The Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens, near Betty’s Bay in the Western Cape, will be closed until further notice.

The Gardens suffered substantial damage from a fire that swept through parts of the town and other parts of the Overstrand area over the past two weeks, and the decision was made close the facility.

The botanical gardens see both local and international tourists visiting to see the varieties of fynbos and renowned waterfalls and amber pools, as well as the Disa uniflora (red disa) and national flower of South Africa, the Protea cynaroides (king protea).

Curator of the Gardens, Berenice Carolus, said: “We’ve had fires that came down into the gardens, so we closed the gardens for the safety of the visitors while we were busy with assessments to ensure that all the areas are safe to go again.”

Carolus says that a structural engineer will be on site on January 16, to assess the bridges and other areas, and will hopefully give the go-ahead to re-open by Friday, January 18, or by Monday, January 21. However, she encourages guests to visit the Gardens’ Facebook page for the latest information.