Dear Friends,

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The fire lilies haven’t come yet.

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But, just 10 days after the veld fire, we’re seeing a floral Kingdom of a different kind.

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This is a close up shot of a Sugarbush protea. In the centre is a solitary seed, cracked open by the fire and ready to take flight with the next winds that make their way through our now lunar-like landscape.

But we already know this flower well.

For the past 6 years we have seen these burnt Sugarbush proteas nestled amongst the vibrant greens and reds of the Drakenskloof landscape. Keri asked Katie Lund, a local artist and friend, to include its perfect circular design in the bathroom wallpaper of the Green and Red rooms in India House (pictured below). Oogies regularly includes them in his thoughtful floral arrangements. And we often pick them when we wander the fynbos.

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The burnt Sugarbush protea is so beautiful.

And there are now millions of them across our 1,000 Ha at Drakenskloof.

Previously unseen due to the regular splendour of the Cape Floral Kingdom, these burnt proteas now take centre stage. Their copper-red seeds have scattered on to the ground, giving a royal colour to an otherwise black and white scene. These Crowns stand tall and proud atop blackened stems, awake and ready to play their role for the first time in 12 years.

Yesterday we captured these proteas and all the other signs of new life. You can witness the miracle of Nature in the video below:

With love,

Sam, Keri and the Drakenskloof Team