Madeira Plants

View from our 'eyrie' above Funchal

GirlsGardening decided it was time for a change of scene and went in search of new and exotic flora on the lush Portuguese island of Madeira.

Although spring might be the most popular time to come and admire its wide range of flowering plants, there's still plenty of vivid colour to excite the eye in October.

African senna
Senna didymobotrya

Garden Flowers

A plant like this striking African senna, for instance, was making a fine display in the gardens around our apartment.

It's a shrub I've not seen before, which can grow to several meters and has rather glabrous, dark brown buds contrasting with the yellow petals beneath. Here the shrubs were kept to a reasonable size but they can get out of hand in certain environments.

There's so much verdant greenery in Madeira that flowers of any colour - particularly red - appear to sing out with a luminous intensity.

Princess Flower

Another attractive plant in our garden was the Princess Flower or Glory Bush (Tibouchina urvilleana), originally from Brazil and producing rich violet blooms.

As if that wasn't enough, we noticed that some of its soft, felted leaves had turned a bright autumnal orange, complementing the scarlet flower buds.  Very exotic!

Tibouchina urvilleana

We soon became aware that a small team of gardeners was keeping our terraced hillside in immaculate order, trimming and dead-heading these fast-growing shrubs, constantly removing any obvious weeds from the fine red soil. To garden in Madeira requires a strong pair of legs, at the very least!

Thunbergia grandiflora aka Blue Thunbergia

Twined over an archway leading to the restaurant, we regularly walked beneath a lovely example of the Laurel or Bengal Clock Vine with its profusion of sky blue trumpets.

Although this vine originated in Asia, the RHS have given it an award of merit as a plant to be grown under glass in more temperate climates.

Aloe arborescens
- helping to colonise the steep hillsides

Having worked alongside prickly aloes in the past, I'm not sure I'd choose to plant any of these spiky fellows in my tropical paradise!

Not called Sword Aloes for nothing, these spiny-toothed succulents are found all over the island and send up sensational crimson blooms similar to red hot pokers. They're fabulous unless you're the unlucky person who has to prune them...

Iron and tufa deposits make a rich red soil

Madeira's volcanic terrain has much to do with the type of planting around the island.

The well-maintained terracing is very reminiscent of the Far East, where every inch of fertile soil is put to good use and a typical family plot will be stepped on several levels.


Agriculture

At this time of year, the main crops in evidence were sugar cane, bananas, tomatoes - and grapes, of course, for making that excellent fortified wine which is still a major export. (Table wine isn't half bad either.)

View of bananas from cable car
en route to Monte - and its
famous tropical gardens.

Their small but beautifully-formed bananas were a perfect size for cutting up on one's breakfast cereal, but we were shocked to hear that they're not exported to other EU countries because the size/shape doesn't confirm to regulations. (How mad is that?)

They're grown on terraces around the capital, Funchal, and bushy plants line the roadside all the way up to hilltop perches like Monte. It's worth taking the cable car up to this village for a bird's eye view of villas, farms and cultivation in general.

When travelling around hairpin bends by car, it's nigh impossible to stop and photograph these impressive ledges!

Eucalyptus trees have been drafted in to stabilise the fragile soil further up the mountainsides. They grow quickly and their essential oils can be extracted as another way of earning revenue.

But in hot summers the trees can easily catch fire from the odd discarded piece of glass and we saw ample evidence of burnt timber when driving north into the hinterland.

Up on the high plateau, the landscape is more sparse and the climate cooler.

Amaryllis belladonna

In autumn roadsides are lined with bright pink clumps of Belladonna lilies - also known as 'Naked Ladies' because their leaves die down in spring so their flower stalks come up bare. 

The lilies in this picture were on show in the tropical gardens at Monte but those we admired on the roadsides had darker, more dramatic stems and were in larger clumps.

Amaryllis have hefty bulbs - like that other ubiquitous Madeiran flower, the Agapanthus - and these too are used to bind the soil and prevent erosion.

