When I was a student at Natal University Howard College back in the 1990's we had a Jacaranda tree in a prominent spot next to one of the buildings. The legend was that if you hadn't started studying for your finals by the time it started flowering then you would fail.
The history of Pretoria has always been close to my heart. My Granny who raised me came up to Pretoria from Cape Town with her parents and siblings and settled in Ceres st Daspoort.. Her Dad my Great-grandfather was the local Baker at the turn of the Century.. I was raised in the house in Ceres st and eventually owned the house.. I know so much history around that area.. Thanks for this lovely video on the Jacaranda's
A professional reply ONLY refers the viewer to the episodes you mentioned. The only episode that was on my screen was no. 50, therefor I thought it was biased. I hope your future episodes will be successful. All of the best.
Fun fact : in the right wind conditions, a jacaranda seed can float / rotate from the 53rd floor of Ponte City, all the way to Ellis Park stadium. Done it in 1979.
@@JustOfftheHighway, it was a clear day, light wind in the right direction, was just a teenager with a new toy... A pair of binoculars. And we threw quite a handful out.
The school where the first jacarandas were planted is Sunnyside Primary School. I was there in the sixties. We used to play marbles under those beautiful jacarandas. We lived at a block of flats at the corner of Bourke & Jorisson Streets in Sunnyside.
In Zimbabwe October is jacaranda month, 3 to 4 weeks earlier than in Gauteng and further afield- like Plett. I grew up placing the blossoms as delicate gnome hats on all my fingers.
I used to live in a smallish block of flats in Kotze Street in Sunnyside. Back in the days we could buy shwarma or Bimbos burgers at midnight, no threat of robbery or violence..... Unless you messed with the wrong crowd at Jacqueline's or some of the other dives.
My mind also goes far back. Fond memories of a beautiful, clean and safe city. Was a Pretoria citizen from 1958 to 2000. Started working at the Wheatboard when I was 18 years old!
Another lekker history story. I could feel my sinuses closing up just watching. Jacs are the only blooming trees I despise, get really hectic allergic type reaction during flower time! I was on a Kibbutz, run by South American jews, in the far north of Israel in 1995 for a few months. They had a few of the darned things growing there too. I mentioned the name of them to the head groundskeeper who was amazed that I knew of the Jacaranda.
A book titled, "Sisters of the South", has a dedicated chapter on the history of jacaranda trees. There is a white jacaranda in Johannesburg, on Tyrwhitt Avenue. They lift my soul as U drive around with the colours of red and yellow flowering trees adjoining and clashing bougainvillaes entwined in them in ceruse pink, purple. Love, love, love them. Indian summer colours!!!
Al, I have seen an interesting Jacaranda in the park in Norwood, Johannesburg. It had both purple and white flowers on the same tree. I've seen those in Herbert Baker Street. Perhaps, maybe next "Jacaranda time", you could do something on the Johannesburg Jacarandas. There are spectacular streets where the Jacarandas from both side of the street meet overhead, as you probably know. When I worked as a tourist guide, I actually dud a few "Jacaranda Tours" for foreign tourist. Be well, love your videos.
Thanks very much for adding that detail and for your encouraging words. Coincidentally, I was in a corporate building in Rosebank this week and from a few floors up, the scale of jacarandas becomes apparent. Beautiful.
My grandmother grew up in Pretoria in the 1880s. She told a slightly different story. According to her, Oom Paul went to Brasil and was so taken with the tree that he brought some seeds back. Each school child was given a sapling which they had to plant. She would point out a tree near the Central Methodist Church proclaiming that it was the one she had planted.
It's exactly this kind of story that I would like "Just off the Highway" to preserve. Your Gran was there. An eyewitness to events. I've no doubt there is more truth in what she remembered than in many history books.
It must be great driving amongst those jacaranda tree's. Gauteng must be full of jacaranda tree's here in Springs when jacaranda have bloom their are just amazing.
Baie dankie! Ek geniet dit baie om die ou Toyota te bestuur. Ek weet eintlik baie min van Pretoria, maar my plan met "Just off the Highway" is om meer van die land te leer en ervaar.
