Have The Last Word

Frogs in a garden are a clear indication of a sound and healthy environment; in fact the more creepy crawlies in your garden the better.
Apart from the familiar resident insect life in its garden, The Constantia in Spaanschemat River Road, Constantia can boast a colony of western leopard toads (Amietophrynus pantherinus) hidden in the greenery and foliage around the swimming pool. This large toad with an attractive dorsal pattern of chocolate-brown patches on a bright-yellow background is endemic to the south-western Cape and is found primarily in the Cape Flats and Cape Peninsula, as well as in the Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay, Kleinmond region, and the Stanford, Gaansbaai, Pearly Beach district.

Being dependent on wetlands it’s not surprising these toads have made their home in the swimming-pool area of this luxury, boutique hotel. They, however, spend most of their time out of water, preferring to forage in the garden of this five-star establishment. They clearly have impeccable taste when it comes to stately, gracious accommodation!
Threatened by development and environmental damage, however, the western leopard toad has been categorised ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), since 2001. Road kill, pollutants and artificial pools with vertical walls, such as fish ponds and swimming pools are also among the hazards facing this and many other ‘garden friends’.

“It’s probably the assortment of indigenous plants we have at The Constantia that keeps this little colony here,” says Judy Maconachie, who tends the garden. She is a member of the Constantia Valley Gardening Club and spends a good deal of her days ensuring the gardens at The Constantia, The Bishops’ Court, The Long Beach and The Franschhoek are kept at the standard expected of The Last Word properties.
Many international visitors prefer to take the well-travelled roads to South Africa’s various game parks and reserves and although The Constantia is unable to boast the big five, it has its own small five with the western leopard toad and chameleons on the list.
“We have put out a challenge to guests visiting the properties in The Last Word collection to come up with an inventory of garden residents of their own,” adds Judy.