Ceiba pentandra or Kapok Tree

Kapok Trees

Down in Funchal town, we kept coming across specimen trees with canopies of pink blossom. Upon closer inspection, these weren't so much blossoms as individual flowers, striped inside like lilies with a thick central style and stigma. The Kapok tree was new to us both...

Kapok Tree or Silk Cotton Tree

Again, this is something which produces flowers without leaves, adding to the stunning effect. It's native to tropical rainforests and the fruits produce a seed hair-fibre known as kapok - used for stuffing cushions and soft toys when I was a child. 

We both agreed that this tree was one of the best discoveries of our holiday and wondered what it would be like when kapok pollen exploded across the streets of Funchal ...

But, away from urban life and tourist intrusion, there still exists a magical remnant of the original island.

Trees in the Laurisilva forest

The laurel forest of Madeira (also called Laurisilva) is now a protected UNESCO World Heritage site and well worth a visit, even if you're just travelling across the island en route to the north coast, as we were. Much of it is at high altitude and largely untouched by man.

The ancient trees and mossy landscape, adorned with ferns and drenched in mist, make you feel as if you've stepped into another world. Truly mysterious, and possibly quite scary if you got lost...

A monochrome rain forest, forever shrouded

Monarch butterfly

Perhaps it was the wrong season for seeing butterflies as we only encountered one or two species, including this handsome Monarch which had taken a liking to hydrangeas in our garden.

We were told that Madeirans have almost stopped using pesticides and, as a result, the insect population has increased noticeably in the past couple of years - a fact which can only be good for biodiversity.

Finally in our journey, we reached the north coast of the island and enjoyed an excellent fish lunch at a former whaling port which now capitalizes on its dramatic lava rockpools, turning them into naturally warm swimming areas for tourists.

Protected pools at Porto Moniz - where you can still be
splashed by the great Atlantic rollers!

Bonne vendange

"Wine is light, held together by water"

- Galileo

Grapes are almost bursting from their skins

As we thought, our local grapes are so ripe that harvesting has begun about three weeks early - and it promises to be a vintage year. (This more than makes up for the disastrous blackberry season, providing us with a miserable couple of bags for the freezer!)

Actaea simplex Atropurpurea
(formerly known as Cimicifuga)
variety 'James Compton' or 'Brunette'

Mind you, this past week has seen some almost tropical downpours which have left the vineyards unusually muddy and unwelcoming for the huge machines employed in hoovering up those precious grapes.

Our plants have definitely benefitted from this added moisture, particularly the wine-coloured foliage of Bugbane (Actaea simplex) which had started to crinkle for lack of water.

A few inches of rain and its dark buds have finally opened to produce some fine spires of white, with an intriguing scent rather like incense. They stand out well against the barn wall which is mainly in shade at this time of year.

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

Where foliage is concerned, I continue to be impressed by the dark leaved penstemon 'Husker Red' - a strain supplied by Chiltern Seeds.

Although I cut down the spent stems a few weeks ago, these plants look anything but tired and have responded by putting on some bright new leaves.

As our garden has gradually filled up with perennials, we're more aware of how important it is to have vibrant or contrasting foliage to provide interest throughout the season, long after flowers have faded and gone.

Berries of Pyracantha with yellow
flowers of Sternbergia lutea

Having passed the Autumn Equinox, there are many more dark corners crying out for fiery berries of Pyracantha or the daffodil-yellow blooms of Sternbergia bulbs which thrive really well under hedges.

So, too, do the obliging flowers of Cyclamen hederifolium that are beginning to weave their pretty carpets in the leaf litter under our ash tree. We have them in both white and pink, and they take it upon themselves to spread into some of the most inhospitable places.

Autumn-flowering Sternbergia lutea
- a bold contrast to the blue of Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

Grasshopper checking out the fiery
blooms of Cosmos sulphureus 'Polidor'

Elsewhere in our borders, Cosmos continues to flower prolifically despite being dumped on by rain and beaten about by strong winds.

