Quintas da Madeira for garden enthusiasts

Garden and floral enthusiasts will enjoy checking into one of the Quintas da Madeira, ten of the island’s finest boutique hotels, all located in stunning gardens (Quintas).

Many of the Quintas have spectacular botanical gardens with a fascinating and varied collection of plant life and most grow fruit and vegetables that are served up to guests eating in the restaurant. To qualify as a Quinta the hotel must incorporate an old manor house and a walled garden.

Each garden offers different flora and fauna and many properties boast rare and unusual species.  What’s more, many offer interesting, informative and educational activities such as garden walks with a local botanist.

Garden highlights from the Quintas da Madeira include:

Quinta Jardins do Lago boasts an area of 2.5 hectares full of wonderful examples of rare species and old trees as well as many colourful and delicate flowers. The flora of 'Quinta Jardins do Lago' is such a rich and diverse collection that it can rival any good botanical gardens.  There are manicured lawns, a garden containing 500 different species of plants, many of which were planted in the 18th century.  Key features include:

- A collection of centenary examples, such as Dracaena Draco from Madeira, Syncarpia Glomelifera from Australia, Cinnamomum Campitora from China / Japan, as well as many fantastic varieties from all over the world as Jacaranda Minosifolia from Argentina, Pandanus Utilis from Madagascar or the Erythrina Abyssimica from Tropical Africa.
- A lake in the ornamental garden, in the shape of Madeira.
- An allotment area which services the hotel kitchens.
- A 250-year-old Chinese Camphora tree from China.
- Colombo, the Quinta’s 50-year-old giant male tortoise.
- The entire garden can be enjoyed to its full on a course directed by Dr. Raimundo Quintal, focussing on ornamental plants.

Estalagem Quintinha de São João is home to more than 350 botanical plant species from around the world and is surrounded by impressive mature trees.  Last year Quintinha de Sao Joao opened the Spa de Quintinha which was designed to blend in with the garden design and the windows have been planted with enriching aromatic herbs which are used in the treatments.  Garden walks with a qualified botanist are available at this Quinta.

Quinta da Casa Branca has an area of 12000 m2 of gardens in the centre of Funchal. All guests that stay at this stylish, modern, design Quinta are given a brochure on arrival in order to help them enjoy the beautiful gardens. Key features include:

- A dense barrier of mature trees surrounding the whole property make up of a valuable collection known as old “ladies” – campher trees, flame of the forest, Bunya pine, jacaranda, kapok tree, Madeira laurel.
- Once a former banana plantation, the garden has been updated with a more contemporary feel, matching the style of the property, which includes new pathways, new species of trees and stylish flower beds.
- In front of the guest rooms, generous areas of lawn lead to flower beds, giving clients a colourful natural view including glossy abelia, hibiscus, aloes, bottlebrush, popcorn bushes, pride of Madeira to name a few.
- Next to swimming-pool area, the entire atmosphere from the “old” quintas is maintained – huge and colourful bougainvilleas, vases of anthuriums, pots of orchids all pointed out with elegant palm trees and jacarandas.
- A banana plantation where the crop is regularly served to guests for breakfast.
- Fruit trees, producing produce also enjoyed by guests include guava, passion fruit, Brazil cherry, Japan medlar, Guyana guava.

Casa Velha do Palheiro was built in the early 19th century as a hunting lodge and is in the heart of the 100 hectare Palheiro Estate, well known for the stunning Palheiro Gardens. The Quinta’s location, 500m above sea level, means less tropical plants, and more species used to cooler air and rapid growth.  Trees, which have been in situ since the 1800s, include Oak, Beech, Chestnut and Cedar, which sit comfortably alongside Eucalyptus, Australian Jasmine and Araucaria pines.  Nearby is the small chapel of St John, built by the Earl of Carvalhal, a collection of small ponds, and the extremely rare Sauraja Subspinosa – a Burmese tress with pale pink flowers and berries.

Quinta Bela Vista is set in 20.000 sqm of old established gardens with narrow cobbled paths and many exotic specimens of trees and shrubs, such as kapok, paulownia, hibiscus and colourful flowering creepers. The Quinta is located on the hillside on the northwest outskirts of Funchal, 1,5 miles from the centre, with superb views across the mountains, bay and on a clear day, to the Desertas Islands. Key features of the gardens include:

- Oak trees dating to the construction of the Quinta (1844).
- A traditional levada that irrigates area of the gardens
- 201 different types of flora
- Edible produce such as Mangos, Passion fruit, Surinam Cherries, Avocados, Bananas, Chestnuts and Fresh Herbs are grown in the gardens and used in the kitchens of the Quinta

The Albatroz Beach and Yacht Club is one of the few Quintas to be located right on the waterfront. The garden is a seaside garden with aloes, Norfolk pines, Australian pines, tipuanas hibiscus, plumbago, yuccas, frangipani, metrosideros, flamboyant, buganvileas, palm trees, agapanthus, jasmine and quite a few other varieties which have to be compatible with the vicinity of the sea. The Quinta also has some fruit trees, including fig trees, Brazil cherry, silver bananas and avocado.

Quinta Estalagem do Vale is the only Quinta to be located right on the north side of the island, inside the “Laurissilva” forest area that was considered in 1999 by UNESCO as a Patrimony of the Humanity, occupying an area of around 15,000 hectares. The garden is a mixed atmosphere of arboreal fetus Dicksoniaceae and cedars Cedrus Deodara.

Another exciting activity in Madeira is Levada walking where visitors can expand their interest in wildlife and nature participating in a variety of walks, of different levels and intensities, along old water carriageways through woodland, caves and waterfalls.

For more information visit: quintas-madeira.com