Housing A Unique Collection of Botanical Art
The Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery
As the permanent home of the Grootbos Florilegium, the Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery draws on the nuances of the botanical artworks to celebrate and showcase the intricate details and wonders of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Celebrating Our Natural Heritage
The establishment of this world-class art gallery is the culmination of more than 25 years of exploring, documenting and learning about the fauna, flora and landscapes of Grootbos and its surroundings. First opened on 1st September 2022, the botanical gallery was named after Hannarie Wenhold, in honour of her generous contributions to the creation of the gallery as well as her ongoing support for the conservation of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Inspired By Nature
The art gallery is an innovative space showcasing over 120 unique artworks of the Grootbos Florilegium that depicts the plants of the Cape Floral Kingdom and the insects and creatures that live among them. The building itself is set amidst fynbos and a Milkwood forest, the very landscapes celebrated in the artworks housed within. This masterpiece of architectural design allows for ample natural light to fill the contemporary exhibition rooms, without compromising the artworks.
Explore The Botanical Art Gallery
Step inside the home of the Grootbos Florilegium and get a glimpse of what awaits.
- Art Gallery
Book a tour and explore the wonders of the Grootbos Florilegium.
Book Half Day Tour Book Art Gallery TourA Floral Experience Like No Other
Explore what makes the Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery such a unique experience
A House of Art
The Gallery has seven exhibition rooms which creatively showcase over 120 unique botanical artworks. Each artwork is accompanied by a distinct vignette that illustrates the intricate relationships between the plant and the creatures that form part of it’s ecosystem.
Botanical Storytelling
Each exhibition room has been mindfully curated to highlight the unique narratives of the Cape Floral Kingdom. The key themes of Diversity, Ecology, Pollination, Fire, Forests, Heritage and Threatened Species are expressed through the artwork displayed in each room.
Nature-Inspired Architecture
Tucked between the fynbos landscape and an ancient Milkwood forest, this botanical art gallery sits among the charismatic plants that are on display within. The contemporary building has been designed to allow natural light to stream in without causing damage to the art.
Florilegium Boutique
The art gallery’s boutique offers visitors the chance to take a piece of the Grootbos Florilegium home with them. Prints of the artworks, the Grootbos Florilegium Book as well as other botanical inspired products can be purchased.
A Global Collaboration
The artwork housed within the art gallery have been brought together through a global collaboration between 44 highly acclaimed local and international botanical artists who have a passion for telling stories through art.
Florilegium Book
The Grootbos Florilegium Book lyrically illustrates the botanical artworks through detailed narratives of both the fynbos flora and associated pollinators and insects. An impressive large-scale replica of the book is also featured within the botanical art gallery.
Sharing The Cape Floral Kingdom With The The World
The Grootbos Florilegium and botanical art gallery are aligned with Grootbos’ mission to not only celebrate the Cape Floral Kingdom and share its wonders with the world, but to also instil a passion for fynbos and inspire others to adopt a conservation mindset.
Grootbos is continuously researching, innovating and pioneering new ways to preserve and promote the botanical heritage of this remarkable ecosystem that we call home.
By showcasing the beauty and importance of the Cape Floral Kingdom through the medium of botanical art we can change the way conservation is viewed worldwide.
Through tours of the botanical art gallery and sales of the Florilegium artworks and merchandise, we will be able to fund conservation based initiatives as well as uplift the local community through investing in the arts.
Visitors to the art gallery can experience and see the beauty of the fynbos as it is found on the Grootbos reserve and then experience the intricate details of this biome in the artworks displayed inside the art gallery.
Explore the legacy of the Grootbos Florilegium
Where the natural splendour captured in every artwork is an expression of the Grootbos purpose.
