Friends and Flowers

The past weekend was a rare weekend that I got to spend in Cape Town by the instigation of our friend Susan. She wanted to explore what the city had to offer in terms of culinary fare. It was an easy decision to stay, entertain and to explore and discover with her.

I enjoy the house in Cape Town but as it has a small garden, I always need to ensure that there are fresh flowers in the house.  If I had more space, my flower budget would exceed my book budget.

Flower Sellers circa 1920

The fresh flowers I always buy from the flower market at Trafalgar Place in Adderley Street, Cape Town’s main street. Apart from the sheer abundance of the beauty of all the colours and the variety of the flowers at the market, there are the owners of the stalls who for me exude the essence of Cape Town.

Flower Sellers July 2015

I have been buying my flowers there for the last twenty six years and know most of them and they all know me. They know my preference in flowers and allow me just to choose what I want. Sometimes one of them will try and convince me to buy something different for a change.

Winter Roses

When one closes one’s eyes and listens to the spirited conversation of the market you experience the most charming and sometimes shocking expressions but it is always true to the Cape.

Mixed Bunches for R30 a bunch

Chrysanthemums

The flower sellers have been trading in Adderley Street for more than 150 years and some of the current sellers are the fourth generation having inherited the stall from her mother who inherited it from her mother and so forth. Most of the flower sellers are women who can talk fast and convince you to buy flowers from them even if you had no intention.

Proteas

I have supported them all these years because for me they are a very important part of Cape Town, like Table Mountain, and it would be a sad day if they disappeared from the city. They are struggling to earn a living and I do not understand why the whole of Cape Town does not support them instead of the big commercial enterprises. They are the fabric of the city and that makes it a unique Cape Town experience to buy flowers from them. You can be assured of a good price for the flowers you want.

The White and Green Bouquet 

I surprised Ielhaam by buying a bunch of stocks, kale, proteas and other white flowers that I just loved and true to custom I also had to buy my regular bunch of King Proteas.

King Proteas

Susan arrived on Friday afternoon in the midst of a Cape storm and I dreaded the prospect of showing her around in the unpleasant weather. But typical of Cape Town in the morning we awoke to the most glorious day and I could take Susan into the City centre and share with her some of my favourite places, like the flower market.