Very nice. I am born and bred in Pretoria and just love this video. I make videos myself, but I'm still improving. Your other videos are really entertaining too. Thanks a lot. You inspire me to make more, better videos too #KonradSAguide
I am a little disappointed, hoped to see more purple Jacarandas lining the streets like in Hatfield, Pretoria. I have stayed in Pretoria from 1958 to 2000, and in one street in Hatfield, the Jacarandas lining the street, were so tall, the branches of the trees on each side would meet in the middle. Looking up you would see a purple sky above you.
@@JustOfftheHighway For sure a compliment. I think we do not realise the amount of research done for one program. Visiting graveyards after 'unearthing' the facts is much appreciated. But please leave your spade at home . . .🤣🤣🤣
For audience retention, lose the intro video. It’s cute, but it will damage your audience retention rate :) great video otherwise, glad to see other South Africans on here.
Another item on the Jacranda story is that the communist minister Ronnie Kasrils spent much of his time as water affairs minister campaigning to annihilate Jacaranda’s from the urban landscape. Water supply and river systems in Pretoria are contaminated and collapsing, having been neglected for more than three decades. It is noteworthy that in Australia, a water stressed country, Jacarandas continue to be planted in public spaces and perhaps South Africa’s Jacarandas will live long enough to see the dawn of a different dispensation which understands that the Jacarandas have had no serious impact on water sources.
Correct, urban water supply come from dams (albeit not directly), and dams water supply comes from rivers. So, even though Jacaranda's are relatively "thirsty" trees, those lining the streets of cities do not in any way prevent water flowing to rivers, or rivers flowing into dams, meaning the campaign years ago to chop down Pretoria's Jacarandas on account of water-shortages was ridiculous. Personally I always suspected the real reason was political more than anything else, but no point going into that.... As you pointed out, Australia is waaaay more anal than this country regarding alien flora and fauna, and light years ahead of us in terms of water resource management, and what does them having no problem with Jacaranda's tell us about the idiots who run this country?
@@Reasonablyneutral I'm not an environmental expert, but it does have more than a hint of spite and politics. The current neglect of trees, parks, rivers and anything natural in the inner city region is sad. Thanks for adding more info about Jacarandas.
Why do you avoid the fact that Pretoria was the capital of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek? Tell the story of how greed for gold for the British Empire led to the Anglo-Boer War where 28000 Boer women and children died.
If you had bothered to watch more than a fraction of one episode, before venting, you might have known that I have raised those issues (and more) in several episodes, especially the ones that reference Anglo-Boer wars like episodes 10, 16, 31, 38, 40, 41 and 46/7. And never mind the fact that the whole point of a 10 minute episode is to give RUclips viewers a taste of a topic (also re-stated in several episodes). Instead, rather dump your late night aggression in my comments section because I haven't provided a comprehensive history of Southern Africa to your satisfaction. So here's my question for you. Why don't you start your own channel? It's easy! all you have to do is write, film, edit, produce, post, advertise and then sit back and wait for the lovely comments.
Are you aware that English speaking people were interned in a concentration camp at Pretoria Girl's high for the duration of the war? My grandmmother told of the hardships and deaths in these camps and how she crept out at night, under fear of being shot, to steal peaches to bring back to the camp. BTW half my family fought for the Brits and the other half for the Boers. The two halves never met before my father's death in 1996, 100 years on. It;s past time to move on we have more meaningful modern problems to deal with.
@@chrisrowse4598 From whatever perspective, these stories are valuable. It's important that we keep them alive and share them, because they are needed.
I grew up in Pretoria - thanks for the memories.
My pleasure. I'm glad the episode sparked a good association.
Thank you! Thanks for unearthing these great stories.
It's my privilege to bring them to RUclips viewers. Thanks for your generous support. It really makes a difference.
Thanks for showing the history of the Jacaranda trees in the Pretoria area.
