The annual open weekends of the Stellenberg Gardens in Cape Town have gone virtual and currently everyone can enjoy these spectacular grounds from the comfort and safety of their homes and contribute to a great cause at the same time.
Since 2015, the Stellenberg Gardens, the home of Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone, have held Open Weekends in aid of St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children, a paediatric care facility giving children with life threatening illness a second chance at childhood.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have not been able to share the beauty of their gardens to raise funds for St Joseph’s Home. Like many charities, COVID-19 has negatively impacted the operations at St Joseph’s who rely on donations to provide free 24-hour specialised and general nursing care and rehabilitation to those who need it most.
Magical garden and history
St Joseph’s is very excited and grateful that a beautiful video has been made of the Stellenberg Gardens to enable anyone to visit by way of a virtual garden tour! It can be viewed on the GivenGain fundraising platform where donations can easily be made in aid of St Joseph’s. Thanks to donations from the many virtual visitors to the gardens, more than R80 000 has been raised for St Joseph’s to date.
The origins of the Stellenberg estate date back to the seventeenth century and Sandy Ovenstone and her dedicated team of gardeners have created a magical garden in harmony with the historical homestead that is unique in South Africa.
There are 16 distinct areas in the gardens, namely the Garden Entrance, the White Garden, the Parterre Garden, the Vegetable Garden, the Garden of Paradise, the Herb Garden, the Shady Walkway, the main lawns and façade, the Wild Garden and reservoir walk, the Stream Garden, Lower-Stream Garden, the Lime Tree Walk, the Garden of Reflection, the Vine Walk allée, the Walled Garden and the Pool Garden.
Join them for a leisurely and inspiring stroll through these magnificent gardens by viewing the virtual tour online.
The video can also be viewed via the Stellenberg Gardens website by clicking on “Virtual Tour” and there is a donate button that links to the GivenGain fundraising page. All funds raised are carefully monitored and faithfully distributed.
St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children
Up to 500 children a year are looked after by St Joseph’s Home. A well-loved institution in Cape Town, it has provided intermediate, facility-based care for children with chronic or life-limiting conditions for the last 85 years.
Located in Montana, Cape Town, and established in 1935 by the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, this beacon in paediatric care in Southern Africa has provided expert and hands-on nursing and rehabilitation for over 23 000 orphaned and vulnerable children.
CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
