Madeira

[David_K]

If anything the flowers look more similar to Cordylines though less dense.
Glad you and Marjorie enjoyed yourselves, it's a great island.
Certainly takes me back to a trip there some 13 years ago. I still have two large pots of Agapanthus that I obtained in the market at Funchal and a Bird of Paradise from the same place which keeps flowering. One memory I have is of the hundreds of Agaves which have self set on the cliffs below the chequered gardens.

[Colin Walker]

Hi David,

We missed the agaves below the chequered garden - just so much to see! Near to the newly upgraded airport there's one hillside covered in Agave attenuata, but unfortunately I wasn't able to take a pic of this.

Personally I feel that agapanthus is a weed. I well record going on a coach tour to the very northern tip of North Island New Zealand on our second trip to that wonderful country. The guide was extolling the beauty of agapanthus as if it was a native New Zealand plant, but of course it's from Soiuth Africa, escaped and become naturalised in New Zealand. In Madeira there was one fabulous look out spot high in the centre of the island, where the agapanthus spoiled the view. So for me, in New Zealand and Madeira at least, agapanthus is a WEED.

[Liz M]

Hi Colin, It was great to see your pictures of Madeira, it looks the sort of place I would love to go, to see the succulents. I was especially taken with the Aeoniums, I grow both of them but they never get as big as the species in habitat, unfortunately. A Glandulosum is not a problem with being biennial, providing you sow the seed soon after it ripens, it results in dozens of plants packed in the pot and you can never find enough people interested to have them.
The Geranium Maderense is very similar to Geranium Palmatum, which I grow,it's a great plant, if a little over enthusiastic.
The cliffs are really impressive, the views are clearly stunning, are there any interesting birds nesting on them?

[Colin Walker]

Hi Liz,

You asked about interesting birds nesting on the cliffs of Madeira. Well sorry, but I was far too busy looking at the plants to notice ANY birds, nesting or otherwise. The only birds we did pay attention to were trying to eat our pastries at the cafe at the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens. My wife thinks this might have been a finch, but we're not really birdie people.