South Africa is one of the world's six "Kingdoms of Flowers". In fact, the number of flowering plants in South Africa comprises 10% of the total number of such plants around the world, with over 21,000 plants and flowers across the nation.  
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is nestled at the foot of Table Mountain on the eastern slope. It occupies an area of 560 hectares and features an assortment of approximately 10,000 plant species (which is roughly 40% of all flora species found in South Africa). Out of the plant species cultivated at Kirstenbosch, 2600 are indigenous plants of Cape Peninsula. The garden is renowned for its exquisite beauty as flowers bloom all year round. In spring, the garden is literally covered in an endless ocean of flowers. 

The Cape region has a Mediterranean climate with wet winters and dry summers. Consequently, most of the plants that grow at Kirstenbosch are winter blooming plants, such as the Grubbiaceaes, the Rhododendrons, Belladonna Lily, Agave and so forth. Cultivation of summer blooming plants used to be relatively less in the beginning. However, the construction of a reservoir on the slop of Table Mountain in the 1930s adequately solved the issue of insufficient water during the dry summers. This in turn allowed species such as Protea cynaroides, mountain rose, Red orchid, Malus, Daisy and so forth to bloom during the right seasons to make the views at the garden even more enchanting. Due to distinctively different blooming seasons of various flowers, the views and colors at the botanical garden always change in conjunction with the seasons, which means new views await visitors in different times throughout the year.
The origins of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden traces back to the 17th century. Back then, the leader of the Dutch settlement Jan Van Riebeeck was given the order to built a fort at Cape. The mission called for massive logging in the perimeter, and in order to prevent severe destruction to the natural landscape, he ordered a hedge to be planted on the eastern slope of Table Mountain and forbade further logging. Sections of the Riebeeck's Hedge still exist in Kirstenbosch today. The site went through several changes of ownership and eventually became larger in scale and size. In 1895, the Prime Minister of Cape Colony Cecil J. Rhodes bought Kirstenbosch at a price of 9,000 pounds, and systematic planning of the place's transformation into a national park commenced. The project involved large scaled cultivation of plants and flowers but also the construction of trails, shaping the layout of the garden as it is today. Rhodes passed away in 1902 and he bequeathed the park to the Nation in his will, making Kirstenbosch the first public botanical garden in South Africa.