The National Botanical Gardens, Kirstenbosch, are one of South Africa's top travel and tourist destinations.
You can take a 90-minute walking tour with a volunteer guide, the colour of whose hair told me that if she could make it round the garden, then this silver-haired traveller could too. The alternative is a 45 journey on the garden buggy. We left that to others.
Our guide gave us a delightful summary of the garden's history, starting with the Cape's Governor, van Riebeek. Parts of his 17th century Wild Almond hedge planted as a colony boundary still survives.
Then there's the 'fynbos' with its selection of proteas, ericas and restios. We were fortunate to see some fantastic proteas in bloom. They not only give the country its national flower, but their name to the national cricket team.
Higher up the garden, and nestling below the slopes of Table Mountain is the only place in the world where the Silver Leaf trees grow naturally in the wild.
PS Seniors get special discounts on Tuesdays – both for entry and at the popular restaurant.