oyster mushrooms are on view in the Farm Shop. There is also shiitake biltong available for purchase, as well as charcuterie, cheese, pickles, chutneys, jams, preserves, cordials, handmade soaps and homeware. The food theme for November will be berries.

If all the walking and sampling of produce makes you thirsty head for the Wine Shed where you can taste Babylonstoren’s compact range of six wines, as well as enjoy the convenience of purchasing wines from some 28 nearby wineries at cellar-door prices.

– Lindsaye Mc Gregor