Antidote - Madeira souvenirs

Is there anything better than looking back into great memories from a holiday on paradise island?
Whilst it was already in 2011, I beam myself back into this beautiful garden which was created in 1801: Palheiro Garden.

The 1st Count of Carvalhal, João Esmeraldo, a portugese nobleman started the grounds around the estate, a former hunting lodge, with imported trees and shrubs from all four corners of the globe to complement indigenous species. It's believed that the first Camellias (Camellia japonica) were imported around 1810. At one point the amounts of camellias in the gardens numbered thousands and were eagerly sought out by visiting botanists and horticulturalists throughout the 1900s.
After the death of the 2nd Count of Carvalhal in 1888 – who left the house and grounds in considerable neglect – John Burden Blandy purchased the estate. Thus began a new chapter in the history of Palheiro Gardens. The estate passed through successive generations of the Blandy family and by the 1950s Mildred Blandy, wife of Graham, was dedicating much of her married life tending to the garden. Among the flora she introduced throughout the ‘50s, ‘60s and 1970s were additional species of camellia, among them Camellia reticulata and Camellia sasanqua.

WARNING: this blog may contain photos of Camellias.

The walkway has its right name: Camellia Avenue. It is lined with Camellias, every one of a different variety.

Behind were fields of Callas, bog arums - I never saw so many in one place.

I was unable to stop taking pictures of the bright colours of the camellias and I am unable to not to upload them here. Every one of them seems to be my favourite until I see the next one...

The tree and the fence wire had become one

Suddenly a glimpse of Funchal.

Eventually, one reaches the entrance gate.

The topiary are a surprise.

Flowers everywhere

Enormous trees

Sorry, I could not resist - more camellia

It was so quiet and cool in the little chapel

And then we arrived at the famous knot garden

What would one give today for such a blue sky?

I remember saying to Frauke: those look like a special pair of my mum's earrings :-).

Not dead, only bend

EG on his preferred place: the compost heap

It seems a long time since I have shown camellias

Then came the mystic part, called Ribeira do Inferno, hell's valley. If this is how hell might be, I would happily end up there.

Actually, this little pointed pink camellia looks a bit like the one we have on our house wall. Brought back from Trevarno gardens in Cornwall in 2001. It survives but seldom has a flower.

Aren't those camellias superb?

With this last view over the port of Funchal, I shall leave. If you don't read from me anymore, you know where I can be found.