Ludwig’s Roses, a huge rose farm north of Pretoria that has been running for more than 50 years, had been on my radar screen for a while. Several people told me I should visit, but that I must go at the height of summer when the roses are all in full bloom. Somehow the summers kept passing and I kept forgetting to put Ludwig’s in my “to-blog” list.
Late last week, I finally remembered Ludwig’s at the right time of year. I mentioned it to my friend Fiver – one of my favorite fellow adventuresses, who is finally back in South Africa after an interminably long absence (thanks, covid-19) – and she was keen to make the hourlong trek to Ludwig’s with me. We set out this past Sunday afternoon.
Generally, I didn’t think much about roses before this visit. I mean sure, they’re pretty and they smell good and I’ve taken my fair share of rose photos in various gardens over the years. But Ludwig’s has turned me into a die-hard rose fan. I had such a good time at Ludwig’s and now I’m obsessed – OBSESSED, I tell you – with roses.
I recommend reading the Ludwig’s “About” page, which recounts the story of Ludwig and his farm in lovely detail. But here is a very short synopsis:
Ludwig Taschner was born in Germany in the 1940s, escaped from East Germany in 1960, and moved to South Africa soon afterward to work in the nursery business. He bought his rose farm in 1971, and has since become a leader in South African rose propagation and breeding. The Ludwig’s catalogue includes more than 1,000 different rose varieties.
Ludwig’s has several outlets around the country, but the OG Pretoria farm is the best place to go for a full Ludwig’s experience. (Not that I’ve been to any of the other locations but I can’t imagine them topping the experience I had.) In addition to the farm itself, there is a huge nursery selling every type of rose imaginable, a rose-themed restaurant, and a quirky gift shop. I loved it all.
Ludwig’s is about an hour’s drive from central Joburg, not far from the Dinokeng Game Reserve. Fiver and I left around 12:30 and arrived in time for a late lunch.
After lunch we had a quick browse around the shop, which is filled with rose-infused foods, beauty products, home decor, and everything else you can imagine that looks, smells, or tastes like roses.
Then came the highlight of our day: a tractor ride – or a “rose safari”, as I decided to call it – through the Ludwig’s rose fields. These rides last about 30 minutes and run throughout the day on weekends.
We finished our visit in the nursery section, where we ambled up and down the rows and rows of rose pots and took a million pictures of our favorite blooms (and ourselves).
My mind boggled at the seemingly infinite number of rose colors and color combinations. I also loved reading the names of the different varieties, many of which are South African themed: Happy Birthday, Greensleeves, Rainbow Nation, Clocolan, Vodacom, Pearl of Bedfordview, Tawny Profusion, Brothers Grimm, Babsie Vorster.
Unfortunately I forgot to record the names of most of the roses I photographed.
It was hard to leave Ludwig’s. It was 4:30, the afternoon light was just starting to soften, and we kept stopping to take pictures in the rose fields on our way to the exit.
We did eventually go, albeit reluctantly. I’ve been dreaming of roses ever since, wistfully leafing through the glossy Ludwig’s rose catalogue.
On Monday I planted Rainbow Nation in a pot on our deck. It’s blooming nicely.
Ludwig’s Rose Farm is at 61 Haakdoornlaagte, Pretoria. The farm is a bit tricky to find on Google Maps because there are several Ludwig’s outlets around Joburg and Pretoria; be sure to select the location simply labeled “Ludwig’s Roses”. It’s located north of central Pretoria, just off the N1 Highway at the “Pyramid, Wallmannsthal” flyover. The restaurant and farm are open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call 012-544-0144.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.