Again, this variety of 'Polidor' -with its semi-double two-tone petals - comes from Chiltern Seeds and grows to around a meter in height, providing bright swatches of red, yellow and orange which effectively pick out similar hues in neighbouring Heleniums and Rudbeckias.

It also provides good contrast to blue or purple flowering Salvias and Hyssops which are busy doing their thing right now... 

Verbena bonariensis providing the
perfect foil to Cosmos sulphureus

And not forgetting those indefatigable mauve heads of Verbena bonariensis, which seem to wave at us from all the sunnier parts of the garden, attracting a few late summer butterflies and hummingbird hawkmoths.

Most of the wildlife in our garden is pleasantly benign but we did suffer from a rampant mole who insisted on drilling his way across several borders, uprooting the odd plant in his enthusiasm. We tried planting out a couple of plastic bottles, up-ended on canes to vibrate in the wind, and that actually seemed to slow him down.

Then one morning we found a plump brown body deposited in the driveway, his sharp little teeth exposed in a gesture of defiance, and we concluded that "Moley" had finally fallen victim to our cat, Couscous!

Some creatures are prettier
than others...

Initially, Christina feared this bug on the left was a giant spider when first glimpsed under a branch of clematis, but on closer inspection it turns out to be a cross-eyed cricket.

They are a species of saddle-backed bush cricket (Ephippiger ephippiger) commonly found in vineyards, so perhaps it's not surprising to come across this one in our garden.

Lucky for us it's not a bug that can fly, otherwise it might be truly terrifying!

Autumn sun now favours the herb bed

By mid-afternoon the back garden can still be warm enough for sunbathing and the occasional (small) snake or lizard can be heard skittering over gravel, especially if Couscous is around! 

Lavandula dentata

One of the plants which has done really well in our new raised bed is Lavandula dentata, or French lavender, which my book tells me is actually native to Spain.

Previously, when we've tried growing it in the front south-facing garden, it's died after becoming waterlogged during winter. This time we've planted it in sandy, free-draining soil and the plant has been in flower for months. 

It is still producing new buds and leaves so I'm hoping it will continue to flower until Christmas - as we've seen it in other gardens around here. Definitely good value!

When it comes to our regular lavender shrubs - Lavendula angustifolia - Christina has cut these back hard in order to keep their nicely rounded shapes. 

Any sort of planting repetition is pleasing to the eye and a line of fairly even mounds creates soft shadows and architectural shapes.

Geraniums, verbascum and cosmos

At the base of our rose tripod is a nice patch of magenta provided by the very free-flowering Geranium 'Patricia', a good plant for ground-cover in a sunny and well-drained spot.

Next to it is Verbascum hybridum 'Snow Queen' that had its main flowering stem cut back earlier this summer but has generously gone on to produce several more shorter spikes of white flowers.

Young goldfinch tucking in to teasels on the shore

Exotic Fruit

"Fruits are like flowers - they speak to us

in provocative language and teach us things that

are hidden" - Frida Kahlo

Horses in a field of marsh mallows

Heavy rain at the tail end of August has left us with greener grass and a host of new weeds!

 

Althaea officinalis

Some, like this grey-leaved mallow which thrives on the marsh, produce attractive flowers similar to lavatera and make you feel as if a second spring has come into bloom.

My book tells me that the roots of this plant were once used to make confectionery, hence the concept of 'marshmallows'... but I don't think we'll be digging up any to try out the recipe. (It's enough that I've just macerated the rest of our basil to make pesto sauce!)

Cherry plums being de-stoned for storing

We soon learned that it's vital to have a decent-sized freezer here in order to cope with nature's generous offerings.

A nearby plum tree, which doesn't seem to belong to anyone, produces quantities of fruit every July - perfect for freezing and using in tarts or crumbles over winter.

With the addition of some star anise, these plums really do taste like sharp cherries and are well worth picking and de-stoning.

The wild tree is also known as Myrobalan plum (Prunus cerasifera) and is one of the first to flower in spring, often starting in mid-February in Europe. Several cultivars have been developed for the garden, including  'Atropurpurea' which has dark foliage and produces purple plums.

