Let spring flowers grow protecting spring blooms and pollination corridors
14 August 2026
Selected parks, public open spaces, road verges and greenbelts across Cape Town will temporarily remain unmowed this spring, allowing indigenous plants and wildflowers to bloom and set seed while providing food and habitat for pollinators.
The City is located within the Cape Floral Kingdom, and is recognised globally for its remarkable biodiversity and rich variety of indigenous plant species.
The annual spring flowering initiative contributes to the preservation of these natural assets by creating opportunities for local vegetation to complete its flowering cycle while providing important habitat and food sources for pollinators.
‘Residents may notice that some parks, verges and open spaces are being left unmowed for a little longer this spring. That's a deliberate effort from our Recreation and Parks Department. Giving indigenous plants time to flower and set seed supports pollinators and helps protect the natural areas that make Cape Town so special. We encourage residents to enjoy the flowers and help us look after these spaces while they are in bloom,' said Councillor Francine Higham, the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health.
Many of the sites included in the programme serve as ecological corridors linking conservation areas, nature reserves, national parks and other open spaces. These corridors allow wildlife and plant species to move across the landscape and contribute to the long-term health of local ecosystems.
Residents and visitors can look forward to a spectacular display of spring flowers emerging throughout the city over the coming months. Communities are encouraged to visit and enjoy these vibrant floral displays, which transform many public open spaces into colourful displays.
For those wishing to experience the flowers at their best, flowering plants are generally most open and visually impressive between 10:00 and 15:00, when warmer daytime temperatures encourage blooms to fully open and attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths and birds.
Temporary "NO MOWING" signage has been installed in participating areas to inform residents about the programme and encourage the protection of these environmentally sensitive spaces.
The initiative also forms part of the City's ongoing commitment to more environmentally responsible and sustainable mowing practices. Areas not included in the spring flowering programme will continue to be maintained according to the City's normal mowing schedule.
A list of all the no mowing areas can be accessed here.
Residents are invited to suggest suitable sites for inclusion in future spring flowering programmes by submitting recommendations to RP.Enquiries@capetown.gov.za