Absolute pleasure! It was an opportunity to learn about them myself. I'm glad you enjoyed the episode.
Thank you so much for your varied and most interesting videos, Al Prodgers. Much success to you going forward.
Thanks! I appreciate your kind words of encouragement.
When I was a student at Natal University Howard College back in the 1990's we had a Jacaranda tree in a prominent spot next to one of the buildings. The legend was that if you hadn't started studying for your finals by the time it started flowering then you would fail.
Yep, at UCT, the ivy on upper campus fulfilled the same function.
Jakarandas will live on for ever; if not in Pretoria, you’ll find them anywhere else in the world.
The history of Pretoria has always been close to my heart.
My Granny who raised me came up to Pretoria from Cape Town with her parents and siblings and settled in Ceres st Daspoort..
Her Dad my Great-grandfather was the local Baker at the turn of the Century..
I was raised in the house in Ceres st and eventually owned the house.. I know so much history around that area..
Thanks for this lovely video on the Jacaranda's
Thanks for sharing that personal history. I'm glad this episode rekindled a memory.
A professional reply ONLY refers the viewer to the episodes you mentioned. The only episode that was on my screen was no. 50, therefor I thought it was biased. I hope your future episodes will be successful. All of the best.
@@jeremefourie4898 Huh?
These stories are really interesting. I forward them to my family in America to remind them of home - their roots.
That makes my day! Thank you for sharing these stories.
Fun fact : in the right wind conditions, a jacaranda seed can float / rotate from the 53rd floor of Ponte City, all the way to Ellis Park stadium. Done it in 1979.
How on earth did you track it? Thanks for adding that amazing detail!
@@JustOfftheHighway, it was a clear day, light wind in the right direction, was just a teenager with a new toy... A pair of binoculars. And we threw quite a handful out.
Groovy!😂😂😂❤❤
Hi Al, I have seen the White Jacarandas in Groenkloof. Took some photos. Thank you for the clip.
Pleasure! I'm glad you enjoyed the episode.
The school where the first jacarandas were planted is Sunnyside Primary School. I was there in the sixties. We used to play marbles under those beautiful jacarandas. We lived at a block of flats at the corner of Bourke & Jorisson Streets in Sunnyside.
Thanks, yes, we did request permission, but unfortunately no luck. Did you attend that school? I hope the episode brought back good memories.
@JustOfftheHighway Yes. That was the school I attended.
@@eleanorjames1118 Okay. Gotcha.
Thank you for this.
My pleasure. I'm glad you enjoyed the episode.
Thanks
That's brilliant! Thanks for your generous support and help keeping us on the road.
This was a really beautiful story. Thank you for sharing this historic treasure.
Thanks very much for your encouragement. Have subscribed to your channel. Perhaps take a flight around the horse on Naval Hill?
@ well, a new mission it is. Thank you so much.
Nice one! - pity we've not had enough rain yet for the Jacs to bloom properly this year.
I hadn't thought of that. Makes sense. Thanks!
In Zimbabwe October is jacaranda month, 3 to 4 weeks earlier than in Gauteng and further afield- like Plett. I grew up placing the blossoms as delicate gnome hats on all my fingers.
Beautiful memory. Thank you!
I used to live in a smallish block of flats in Kotze Street in Sunnyside. Back in the days we could buy shwarma or Bimbos burgers at midnight, no threat of robbery or violence..... Unless you messed with the wrong crowd at Jacqueline's or some of the other dives.
I remember going to the movies in Sunnyside, but I wouldn't try that today, I'm afraid. Thanks for the memories of Bimbo's.
My mind also goes far back. Fond memories of a beautiful, clean and safe city. Was a Pretoria citizen from 1958 to 2000. Started working at the Wheatboard when I was 18 years old!
@@mariekritzinger1643 Thanks for sharing.
Thankyou 😊
My pleasure. I'm glad you enjoyed the episode.