White figs

Another favourite for scrumping are the various types of fig which grow locally. We mainly come across brown or black figs which weigh down the branches of garden trees and can make a horrid mess underfoot. 

It's impossible to pick them all and your appetite is usually sated after a couple of weeks of full-on figs. Initially, there's a deep sensual pleasure in plucking a warm, ripe fruit from the branch and tasting its toffee-like interior. So, really, who needs manufactured confectionery??

White figs, on the other hand, seem to have a more bready texture and remind me of eating a jam doughnut. We almost walked past the ones in the picture, thinking they were green and unripe; but Christina noticed that birds had already pecked open a few, revealing sugary pink interiors, and of course we just had to investigate further...

Punica granatum - Pomegranate tree

Pomegranates are also popular in Mediterranean areas and these shrubs or trees produce attractive crimson flowers in spring.

I'm told this is an easy plant to care for and its plump, juicy seeds are highly nutritious, sprinkled over fruit salads and green salads alike. In addition to being packed full of vitamins and antioxidants, the fruit is high in fibre - if we had more sunny spaces in our garden, I'd definitely plant one!

Cydonia oblonga - Quince

Quince is another of those trees which I might consider as part of an orchard but wouldn't want in an ornamental garden.

They don't grow particularly tall but the branches are mis-shapen and pulled down low by its heavy pearlike fruits. Even worse are its leaves which soon blotch and curl, making the tree look even more diseased and deformed.

Quince - providing a perfect still life

However, there is something undeniably beautiful about these fruits, especially when presented on a rustic French plate...

Don't be fooled into thinking they can be eaten raw like the pears they resemble. According to chefs writing on the net, they can be cooked in a variety of ways to soften the hard flesh, turning it pink in colour and releasing the subtle flavours.

Traditionally these fruits have been used to make jelly, as an accompaniment to cheese.

White grapes ripening early

Grapes here are generally grown for making wine or cognac, and for a fortified wine known as 'Pineau' which tastes like a mild port.

Although grapes are mainly white in our area, we also have some red varieties used for Charentais wine. This year's wet spring followed by some very hot days in summer mean grapes have ripened quickly and may be harvested in late September, rather than the usual time of early October.

Unless something drastic occurs, it looks like the Charentais and Bordeaux regions are on course for an excellent vintage - and plenty of it too!

Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle)
- growing unpruned in our village

Exotic Flowers

Late summer sees some of the more Mediterranean trees and shrubs come into bloom.

One of the most eye-catching of these is Crape Myrtle or Indian Lilac, a neat multi-stemmed deciduous tree that can grow up to six meters tall.

The flowers can be white or pink, mauve, purple or carmine - all giving a spectacular display at this time of year when some trees are already starting to lose their leaves.

Nerium oleander

Oleaders have been in bloom for a couple of months now and their spiky evergreen foliage also lends a touch of the tropics to village gardens around here.

We passed a rather sophisticated town house the other day which had nothing but white-flowering oleanders in its front garden: the muted effect was decidedly classy and would be perfect for someone who wanted an easy,  low-maintenance garden. C'est raffiné!

Hibiscus syriacus

In our front garden we inherited a triple-bush of hardy hibiscus, consisting of three different coloured flowers - two types of pink and one of blue. It's been in bloom for over a month now and each flower lasts but a day or two, meaning that it drops an awful lot of shrivelled detritus on the grass around it.

But, apart from that minor irritation, it does give great value in terms of colour and grows happily in a dry and sunny position.

The elegant blue hibiscus

Christina's handiwork with spent lavender

Aaah, even horses love selfies...!

Contrasts

"No subject is more beset with rules and taboos in

gardening than the use of colour" - Christopher Lloyd

Helenium autumnale

Late summer's mix of hot colours can bring about some interesting contrasts, not to mention outright clashes... 

Salvia greggii putting rudbeckias in the shade

Here in France people seem to love all shades of pink and it's not unusual to find municipal plantings where gaudy pinks shriek alongside bright yellows and oranges: Quelle horreur!

