Succulent Garden visits on the Algarve

Wednesday 2nd October 2019 

October is not usually a great time to visit gardens, after a long hot and very dry summer any plants have to be really tough to survive. Perhaps it is asking too much that we also want plants to look good all through the year ?  Succulents have increased in popularity and the opportunity to see a variety of them planted alongside other tough mediterranean plants was offered to members.

MGAP President, Marilyn Medina Ribeiro, is a professional garden designer and took us to see one of her gardens which was totally replanted to replace traditional water hungry lawns and shrubs with succulents and drought tolerant plants. 

The first garden we visited was in Quinta do Lago and contained a diverse collection of mature succulents and cacti, combined with other low- and no-water plants including proteas, grevilleas, leucadendrons, and an area of alternative lawn composed of thyme, dymondia, phyla and achillea. A useful example of composing a garden with succulents, and how they can work together with other plants and hard landscape elements. 

We next visited the private garden of Margaret Jackson in nearby Ancão. She has a garden full of wonderful, sometimes unusual plants including many succulents. Some of you will know her garden, but like all gardens, it evolves constantly.  Margaret kindly offered refreshments to our group and visitors were free to wander at will round this interesting collection of plants, there are no lawns but much to see. Margaret and Marilyn were available to answer questions and Margaret also showed her ´working diary´ from the time of the construction of the garden.  Both of these gardens showed us that it is possible to have a beautiful garden in October. 

Midsummer Brunch 23 June 2019

Once again this year, we met in midsummer, the gardening siesta time, to enjoy a relaxing brunch together in the June heat. This time, we were lucky enough to spend it at Ceratonia herbal gardens, hosted by Daisy Mae, so it was particularly relaxing. 

Before we settled down to enjoy the delicious food that everyone had brought, Burford Hurry, our former president, gave us a talk on “A Gardening Caper or Two – my thirty-odd years of gardening in Loulé”, a light-hearted talk on gardening events in his life here. This was particularly apt, as Burford grows capers that are the envy of many others who have failed miserably. However, the invitation to Burford to give a talk was also partly a ruse to make sure he came to the brunch, as we wanted to present him with a gift from MGAP members in appreciation of his five years of presidency and everything he did to support MGAP and us members during that time. We were also lucky to be able to give him two beautiful ceramic tea-light table lamps made by Tim Tomlinson´s daughter Chrissy using flowers pressed into and onto the clay, as well as a painting of local wild flowers by MGAP member Sue Lis.

Burford and his Presentation Gifts

After a pause for food and conversation, Daisy took those who wanted on a tour of the herbal garden. Clearly, this garden was not the normal brown dormant summer garden as it is a productive garden for her medicinal herbs and therefore much of it is irrigated. It was worth braving the heat to see the huge range of herbs, inhale their scent and learn about their medicinal properties. 

Thank you to Daisy for making us so welcome and providing us with copious amounts of herbal tea.

North Garden 

Tessa Hearn

Ceratonia Gardens http://daisymaeherbalist.weebly.com/

Garden Visits Spring 2019 – 4: Lagos May 16

Our final visit of the season was to Tim Tomlinson´s wonderful garden overlooking the sea outside Lagos. We were directed on our arrival to the rooftop of the house to admire the view and get a feeling for the location of the house and garden. 

Then we went back down, past the Queen of the Night cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) which was, of course, sadly not in bloom, through the house to the garden. There are houses close by all around Tim´s house, but once you´re in the garden you are not aware of them. It is a small island. 

Acacia baileyana 

Until about eight years ago, Tim´s garden was watered, until he was told that none of the plants in the garden needed watering, so he stopped and hasn´t watered since. And the garden is flourishing. He has a wide range of plants – lavenders, rosemaries, gazanias, teucrium, a large spreading juniper, pelargoniums, variegated ivy, osteospermums, a yucca, an agave, succulents and cacti, and much besides, all growing happily together. 

The yellow gazanias have been left to their own devices on an open area and have colonised it. A wonderful Acacia baileyana dominates one corner, although Tim is afraid it may be dying so is taking cuttings. Throughout the garden, stones have been used as edging to the gravel paths and borders, low walls and stepping stones, and some from the beach standing as garden sculptures. This is the more remarkable as Tim says that originally there were no stones at all in the garden, just sand.

