About the Gardens

^{The Banyan tree}

The Durban Botanic Gardens (DBG) traces its origins to colonial times, when it was founded in 1849 for the introduction and trial of potentially useful commercial crops.

The gardens later developed collections of sub-tropical trees, palms and orchids. The Durban Botanic Gardens remains a classic botanic gardens, reflecting the universality of the plant kingdom. It has, for over 100 years, had a fine mixed arboretum of African, Asian and American trees.

The Gardens are a few minutes walk from the bustling Warwick Triangle, site of one of the largest retail medicinal plant markets in the country. The Gardens hosts approximately 500 000 visitors per year, many of whom are foreign tourists.
 
The Durban Botanic Garden's Mission Statement is:

• To develop and curate conservation-significant collections of African orchids and palms, and to advance our position amongst botanic gardens as a major holder of world cycads.
• To demonstrate the role plants can play in social upliftment through our involvement in urban greening, organic gardening and medicinal plant conservation projects.
• To maintain our existing assemblage of plants while promoting the flora of Africa. 
• To cultivate regional and international links with the botanic gardens conservation community.
• To awaken public appreciation of the gardens through environmental education.
• To maintain the gardens as a peaceful haven for visitors, and as one of Durban's heritage sites.