Christopher Lloyd probably would have approved, since he encouraged a daring mix of colour and shape in borders.

If anything, we found his garden at Great Dixter a little too over-stimulating on a boiling May afternoon some years ago. Whilst you can certainly get away with using lots of hot colour in the bright light of this southern climate, a garden also needs quieter passages of cool blue and white to soothe the eye.

Dried flowers of Catanache with
Geranium 'Azure Rush'

Geraniums are indispensible for filling up spare patches and they provide a soft edge to borders, being easy to cut back if they look like getting out of hand.

Every year we are tempted into buying yet another geranium to add to the collection and I've sadly lost track of many names and varieties, although we do make more effort to keep labels these days.

So I know for sure that two of the most prolifically flowering plants in our garden are 'Rozanne' (mauve) and 'Azure Rush', which is seen here. They will be worth dividing in early spring so that we can pop off-shoots into other semi-shaded corners.

A cool and airy shrub

Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora

Something else we were tempted into buying again was Hydrangea paniculata, after enjoying several floriferous years with the variety 'grandiflora' (above), which really is the grand-daddy of them all.

Along the same high barn wall, in semi-shade, we planted one called 'Early Sensation' whose white florets quickly become blotted with pink; and another called 'Limelight' with denser, cone-shaped blooms which have a distinctly greenish hue.

This summer all three came into flower at more or less the same time and really stand out against the stone wall. Whenever there's a storm, they benefit from heavy rain which pours onto them from the barn roof - alas our expensive guttering didn't extend that far, but luckily hydrangeas and ferns don't appear to mind!

Anenome hupehensis var. japonica
- possibly "Bressingham Glow'

Another plant which seemingly enjoys the odd downpour but otherwise survives in quite a dry, shady area is the Japanese Anenome.

They're well-suited to a woodland setting but can become invasive and we spent ages removing the spreading shoots of a pink type which had got mixed in with our beautiful white 'Honorine Jobert'.

However, we love the one on the right here which was obtained from a friend and stays within the confines of a buried pot. It looks similar to pictures I've seen of 'Bressingham Glow' but there do seem to be a range of stunning pinks on offer so I'm not entirely sure...

Complementary Colours

Physocarpus opulifolius with Rudbeckia

As well as imposing some contrast between plants, the shrub form of Sambucus nigra can echo certain hues of red, brown and purple.

It's a useful foil for many flowers but we had trouble finding one in a garden centre last year, finally settling on a stunted, unhappy bush called Physocarpus opulifolius which looked similar and was in the reject pile!

Physocarpus opulifolius

or Purple-leaved Eastern ninebark,
contrasting with Echinacea purpurea

Fortunately our nurturing has paid off and the sad little shrub grew steadily throughout spring, rewarding us with fabulous leaves and stems which really glow in early morning and evening light.

Cosmos sulphureus 'Polidor' mixed

Not so lucky were some of the Cosmos seedlings I planted out a couple of weeks ago to fill our gaps...!

It rained, and of course the snails came out in force to eat anything which looked particularly desirable. Like this sweet little bi-coloured flower from the Polidor range, grown from the Chiltern Seeds selection which I always recommend for their reliability.

I tend to grow 'extras' for insurance, so we still have several plants to mix in with the 'hot' colours of Rudbeckia and Helenium.

Lunch for two in the garden

Summer wouldn't be summer without moules marinieres...!

Butterflies by the Estuary

We came across a host of these exquisite butterflies whilst walking along the cliff edge on a hot sunny day.

I think they're nothing more exciting than the Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) but - as with geraniums - I have trouble telling all the various blues apart!

They have different colours and markings on the undersides of their wings, just to add to the confusion, and of course the males will be somehow distinguishable from the females. It's a real challenge to capture them on camera when they're busy flitting from sea holly to thistle, but here are two of my favourite pictures... of possibly the same butterfly.

A slightly ragged blue butterfly!