Sculptures and other artwork feature not only throughout the garden but especially in a concrete gazebo or summer house by the pool, flanked by a bougainvillea and a frangipani - which was just budding at the time - on one side and a Bird of Paradise plant (Strelitzia) on the other. Here the shelf and walls were covered in artwork as well as dried plants and driftwood from the beach.

Tim was a wonderful host, not only talking about the plants and the garden but also regaling us with stories about the house, his family and more besides. While we were sitting chatting and enjoying the drinks and goodies that Tim had thoughtfully provided, we admired the ceramic tea-light lamps on the table. These delicate lamps were made by Tim´s daughter and decorated with flowers using a technique that she had developed. We liked them so much that we bought two to give to Burford Hurry, our outgoing President.

Thank you, Tim, for welcoming us so warmly to your delightful garden and house.

Tessa Hearn

Garden Visits Spring 2019 – 3: Monchique

On May 7th, we visited a trio of gardens in Monchique. The gardens themselves were wonderful and worth visiting, but we also wanted to see how the fire in 2018 had affected the gardens and how they were recuperating. Although we had seen the fire on television and the smoke from afar, being there and seeing the aftermath and listening to the stories of evacuation and seeing the charred areas it passed through, brings home the horror and terror of it, as well as the destruction.

Diana´s Garden 

The first of the three we visited was Cinco Terraços, Diane and Brian Wren´s garden on five terraces, as the name suggests. This mature garden holds a host of wonders, with shrubs, perennials, trees and fruit trees all sharing space on the crowded narrow terraces. I remember in particular three “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” shrubs (Brunfelsia pauciflora) and a Marmalade Bush (Streptosolen jamesonii) in full bloom. 

Streptosolen jamesonii

We followed the winding path, passing and - some of us jealously, living as we do on the chalky barrocal - admiring beautiful rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias as well as Mexican Orange (Choisya ternata), and a beautiful purple rose, to the bottom where Bryan has his propagation and nursery area as well as space for unusual fruit trees. We were amazed, too, at the size some of the plants had reached: a whole wall was covered in the grey succulent Graptoveria, and above it an Acanthus in full bloom spread over a wide area.  

In contrast, a small blue and white Convulvulus tricolor peeped out from the verdant growth. The garden itself was largely spared from the fire, apart from a hedge down one side and Bryan´s beds at the bottom, including some unusual fruit trees, which were destroyed. Bryan discovered that the thick layer of wood chippings he had applied as mulch were a wonderful conduit for fire. Much had been replaced, apart from the hedge. Some people had brought plants to contribute to a new hedge, so in a year or two it should start to recover.

We then went on to Ian Wilson´s garden nearby. Ian had lost, amongst other things, his raised beds and a woodshed, and an aluminium ladder leaning against it had melted to liquid in the heat. He had replaced almost everything, so he once again had productive raised beds and more irises. He too had lost his hedge, but most of all he was suffering from the lack of a windbreak now that the trees around had gone. Where before he had had shelter and privacy he now had a strong north wind and exposure. He had planted a hedge but really needed some mature trees. We saw in the rest of the garden how sparks had blown in and destroyed small areas or parts of trees but left neighbouring trees intact. Some were regrowing well, others were suffering more. One area that showed no signs of damage was the pond! The Japanese irises (Iris ensata) were thriving too, to such an extent that Ian was persuading us to take as many as we could. Ian also gave some plants and cuttings from his impressively pink and grey Salvia canariensis.

Salvia canariensis

Finally, we visited the garden with the largest area and most devastation: Maddy Grossey´s garden had been surrounded and hidden by hundreds of trees. Now these were gone, her house was visible from the road below and all around. The whole hillside to the side of her house and below and opposite were bare. Maddy had already started a massive replanting programme here, using mainly carob (Ceratonia siliqua) and strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), but the slope by the house she was going to replant with various plants and shrubs for colour. 

