A whimsical fairytale world made entirely by hand

Tiny towns, gnome gardens, a sleeping dragon & tours for R100

Last updated: Thursday, 4 December 2025

This magic garden feels like you’re in Narnia - only stranger, more intimate and entirely handcrafted. Gnomes leave footprints in the sand, trolls grumble from the shadows, and a life-size dragon exhales slow clouds of smoke across the Koornlands River.

Hidden Dragon Magic Garden isn’t just whimsical; it’s immersive, theatrical and almost overwhelmingly detailed, as if you’ve stepped through the looking glass into a fairytale.

There’s nothing quite like it. Image: Hidden Dragon Magic Garden

A FAIRYTALE WORLD BUILT BY HAND

“When we become adults, we forget that we have an inner child that always stays with us,” says Celeste Coetzee, the artist behind the garden in Swellendam. “My goal was to create something that makes us aware of the importance of our inner child.”

Celeste built every sculpture, character, effect and tiny detail by hand. Like the dragon’s growl, the dwarves mining in the dark, the trolls hiding behind bushes, and the township shebeen drifting between trees.

One Google review describes it perfectly: “This garden is next-level, mind-bogglingly amazing and utterly magical. Every inch of the lush garden is covered in secrets and surprises. An enormous, life-sized dragon blowing smoke into the heavens. An animatronic teapot pouring tea into teacups. Gnomes and trolls and bridges and tiny villages for mice.”

The garden is inspired by myths, folklore, nursery rhymes, tales of old and fantastical whimsy. Image: Hidden Dragon Magic Garden

MADE FOR KIDS AND ADULTS

Everything here is layered and deliberately designed to reward slow walkers who notice the details along the Wonderland Trail, a 30-45 minute walk.

Near the Hansel and Gretel candy house, a witch keeps watch from the trees, eyeing anyone bold enough to nibble on the “sugared” walls. A few steps later, an archaeological dig tells the tale of two gnomes who moved from Europe to Swellendam, their tiny tools scattered around tunnels carved into the earth.

You’ll have to look twice to make sure you don’t miss all the details. Image: Hidden Dragon Magic Garden

In the branches above, Bird Town hangs in a cluster of wooden houses with its own Pik’nPit supermarket and neighbourhoods like Hoephoephoek, Dikkopville and Hamerkophoek.

While the scenes at the Wonderland Trail will delight children, adults are the ones who catch the satire: Bird suburbs tower over mice who hustle below and wealthy woodland creatures are juxtaposed against working-class ones.

And around the bend, visitors confront the guardian of the trail… a massive life-size stone dragon that took a year and seven lorry loads of rock to build. It growls, exhales smoke and commands the riverbank with the kind of presence that makes everyone stand still.

Just like in Snow White, every morning, the dwarfs leave their cottage and march to the mine where they dig for diamonds. Image: Hidden Dragon Magic Garden

GUIDED TOURS FOR R100

With so many scenes tucked between trees and inside burrows, it’s easy to miss half the magic on a quick walk.

That’s why the garden offers both guided tours and adult-only audio tours, each designed to reveal the stories hidden in the smallest details. Like how although no gnome is seen, visitors can hear its sound, see its footprints, and watch its shadow flit across the gnome mine as it works.

Tours run on weekends, during school holidays, and public holidays, with sessions starting at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. Each tour lasts between 60 and 90 minutes and costs R100 per person (babies in strollers join for free).

Booking ahead is recommended since groups are intentionally kept small to preserve the sense of intimacy and discovery. Adults are also welcome to purchase an audio tour that allows you to explore at your own pace from 11am to 4pm.

Audio tours are not available for children. Image: Hidden Dragon Magic Garden

STORYBOOK BIRTHDAY VENUE

For those wanting to celebrate inside the fairytale, Hidden Dragon has a dedicated party venue along the riverbank. Its space has a long built-in table and faux grass setting that seats up to 14 people comfortably.

It’s fenced off from the rest of the garden to keep gatherings private and intimate, whether it’s a birthday, farewell party, get-together or any themed celebration for those who prefer a little whimsy with their champagne (note: the venue is not licensed for alcohol, but you can bring your own for events).

The venue is available for three-hour bookings at R600, with the option to extend at R300 per additional hour. Party groups can add the Wonderland Trail at a reduced rate of R70 per person, and there’s also the option of adding a guided art activity.

The birthday venue is a quiet corner with its own sense of magic for anyone wanting to step out of the ordinary for an afternoon. Image: Hidden Dragon Magic Garden

EXPLORE HIDDEN DRAGON MAGIC GARDEN

Hidden Dragon is open: Weekends, school & public holidays; 11am to 4pm
Find it: 17 Rhenius Street, Swellendam
Book: Via Hidden Dragon’s website
Contact on: 073 828 8225, bookings@hiddendragon.co.za

By Khadeeja Adams

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