Flower Island, Atlantic Garden or the island of eternal spring… Madeira is beautifully named, and I have long wanted to explore this gem known for its extraordinary richness of flora. Last year, I finally treated myself to a week of botanical relaxation on this enchanting island. After a three-hour flight from Nantes and a spectacular landing, Madeira is a wonderful destination for any plant enthusiast! With virtually no time difference, we are plunged into a completely tropical atmosphere.
At the beginning of spring, I invite you to soak up greenery and colour on these charming volcanic lands. My travel diary takes you on this first episode to the renowned gardens of the capital, Funchal!
Madeira, who are you?
This floating garden stretches over a small volcanic rock of 60 km by 25, covering 750 km². Madeira is part of a Portuguese archipelago consisting of four main islands, located a few thousand kilometres from the Portuguese coast. Set in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the archipelago belongs more broadly to what is known as Macaronesia, which includes the Azores, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde. It is situated at a latitude roughly level with Marrakech. It is the most densely populated island, as the other islands are practically uninhabited.
A dream island, renowned for the mildness of its climate, but especially for the incredible beauty of its lush vegetation, with grand gardens and flora growing along the roads. Knowing that a third of its area is situated above 1000 m, with Pico Ruivo reaching 1861 m, one immediately understands that this is a dream setting for hiking.
Its subtropical climate is characterised by a low thermal amplitude: as a result, plants grow all year round between 15 and 27°C, with these temperatures dropping as one ascends to the island's many peaks. Humidity is high, giving it a humid subtropical climate. Finally, winds are blocked in the centre by mountains, protecting the south and east, with the eastern tip being even arid. Depending on where you are on the island, the perception of heat and humidity will be quite different.
The city of Funchal, the island's capital, features numerous quintas, large mansions with sumptuous gardens, which can be visited from the outside, and two must-see gardens located on the heights of the city:
The Monte Palace Tropical Garden
Formerly a luxury hotel, Monte Palace is located between 475 and 570 m above sea level over the city of Funchal. It boasts no less than 10,000 species of plants across seven hectares, a must-visit for tourists who often access it via the cable car.
Here, an atmosphere is created with an Eastern influence thanks to the omnipresent red colour, with water appearing everywhere in the form of lakes, waterfalls emerging from caves, or ponds with koi carp, but the garden mixes styles, featuring fountains and Buddhist or very classical sculptures, while inviting ancient azulejos and Manueline-style doors. The overall effect is almost eclectic, but the profusion of plants and the tropical ambiance ensure an extraordinary change of scenery!
- The laurisilva: a large area at the entrance showcases the island's endemic flora. Descending a long avenue, one discovers the primary forest, the island's indigenous plants. This place is dense and wild, with few people wandering there, yet it immerses us in the island's interior, providing impressions of the many hikes Madeira has to offer.
- The oriental garden
It is impossible to overlook it as it is at the heart of the incredible decor of Monte Palace. The red colour serves as a common thread, and the plants are not all those one might expect in a Japanese garden when hundreds of clivias catch the eye, but the exuberance is total, and the viewpoints are always different, as one descends the hill...
The collection of cycads
One of the areas features an exceptional collection of Cycadales, these plants that are halfway between ferns and palms, but belong to the gymnosperm family, like Ginkgo or conifers. They are true living fossils, with pinnate leaves, the most well-known among us being the Cycas revoluta. Here, one is left speechless in front of the enormous Encephalartos natalensis (part of the zamia family) and their prominent cones!
The orchids
An orchid nursery continues to amaze at the end of the path. They are countless, in shades of yellow, orange, white, or pink... Even without being an expert, one cannot help but be captivated by the extravagant shapes of their flowers and the exoticism they convey.
The botanical garden
A little lower than its illustrious neighbour, the Jardim Botânico is the other garden in Funchal not to be missed. Very different in atmosphere, it is like suspended at 300 m above sea level. In my opinion, the two gardens truly complement each other, and it would be a shame to favour one over the other.
The property visible at the entrance belonged to the Reid family, a famous family that built its fortune on Madeira wine, the origin of Reid’s Palace in Funchal, one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Here, 3.5 hectares await exploration, with 3,000 exotic plants to marvel at: here shade plants, there a garden of cacti and succulents, in the centre a choreographed display of plants, and lower down, elegant palms…
- The shade garden
For me, this area was a delight, a perfect tropical tableau with large leaves and a few grand blooms, even if it was a bit early in the season to enjoy it at its peak.
The garden reveals an extraordinary botanical diversity. One can see Crinums, clivias, amaryllis, and especially many beautiful foliage plants like tree ferns, Sphaeropteris cooperi (syn. Cyathea cooperi), graceful ferns (Niphidium crassifolium), epiphytic plants that colonise tree trunks, and colocasias! The plants find here the best conditions to grow: warmth and humidity, hence this profusion of vegetation.
- The succulent garden
Certainly one of the places that amazed me the most, as the shapes, textures, and colours of this garden within a garden are fascinating!
- The choreographed flowerbeds
This is one of the island's postcards: this large terrace offers a view of the bay of Funchal and an unobstructed view of the ocean, serving as the garden's belvedere. It consists of a large flowerbed in the shape of a rectangular checkerboard composed of several squares, where a series of green and purple plants are geometrically planted, resulting in a spectacular outcome. This is not the area I preferred, far from it. It even contrasts with the wild aspect of some areas of the garden, but one can admire the meticulous work of the gardeners.
But the botanical garden of Funchal still holds many wonders, such as the palm section, to be discovered at leisure, or the strelitzia, the birds of paradise, which are also emblematic...
Learn more
Monte Palace Tropical Garden, open daily except 25 December from 9:30 am to 6 pm, entry 12.50 euros
Botanical Garden, open daily except 25 December, from 9 am to 6 pm, entry 6 euros
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