Arbutus unedo 

A new line of aloes had been planted to mark the border of her land and that belonging to the hotel until she decided what to put there more permanently. She too was missing the windbreak and several of her shrubs were showing signs of wind damage, so she was happy that some trees and shrubs were regrowing. Within the garden, damage had been patchy, as in Ian´s. Fire had licked through some areas, burning between trees, catching part of some, missing others, destroying some areas, leaving neighbouring ones untouched. There had been some beneficiaries of the newly opened spaces, though – Maddy said the wild flowers in spring had been amazing, and when we were there, whole areas were carpeted in nasturtiums. Nature always fills a vacuum. Around the house, the garden was full of colour and it would have been difficult to point out where the fire had hit. Nevertheless, some people had brought plants to fill the gaps, to which Ian had added some Japanese irises. 

For all the devastation, it was good to see that the houses themselves were still standing and the people living in them unharmed, as were their animals, thanks to the bombeiros and in one case to some heroic driving to the house in the midst of the fire.

Many thanks to Diane and Bryan, Ian and Diane and Maddy for making us so welcome and taking time to show us their gardens.

Tessa Hearn

Garden Visits Spring 2019 – 2: Quinta da Bouganvillea, Silves

May 1st and another public holiday for the second Garden Open event of Spring 2019. 

Farmhouse Museum 

Yolande de Becker and Prof. Willem Beets invited MGAP members to visit their farm near to Silves. They provided guided tours of their small museum of traditional farming implements housed in a traditional house over 100 years old with many original features. 

Willem kindly gave everyone a talk on plant breeding with particular reference to European rose cultivars and this was followed by visits to their collections of hydrangeas, bamboos and papaya. The star of the day was undoubtedly the display garden areas with more than 2000 roses of 70 different varieties in bloom. 

Our visit in May was timed to perfection to see the peak flowering time for the shrub and climbing roses, the floribunda and tea roses and the imported bush roses. Visitors were allowed to cut their own bouquet of roses in return for a small contribution. 

Cool drinks were available and our group were made to feel very welcome to this very special demonstration on a charming small farm.  Group visits are welcome on making an appointment. 

Garden Visits Spring 2019 – 1: Estoi and Santa Barbara de Nexe

 Dia da Liberdade - 25 April  was chosen for the first of the Spring Garden visits.

There is nothing more inspirational in gardening than visiting gardens and seeing what other people are doing and what plants they are growing, and talking to the gardeners themselves. This year we were lucky enough to be invited to visit several private gardens in the Algarve in three different soil areas: littoral (coast, sand), barrocal (inland, clay and chalk) and serra (acid). This allowed us to see what gardeners could grow and what difficulties and successes they had in these very different conditions.

Towards the end of April, we visited two gardens in the East of the Algarve, one near Estoi and the other near Santa Barbara de Nexe, both in the Barrocal. The gardeners of both these gardens had incorporated the existing plants and landscape into their gardens and used minimal watering in their care.

Lavandula luiseri

Like most barrocal gardens, Lynn and Kelvin Cooper´s near Estoi is stony, compact clay on a bed of limestone. When planning the garden, Kelvin decided to leave most of the land as it was, so as to preserve the existing flora. They therefore have a wonderful display of wildflowers in the spring, including the Algarve narcissus (Narcissus calcicole). The area around the house is more traditionally planted with an eclectic mix of Mediterranean plants, such as polygala, eriocephalus, lavenders, rosemary, plus various succulents. Many of the original shrubs and trees, however, such as Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo), Lentisk (Pistacia lentiscus), oaks and carobs, have been left, including a huge, ancient carob. This mixture of existing plants and new additions suitable for the dry conditions was a good demonstration that it is not always necessary to clear the land before developing a beautiful garden.

Ophrys  italica 

In a similar way, Janet and Edward Goldman have a cultivated area near the house and wilder, less cultivated or uncultivated land further away. What looks like lawns in winter is in fact wild grass and flower meadow.

Edward and Janet garden views

Janet and Edward have a very restricted watering regime for a pragmatic reason: their bore hole is not very productive, especially in the summer, so they fill a tank in the spring to last until November, which is enough for pots and needy plants around the house but nothing else.* This has the advantage that the conditions in the land away from the house are ideal for native plants, in fact they are improving as the land becomes less fertile. Before they moved in years ago, the land was used for horses, so the grass was fertilised to provide fodder. Now they just mow parts of it in the winter and all of it once in late spring, so the fertility is reduced and the seeds returned to the soil. Consequently, they too have a wonderful display of wild flowers including orchids and the yellow anemones in the spring, plus a whole field of thyme. Around the property, they have over twenty-one types of tree, including two Pistacias, a Melia azedarach, two Eucalyptus, two Ficus, a Tipuana  tipu and many others. Around the house, scent was provided by both the jasmine and the Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), the frangipani was beginning to shoot, violas colonised the raised bed and Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris) and Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis) covered the shady wall of the raised bed, surrounded by a multitude of other flowering plants.

