When Kirstenbosch was founded in 1913 to preserve the flora native to the South Africa’s territory, it was the first botanical garden in the world with this ethos, at a time when invasive species were not considered an ecological and environmental problem.

Outdoors, the focus is on plants native to the Cape region, highlighted by the spectacular collections of proteas.

[1][2] In 1660, by order of Jan van Riebeeck, a hedge of wild almond and brambles were planted to afford some protection to the perimeter of the Dutch colony.

Two large land grants were made, with a Colonel Bird building a house, planting chestnut trees, and establishing a bath (still extant) fed by a natural spring.

After this point, the area became run-down, with large groups of pigs feeding on the acorns and wallowing in the pools.

The history of the area as a botanical garden has its origin in Henry Harold Pearson, a botanist from Cambridge University who came to the Cape Colony in 1903 to take up a position as professor in the newly created chair of botany at the South African College (the predecessor of today's University of Cape Town.)

In February 1911, Pearson visited the area of Kirstenbosch by cart with Neville Stuart Pillans to assess its suitability as a site for a botanical garden.

The Compton Herbarium, which conducts research activities including identifying and describing new species, is located at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

The 2008 exhibit was the 16th designed by David Davidson and Raymond Hudson, which established South Africa "as a front runner in horticulture".

[9] The exhibit was entitled The Heat is On and featured an Aloidendron dichotomum (also known as a quiver tree), which is being studied and monitored as an indicator of climate change.

Dead and dying quiver trees were displayed alongside live specimens to illustrate how warmer temperatures have forced the species to migrate southwards.

One of the trails, up a ravine called Skeleton Gorge, is an easy and popular route to the summit of Table Mountain.

On the slopes above the cultivated parts of the garden, a contour path leads through forests to Constantia Nek to the south.

The same contour path can be followed to the north for quite a distance, and it takes the hiker past the Rhodes Memorial to the slopes of Devil's Peak and beyond.

Many well-known local artists such as the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Johnny Clegg, The Parlotones, Ike Moriz, Arno Carstens, Goldfish, and Mango Groove have performed here.

In recent years, several international performers such as Michael Bublé and Cliff Richard have also held concerts on the Kirstenbosch stage.