Another lekker history story. I could feel my sinuses closing up just watching. Jacs are the only blooming trees I despise, get really hectic allergic type reaction during flower time! I was on a Kibbutz, run by South American jews, in the far north of Israel in 1995 for a few months. They had a few of the darned things growing there too. I mentioned the name of them to the head groundskeeper who was amazed that I knew of the Jacaranda.
😆 I was wondering if they make folks allergic. I went tramping around under them for a couple of days and luckily they didn't affect me.
Love your story and your hatred for the purple tree. 😂💜
Take an Allergex before hitting the sack😉
Up till the late '60s, the nectar caused car paint to blister. The trees were not that popular as parking shade.
A book titled, "Sisters of the South", has a dedicated chapter on the history of jacaranda trees. There is a white jacaranda in Johannesburg, on Tyrwhitt Avenue. They lift my soul as U drive around with the colours of red and yellow flowering trees adjoining and clashing bougainvillaes entwined in them in ceruse pink, purple. Love, love, love them. Indian summer colours!!!
Beautiful description. Thank you! I think many people (including me) don't register the white Jacarandas, because we expect them to be purple.
Al, I have seen an interesting Jacaranda in the park in Norwood, Johannesburg.
It had both purple and white flowers on the same tree.
I've seen those in Herbert Baker Street.
Perhaps, maybe next "Jacaranda time", you could do something on the Johannesburg Jacarandas.
There are spectacular streets where the Jacarandas from both side of the street meet overhead, as you probably know.
When I worked as a tourist guide, I actually dud a few "Jacaranda Tours" for foreign tourist.
Be well, love your videos.
Thanks very much for adding that detail and for your encouraging words. Coincidentally, I was in a corporate building in Rosebank this week and from a few floors up, the scale of jacarandas becomes apparent. Beautiful.
They sure are the prettiest invaders ever❤❤❤
Absolutely!
My grandmother grew up in Pretoria in the 1880s. She told a slightly different story.
According to her, Oom Paul went to Brasil and was so taken with the tree that he brought some seeds back. Each school child was given a sapling which they had to plant. She would point out a tree near the Central Methodist Church proclaiming that it was the one she had planted.
It's exactly this kind of story that I would like "Just off the Highway" to preserve. Your Gran was there. An eyewitness to events. I've no doubt there is more truth in what she remembered than in many history books.
Intro was funny Mr Swanepoel....
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
A very good documentary. I enjoyed it. Get a Dowser to locate the burial site of the Jim.
Thank you. Now that's an idea! I never thought of that. Wouldn't even know how to find one though.
It must be great driving amongst those jacaranda tree's. Gauteng must be full of jacaranda tree's here in Springs when jacaranda have bloom their are just amazing.
They really are special. Didn't know that Springs has them too. Thanks!
@@JustOfftheHighway in Nigel road they are a highlight
Glenhazel in JHB have avenues of them as does Parktown on the Ridge also in Jhb
Next year, check out the streets of Waterkloof! 😍 endless canopies of purple.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Ek hou van jou Toyota. Kennelik is jy n pretorianer. Nes ek. Mooi loop ,ek geniet jou videos.
Baie dankie! Ek geniet dit baie om die ou Toyota te bestuur. Ek weet eintlik baie min van Pretoria, maar my plan met "Just off the Highway" is om meer van die land te leer en ervaar.
Do you think they will still be there in 100 years?
Unless people mess it up, I think they will.
Very nice. I am born and bred in Pretoria and just love this video. I make videos myself, but I'm still improving. Your other videos are really entertaining too. Thanks a lot. You inspire me to make more, better videos too
#KonradSAguide
Thanks very much for your kind comment. I've subscribed. Let's spread SA stories far and wide.
@JustOfftheHighway I can't agree more. Thanks for your support. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your interesting content
I am a little disappointed, hoped to see more purple Jacarandas lining the streets like in Hatfield, Pretoria. I have stayed in Pretoria from 1958 to 2000, and in one street in Hatfield, the Jacarandas lining the street, were so tall, the branches of the trees on each side would meet in the middle. Looking up you would see a purple sky above you.
I have been told that the lack of rain has meant the flowers are not so spectacular this year.
