Visit to Madeira

[valdypiero]

Hi Guys
My wife and I will be visiting Madeira in April for the first time since the 1980s(!!).
Can anyone recommend some must-see gardens (especially ferny ones!) as there seem to be so many gardens, but I don't think we'll have time to see all of them.
Many thanks!
Valdy

[MartinNicklin]

You must do the Botanical Gardens and Monte garden whilst you are there. Wonderful. However, there is joy everywhere - the Santa Catarina park next to Funchal centre and the delightful Municipal Gardens in the city centre opposite the Ritz Cafe for a lovely ice cream (both gardens free). I wasn't over impressed with Blandy's (Palheiro) but others are. The Governor's Garden right next to the harbour is lovely with great views and cheap to enter. In fact, my old neighbour is there now and I've asked him to get me some seeds of plants I saw there. The whole island is a botanical treat. I even used to enjoy the walk to the Pingo Doce supermarket looking at all the exotic plants and trees which line the route. It's a lovely place. Even the levada walks and gullies are a treat to walk along, as are the hotel gardens.
I think there is an Angiopteris in either the Municipal or Santa C gardens. Monte is a bit cooler so might be better for ferns ... but they are all lovely.

[Paul S]

I guess you are BPS member - Andrew Leonard can probably give you chapter and verse on where and what. As long as you can deal with him - many can't.

[valdypiero]

Martin: thanks for the info about the gardens; we are based just outside Funchal so I'm looking forward to wandering around and seeing all the exotics. I'll keep an eye out for the Angiopteris. I will definitely do some of the levada walks.

Paul: yes I am in the BPS and thanks for the tip about Andrew Leonard; I will definitely email him and hopefully get some info from him.

Cheers for now

Valdy

[Paul S]

If you are hiring a car - or maybe worth going on a coach trip (saves driving there as the roads are a bit scary) - the north of the island is much wetter (hence all the levadas!) and the vegetation everywhere extremely lush. There is a place on the coast called Santana that has a huge number of Cyathea cooperi planted out, many of which are multi-headed - something of an anomoly. I wrote it up for the BPS journal a few years ago.

Another place worth visiting if you are mobile or fancy an excursion is Ribiero Frio, usually called the trout farm. Not so much for the trout farm itself but there is a little botanical garden of natives, including some big old plants of Culcita macrocarpa. There are two interesting walks from there, too. One is very short leading to a viewpoint called Levada dos Balcões, the other is part of a large circular walk but easily done as an out and back with whatever time you have available. You'll find the trail downhill from the trout farm near a cafe on the right hand side. That takes you straight into the laurisilva with a lot of interesting native plants within a short distance. No scary drops, unlike most of the levada walks.

Good luck with Mr Leonard.

[valdypiero]

Hi Paul

Thanks very much for the heads up about Santana; yes I think I remember you posted some pics about the really weird looking multi-headed Cyatheas. I will definitely make that one of the trips!

And we'll also try and make a trip to the trout farm at Ribeiro Frio.

We won't be going by car, but by coach, as you suggest, as my wife is fed up of years of driving along scary hairpin bends and narrow mountainous roads in pursuit of ferny sites and she wants a more relaxing holiday this time!!!

Cheers for now

Valdy

[Taffy]

....... I'll keep an eye out for the Angiopteris.

Hi Valdy.
The Angiopteris is in the municipal garden ( Jardim Municipal do Funchal) . As you enter the park from the main shopping street, it's on the left by a small pond. The following pic was taken when we were there last June. I took spores from it and now have some youngsters coming along .....







As a side, we booked for The Azores just yesterday, so very much looking forward to that this coming June

[Taffy]

....... I'll keep an eye out for the Angiopteris.

Hi Valdy.
The Angiopteris is in the municipal garden ( Jardim Municipal do Funchal) . As you enter the park from the main shopping street, it's on the left by a small pond. The following pic was taken when we were there last June. I took spores from it and now have some youngsters coming along .....







As a side, we booked for The Azores just yesterday, so very much looking forward to that this coming June

[Paul S]

As a side, we booked for The Azores just yesterday, so very much looking forward to that this coming June

Again, Andrew Leonard is definitely The Man for details of where everything is on the Azores. He has been loads of times and has precise locations etc. Same caveats apply re dealing with the guy, of course. And assuming you haven't already been and therefore already know. Terranova is out of this world.

[MartinNicklin]

I looked and looked and looked for Terranova … all over the world. I came to the conclusion it must be Terra Nostra! :D