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Meanderings

A Modern Day Babylon

A Modern Day Babylon

One of the reasons we created 'Meanderings' was to share anything that moves and inspires us.
One recent discovery for us was Babylonstoren.

About an hour outside Cape Town is this beautiful vineyard, farm, restaurant and hotel.

To think that the owners bought the abandoned farmyard property only ten years ago, and restored it to it's former glory as a Cape Dutch farm from the late 17th Century. Beautifully clipped hedges, a cactus maze to get lost in, a vineyard that stretches beyond where the eye can see, and a restaurant—Babel—serving up organic food fresh from the farm. 

So, here to make your sunny albeit wintry day that much more dreamy, we've created a photo scrapbook from our recent trip to the incredible Babylonstoren.

Enjoy!

Love,
S&B


[Another World]


Owned by husband and wife— media executive Koos Bekker and Karen Roos—the former Editor of Elle Decoration South Africa, everything planted in this expansive space has a purpose, edible, botanical or otherwise. Not only that, but the planting plans are based on the 17th Century Dutch style from when the farm was originally founded. 
 

Understandably, we had to 'meander' ...

 

An incredible irrigation system runs throughout the property...


Grapes anyone? Babylonstoren also produce their own wines...


Surrounded by relentless blue sky and fragrant lavender, the gardens were designed by French architect Patrice Taravella...


Built on 3.5 hectares of sprawling, bountiful land, there is no view that disappoints...


The Bonsai Trail...


All of the 300 varieties of plants grown are either edible, or contain some form of medicinal value...


A pathway of iridescent shells...


Plums and more endless sky...


Couldn't agree more...


"FF" Foliage Framing...


We came away with the best smelling feet...


Cacti as far as the eye can see...


Inside Babel Restaurant...


Beautiful symmetrical greenery...


Maybe you didn't know, but we have a thing for hay bales...


Sitting out in the most brilliantly speckled rays of sun...


Even the car park is an ode to the garden. It's safe to say we're pretty smitten. We hope you get to visit it one day.

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