Where did the Jacarandas of Salisbury come from ?
I found this for you. facebook.com/watch/?v=2854472067979188
Remember the yellow ones in Pta north.
I had no idea there are yellow ones. Thanks for adding that detail.
Al, your Toyota Corona Mark 2 fits your research.
Hi, I'm going to take that as a compliment. Thanks. I keep going like a classic Toyota, but not as fast as I would like. :-)
@@JustOfftheHighway For sure a compliment. I think we do not realise the amount of research done for one program. Visiting graveyards after 'unearthing' the facts is much appreciated. But please leave your spade at home . . .🤣🤣🤣
@@peetschabort1080 Thanks! I'll definitely do that. The corona only has a small boot. 😁
For audience retention, lose the intro video. It’s cute, but it will damage your audience retention rate :) great video otherwise, glad to see other South Africans on here.
Thanks for that unsolicited advice Romulus. It's cute, but I'm quite comfortable with what I'm doing.
Another item on the Jacranda story is that the communist minister Ronnie Kasrils spent much of his time as water affairs minister campaigning to annihilate Jacaranda’s from the urban landscape. Water supply and river systems in Pretoria are contaminated and collapsing, having been neglected for more than three decades. It is noteworthy that in Australia, a water stressed country, Jacarandas continue to be planted in public spaces and perhaps South Africa’s Jacarandas will live long enough to see the dawn of a different dispensation which understands that the Jacarandas have had no serious impact on water sources.
The neglect is evident in the streets and river. Thanks for providing that interesting detail about Jacarandas in Australia.
Correct, urban water supply come from dams (albeit not directly), and dams water supply comes from rivers.
So, even though Jacaranda's are relatively "thirsty" trees, those lining the streets of cities do not in any way prevent water flowing to rivers, or rivers flowing into dams, meaning the campaign years ago to chop down Pretoria's Jacarandas on account of water-shortages was ridiculous. Personally I always suspected the real reason was political more than anything else, but no point going into that....
As you pointed out, Australia is waaaay more anal than this country regarding alien flora and fauna, and light years ahead of us in terms of water resource management, and what does them having no problem with Jacaranda's tell us about the idiots who run this country?
@@Reasonablyneutral I'm not an environmental expert, but it does have more than a hint of spite and politics. The current neglect of trees, parks, rivers and anything natural in the inner city region is sad. Thanks for adding more info about Jacarandas.
Jacaranda meaning? Vrolike lied.
Kensington also boasts with lots of them
That's a lovely thought. Thanks!
are you aware there are two jacaranda jim, the first one being >> F Walton Jameson whp lived in kimberley and was a engineer
Why do you avoid the fact that Pretoria was the capital of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek? Tell the story of how greed for gold for the British Empire led to the Anglo-Boer War where 28000 Boer women and children died.
If you had bothered to watch more than a fraction of one episode, before venting, you might have known that I have raised those issues (and more) in several episodes, especially the ones that reference Anglo-Boer wars like episodes 10, 16, 31, 38, 40, 41 and 46/7. And never mind the fact that the whole point of a 10 minute episode is to give RUclips viewers a taste of a topic (also re-stated in several episodes). Instead, rather dump your late night aggression in my comments section because I haven't provided a comprehensive history of Southern Africa to your satisfaction. So here's my question for you. Why don't you start your own channel? It's easy! all you have to do is write, film, edit, produce, post, advertise and then sit back and wait for the lovely comments.
Are you aware that English speaking people were interned in a concentration camp at Pretoria Girl's high for the duration of the war? My grandmmother told of the hardships and deaths in these camps and how she crept out at night, under fear of being shot, to steal peaches to bring back to the camp. BTW half my family fought for the Brits and the other half for the Boers. The two halves never met before my father's death in 1996, 100 years on. It;s past time to move on we have more meaningful modern problems to deal with.
@@chrisrowse4598 From whatever perspective, these stories are valuable. It's important that we keep them alive and share them, because they are needed.
Tswene! For the little apie.