Janet and Edward garden in winter 

Several people have asked to revisit the gardens at different times of the year to see the changes, even the sesta period of the summer when all is brown and apparently dead. That is the wonder of seasonal gardens.

Thank you to Janet and Edward, Lynn and Kelvin, for welcoming us to your gardens and taking time to show us around.

(*An update from Edward: In fact, the bore hole is effectively dry in July. They could drill a new bore hole - they would need to drill about 350 metres down - and have a more typical garden with full irrigation lawns etc. However, they don´t want to do this as apart from the cost (their land covers about 10,000 metres, so it would take a lot of water), they would not be surprised to see restrictions imposed in the future. Also, of course it could be considered anti-social in current circumstances. Furthermore, they are in the Reserva Ecológica Nacional (REN) zone, where there are particular restrictions to prevent soil erosion, run-off causing flash flooding, etc. Therefore, they just top off the vegetation with the mower rather than rotavating. You can see a map of the REN by going to http://idealg.ccdr-alg.pt/aplicacoes.aspx .)
Tessa Hearn - MGAP Events Organiser

OPEN DAY at the Barrocal Botanic Garden

Guided Visit and Practical Workshops, Quinta da Figueirinha, Silves 

Sunday 9 December 

The aim for the day was to share some knowledge and give confidence about using native plants to make beautiful gardens. 35 keen folk gathered at the Quinta on a bright sunny winter day, some came with buckets and bags bringing cuttings material such as Artemisia, Bupleurum, Plectranthus, aromatic herbs and even grape vines.

The event was open to all to join us for our Winter Season Botanic Garden Open Day. The aim for the day was to provide some practical skills for making beautiful and sustainable gardens with plants of the Algarve Barrocal region and other Mediterranean and dry zone flora. The MGAP book shop was also available for Christmas purchases and there was a good response to the books on offer.

Following coffee at the Quinta Bar, the day started with a look at collecting, storing and cleaning seed. This gives the chance to grow plants that might not be available to buy locally. Notes on propagating by seed were available to take away. There was also a selection of seed available for collection on the day. The main plants that were used were wild collected seed of Clematis flammula, Thapsia villosa and Prangos trifida, we are looking forward to hearing how many new plants might come out of this distribution. Next there was a look at sowing seed and various methods were shared, including using fish tank fine washed gravel as a top dressing, and also vermiculite. It is important to use seed compost with no nutrition and to have moisture and air in the compost.

Following this, we embarked on the cuttings material and a simple method using nodal cuttings was demonstrated. Burying at least two leaf nodes usually allows roots to develop, trimming top leaves to a minimum gives the plant material less stress while roots are formed. It is important to keep seed and cuttings in the shade to prevent huge highs and lows in temperatures and humidity. 

Then it was time to get out the picnics and have some time to talk about our own gardens. After lunch most of the group went up to the site of the Botanic Garden to see a demonstration of recommended planting method in dry gardens. It is still quite unusual here to have gardens without any irrigation system and the Botanic Garden is now an example of how this works in practical terms. We had a hole made with great energy by Zé with a long length crow bar - this is stony ground and heavy duty methods apply ! The plant goes in below soil level into a shallow bowl shape which gathers water, during the winter and during hand watering as needed in the summer. The newly inserted plants have all been subject to a regime of 4 to 6 week interval watering during the summer and there have been one or two casualties. However, the majority of plants have done well and it was possible to show some examples of Phlomis and Cistus which are now growing away well.

As this is an ideal time to get plants into the ground, some wonderful work was done by volunteers – Pistaccio lentiscus, Phlomis lychnitis, Nepeta tuberosa and Vinca difformis was planted during the afternoon using the demonstrated method.

This was also an opportunity to walk round the garden area and the Narcissus papyraceus were up and in full bloom, a lovely sight on a bright winter day.

Plans are being finalised for our future seasonal Open Days and more regular guided visits. We also plan to have a group of Friends of the Botanic Garden so watch out for more news on this.