Its no surprise maybe that Cape Town, especially in Rosebank, Rondebosch and Southern Suburbs is thick with starry Blue Plumbago bushes, maybe plants have longer memories than Capetonians. Blue Plumbagos where Rhodes’s favourite flower. The incredible esteem in which this controversial man was held is reflected in the fact that for many years after his death – 26 March 1902 – thousands of Capetonians would religiously commemorate the occasion by wearing a sprig of plumbago on their lapels. Rhodes lavished in the huge rose garden at the back of Groote Schuur, surrounding the rose garden were large banks of hedges bearing Blue Plumgago flowers
Rhodes Day Memorial service held at Rhodes Memorial, Cape Town 1956.
Cape Times Service Photographer Mr Rex Pennington, a Rhodes Scholar, and a master at Bishops, delivering the address at the annual Rhodes Day memorial service held at the Rhodes Memorial, Groote Schuur. University of Cape Town. Libraries 26/03/1956 black-and-white photographs Still image Image/jpeg islandora:15267 S16C Memorials Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa) Western Cape (South Africa) Copyright held by Independent 26/03/1956 5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902)
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodes_Memorial https://www.places.co.za/html/grootteschuur.html