La Rochelle Botanical Gardens

La Rochelle at Penhalonga was the home of Sir Stephen and Lady Virginia Courtauld, who moved to what was then Southern Rhodesia after the war and laid out gardens around the house, planting a large collection of tropical and subtropical species over about thirty-five hectares. They left the property to the nation, and it has run since as a botanical garden with the house open, though funding has been intermittent and maintenance uneven.

Highlights

• The plant collection - tropical and subtropical species over some thirty-five hectares.
• The Courtauld house - the residence at the centre of the grounds.
• The tree specimens - mature planting from the mid twentieth century.
• The Penhalonga setting - the valley north of Mutare the garden sits in.

When to go

April to October is the dry season. Spring flowering is the best time for the collection. The garden closes on some days and hours vary.

Practical notes

Maintenance has been intermittent and parts of the collection are neglected. Labelling is patchy. Opening hours are unreliable and worth confirming.

Nearby

Mutare is south, and the Bvumba are southeast.