Jardinagem em Portugal

“95 per cent observation /5 per cent  glue and sticky tape”

The day started with a few words from Udo Schwarzer (Algarve Biologist based near Aljezur) on the approach he would use to teach us how to observe and learn from the natural vegetation. He emphasised that it was not important at this stage to know the names of the plants we would see, it would be more important that we observed closely the differences, and collected specimens of foliage/flowers of each individual. These specimens should be an accurate record of trees, shrubs, climbers, bulbs and annuals which were in the marked areas of the Barrocal garden near Moncarapacho. Udo had previously marked areas of typical vegetation types for the workshop.

The group was split into teams and sent to the selected parts of the garden, a large A3 sheet of white paper was used to collect single specimens of every specie distinguishable in the selected vegetation area. The sheets were folded by four and then numbered one to  four. These areas on the paper were to allow collected specimens to be divided between the most dominant (area 4) and least dominant (area 1) on the vegetation sampling site.

When this task had been completed the teams returned to the shady terrace to stick down their collections.  Udo was kept busy running between each of the areas to help out when necessary and to check that useful specimens were being collected.

Each sheet from the groups was then laid side by side for everyone to see. Udo emphasised again that we should closely observe the similarities and the differences between the sheets. It became obvious that the six study areas of vegetation types were three pairs of equal vegetation because the participants recognized that there were three pairs of sheets with similar plant composition, both in species and in abundance/domination.

With guidance from Udo, the significance of the selected areas became clear. Woodland, edge of woodland, and exposed areas all had their own plant communities relevant to the conditions of each area.  The relevance for those trying to establish natural gardens or use native plants in the garden was discussed. If we can properly observe what plants we have growing already, then we can make an assessment of the plant community and encourage/add the relevant plants.  In this way we can increase the bio-diversity of our gardens in one of the richest botanical areas in Europe,  this would also mean  a flowering garden without any irrigation.

Useful Books – to order from local bookshops

Flora e Vegetação,  Barrocal Algarvio (Tavira – Portimão) Carlos J. Pinto Gomes & Rodrigo J. P. Paiva Ferreira Published 2005 by the CCDR (Commissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Algarve)  ISBN 972-95734-9-2  This is the definitive flora for the Barrocal with a full listing by botanical name of trees, shrubs, bulbs and plants. Available directly on application to the CCDR Biblioteca at the  Museo Regional do Algarve in Faro.

Plantas do Algarve com interesse ornamental/Algarve´s Plants with ornamental interest Fernando Santos Pessoa, José Rosa Pinto, José Rocha Alexandre 2nd Edition 2007 ISBN 978-972-36-0715-4

Wild Flowers in the Algarve, an introductory guide Pat O´Reilly & Sue Parker 2008 www.first-nature.com

Wild Orchids in the Algarve Sue Parker 2009 www.first-nature.com

Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean – a complete guide, over 2700 colour illustrations Christopher Grey-Wilson and Marjorie Blamey 2004 A & C Black (Domino books) ISBN 0-7136-7015-0

A new page has been added to the right hand menu with full notes from the Seed Workshop day held in March.

Sieves and buckets ready for use

The day was dedicated to learning more about collecting, cleaning and storing your own seeds. The notes also contain some useful links to other web sites with more details on cleaning different kinds of seed.  There are also some useful notes on the main Mediterranean Garden Society web site together with the list of seed available for members.

When plants perform well and it is difficult to buy more, growing them from seed can be the only way to make more available for planting.  Growing from seed also can provide surplus plants for swaps or for sale at events.

I think it might be important to add that while  growing plants from seed is great fun, it can also be addictive !!

Our first opportunity to go out and about in our own garden and the surrounding hills was a glorious reminder of the huge diversity of spring flowers – and orchids – which populate the wilder areas of the south of Portugal. Enjoy !

A recent visit to the Midlands area of the UK was a salutory lesson in winter gardening for someone like me who has been living in the south west of Europe for the last five years.  We had heard about the snow and ice on the roads but it was still a bit of a shock to see the starved looking grassland and totally bare hedgerows, even in early March.  Even so, it did prove the point that there are plants for every situation.

The unexpected pleasure of visiting the garden of friends which was open for charity made up for the bare landscape.  There was a profusion of snowdrops in full flower, crocus, aconites and glorious hellebores showing colour.  The Cyclamen coum had lovely dark pink flowers surrounded by large dark green leaves.

It was very pleasant to see the Iris unguicularis flowering, I have several clumps of these in the garden here and although the UK plants were not quite so floriferous, they certainly had some flowers despite the cold.  There is a deep

blue, a lilac and a white flowered form of this iris and all have golden accents on the falls of the flowers. If you pick some buds, by gently pulling them right at the base, they can be put into water and will then open indoors so that you get the lovely scent without braving whatever the weather is throwing around outside.

Frost on foliage made patterns I had forgotten about and the seedheads were still strongly upright – contributing to the feel of a garden asleep, but not completely forgotten.

Yesterday I was able to visit the local Algarve Regional Agricultural Department near Faro and they have some interesting plantings. Looking very good at the moment are the aloes in the succulent garden.  This garden is on well drained sandy soil so the recent heavy rains have not caused the problems we are experiencing in other parts of the Algarve with soil erosion, flooding and rotting.

Aloes are one of the most distinctive African plant families – 446 species in all  and,  surprisingly, are one of the Asphodelaceae.  They occur in (but are not confined to) many of the worlds most arid regions but are especially associated with South Africa and the Arabian peninsula. Some aloes have been used for medicinal purposes, Aloe vera being the most well known, but there are also recorded uses as purgatives, shampoos, cosmetics etc. There are 200 active ingredients including essential amino-acids and 12 vitamins.

They are excellent garden plants being long lived, drought tolerant once established, and winter flowering in a range of reds, yellows and orange colours. Flower spikes vary from short and wide to thin elegant spikes. A little known member of the Aloe family is the Baobab tree, Adansonia digitata.  A book I have found useful is by Gideon F Smith and Braam van Wyk  ‘Aloes in South Africa‘  Published 2008 ISBN 978-1-77007-462-0