Re: Madeira holiday

val dennison wrote:
> 
> I'm off to Madeira in July for a couple of weeks. This holiday destination
> chosen because of the flora of course.
> Any advice on special places to visit to see plants would be most
> appreciated.
>

Oh you lucky duck!

I love Madeira and  and actually now 9say it ver quietly) have a time
shre apartment in Funchal it is like a second home.

What to see botanically ( I must try and see wht Nick Turland
recommended for the wild plants)

The following are failrly easy things to do

In my opinion the best garden to see is the Quinta Palheiro or so called
Blandy gardens  and I usually go there every time I go to Madeira . (
Ths camellias at New Year when I have my time share week are a sight to
behold) There is a part of the garden called "The Inferno" which is a I
suspect an old  quarry. You descend a jungly path intoit. it is heavily
palnted with tree ferns aand othe types of erns and shde loving plants.
It has an eerie primeval qulity and it is one of the most atmospheric
gardens I have ever been to in my life.
It is easily reached by public transport as is the Monte Palace gardens
which are beautifully laid out. When we have been to madeira in the
summer and it gets too humid (Heat, per se not a problem) we jump a atxi
if we haven't got a ahire car and cool off there. Handy tip for July!
You can always come down on that tobaggon which is great fun if a liitle
pricey.

Frankly I felt that the Jardim Botanico was a bit of a let down but go
by all means because you get terrific views.

The Quinta da Boa Vista  is a commercial orchid garden. Orchids are at
there best at easter ( You should see the churches decorated with
orchids at Easter used with the same prodigality as we would use
daffodils WOW)
Is a lovely place . We always go there when we go . Its a pleasant walk
if the day isn't too hot ( Not a problem at Easter or in Dec) and its in
a lovely old world slightly ramshckle part of town that has seen
glorious days. Take the lower road to it not the direct route as judged
by the street map otherwise you will have to walk up oner of those
indescribable  but typical Funchal roads that mimic the north face of
the Eiger.

Beware the Jardim Orquidera which is a dump.  We went ther once but the
taxi driver who brought us back said we had bee fools to go there when
he saw our down cast faces. he told is about Boa Vista. Taxi drivers on
Madeira are good eggs generally and will often tell you the names of
plants if you are interested but that will go on to include everything!

Try to see as much of the island as possible.  The  moorland or the
serra da Paul is breathtaking  If its clody when you go go back another
clear day!!!!  And Pico do Arreiro is amazing. 

There is a very easy Levada walk with acouple of tea houses en route
which is avery pleasant insight to the interior.

And if you want to see lovely arragements of lacal flowers make sure you
go to the Casa do Turista right in the centre of funchal on the front
next door to the new shopping centre and almost directly opposite the
pier that goes up the side of the marina. A funchal institution and
really lovely even tho you have to have very big bucks to buy anything
they treat sightseers very kindly.

Also the Savoy hotel has some beautiful trees and other plants all
labelled, in their gardens and you can walk through them failrly easily.

Madeira is not called the Jardim Atlantico or the Perola da Atlantico
for nothing . Its so beautiful and fertile and everyone seems to love
flowers. If I close my eyes I can see the steep Asian looking terraced
well irrigated hilsides with verdant crops; every little house with its
patch of flowers and vegetables, each little villa decorated with
begonias  cannas, avocados, bananas and maracuja( passion fruit) and paw
paw. The roads reaching up to the hills lined with zantedeschia ,
hedychiums and even more blue hydrangeas as blue as those in our lake
district but not as blue as those of the Azores ....but that is another
story.

Please email seperately if there is anything else you would like to
know!

Although i go there every year now I would still drop everything and go
to morrow if I could. Visitores to Madeira either love it or hate I'm
told. Obviously I fall in to the first catgeory. I hope you will come to
love it too.

Colette Dunkley Upton,Wirral,Merseyside,England.
Approximates USDA Zone 8/9
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